Notre Dame

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Construction work at the University of Notre Dame's famed prayer grotto is expected to last throughout the summer months.

The university says the work will include closing the main staircase to the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes so it can be completely replaced with wider, more accessible steps.

Crews will also replace the pavement in the gathering area facing the grotto with natural stone pavers. Other work involves installing new memorial benches at the grotto near Sacred Heart Basilica on the South Bend campus.

Commencement at Notre Dame was held earlier on Sunday and moved indoors due to weather.  Here is the university's recap of the event:

UPDATE:  

From Notre Dame:

Due to the high probability of heavy rain and lightning, the University of Notre Dame has moved its 174th University Commencement Ceremony on Sunday (May 19) to Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center, beginning two hours earlier than scheduled, at 8 a.m. Individual diploma ceremonies also will start earlier than scheduled, at noon Sunday.

The University of Notre Dame issued the following release of information about this weekend's graduation ceremonies:  

The University of Notre Dame will confer 3,147 degrees during Commencement Weekend Saturday and Sunday (May 18 and 19) on campus.

The President of Notre Dame remembers Lugar as a friend to the University who visited campus on several occasions, including as commencement speaker in 2003.  

88.1 WVPE's Justin Hicks is covering this story. We'll have more from him soon.

In the meantime, here is Notre Dame's news release from the event:

Late Sunday afteroon the President of Notre Dame issued a statement on the Easter Sunday attacks in Sri Lanka. 

You can read the full statement here in the image on the left.

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Starting in September anyone going to a football, basketball or hockey game at the University of Notre Dame will have to pass through a metal detector.

 Other events on campus may also be subject to the metal detectors. It’s part of the school’s ongoing security enhancements. Event-goers will not have to empty pockets or remove shoes, belts or watches. The metal detectors will be at entrances starting with the first home football game on September 14th. Last year Notre Dame instituted a clear bag policy at these venues. That policy remains in effect.