Rev. Daniel G. Groody, C.S.C.

Rev. Daniel G. Groody, C.S.C., serves as Vice President and Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education at the University of Notre Dame, where he is also Professor of Theology and Global Affairs, a University Trustee, and a Fellow.

Rooted in his vocation as a priest of the Congregation of Holy Cross and guided by Notre Dame’s mission statement, Fr. Groody approaches Catholic higher education as a formative encounter that seeks to cultivate in students “not only an appreciation for the great achievements of human beings, but also a disciplined sensibility to the poverty, injustice, and oppression that burden the lives of so many.” It is a vision that fosters “a sense of human solidarity and concern for the common good that will bear fruit as learning becomes service to justice.” He also teaches courses such as The Heart’s Desire and Social Change, helping students discern the connection between the deepest desires of their hearts and the world's needs and challenges.

In his administrative leadership, Fr. Groody oversees advancing a relational vision of education through undergraduate learning, scholarly engagement, and academic support. Fr. Groody oversees the University’s Core Curriculum, Moreau Program, Center for Academic Transformation and Excellence, and strategic initiatives related to the provision of an unsurpassed undergraduate education at Notre Dame. He also provides leadership for the Advisory Committee on the Academic Code and Policy and the Valedictorian and Salutatorian Selection Committee.

Through these efforts, he advances a holistic vision of education ordered toward wisdom, communion, and the common good. He further serves the academic community through leadership on the Advisory Committee on the Academic Code and Policy and the Valedictorian and Salutatorian Selection Committee.

An internationally recognized scholar, Fr. Groody explores the theological dimensions of migration, refugees, and human displacement, attending to the mystery of human dignity, the wounds of exile, and the Gospel call to solidarity. Drawing on research and speaking engagements in more than 50 countries, he has collaborated with institutions such as the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, the World Council of Churches, the Vatican, the United States Congress, and the United Nations. His scholarship—rooted in spirituality, justice, and human transformation—includes dozens of articles, four authored books, and five edited or co-edited volumes, and has been translated into ten languages.

As an award-winning author, teacher, and documentary filmmaker, Fr. Groody brings theological reflection into dialogue with lived human experience. His most recent book, A Theology of Migration: The Bodies of Refugees and the Body of Christ, received first-place recognition from the Catholic Media Association. In recognition of this work, Catholic Charities also awarded him the Centennial Medal.

Fr. Groody’s sustained engagement with policymakers, scholars, and religious leaders reflects his commitment to integrating Christian faith with global justice, the dignity of the human person, and the Church’s mission in the world. In 2025, under Pope Francis, he was appointed to the General Council of the Laudato Si’ Higher Education Center in Castel Gandolfo (now Borgo Laudato Si’), contributing to the Church’s vision of integral ecology and ecological conversion. In 2026, Pope Leo XIV named him a member of the Dicastery for the Promotion of Integral Human Development, where he supports the Church’s efforts to advance justice, peace, care for creation, and the flourishing of the human family.

Beyond his academic and pastoral commitments, Fr. Groody is animated by a love of adventure, craftsmanship, and the natural world. A former downhill ski racer, avid woodworker, and outdoorsman, he once rode across the United States from Portland, Maine, to Portland, Oregon—a journey that has come to symbolize the transformative path of the human spirit and the rich, varied terrain of the heart’s desire.