Pope Paul VI ring
A gift from Pope Paul VI. Fr. Hesburgh appreciated the gift but never wore the ostentatious ring on his finger. In his autobiography, Fr. Hesburgh wrote, “of all the Popes, I knew Paul VI the best.” Pope Paul VI, when he was still known as Cardinal Montini, presided at the Baccalaureate Mass and received an honorary degree at the 1960 Notre Dame Commencement.