▁more ▁deeply ▁into ▁the ▁academic ▁and ▁scholar ly ▁enter prise ▁of ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Notre ▁D ame . ▁ ▁Cult iv ate ▁a ▁commit ment ▁to ▁spiritual ▁ec umen ism ▁and ▁a ▁culture ▁of ▁encounter ▁among ▁past oral ▁leaders . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁In ▁October ▁ 1 9 6 3 , ▁E c umen ical ▁Ob ser vers ▁at ▁the ▁Second ▁V at ican ▁Council ▁approached ▁Pope ▁Paul ▁VI ▁and ▁shared ▁the ▁dream ▁of ▁an ▁international ▁ec umen ical ▁inst itute ▁for ▁advanced ▁the ological ▁research ▁and ▁past oral ▁studies . ▁This ▁produced ▁a ▁seed ▁that ▁would ▁find ▁fert ile ▁ground ▁for ▁plant ing ▁when ▁the ▁bishop ▁of ▁Rome ▁met ▁with ▁Patri arch ▁A then ag or as ▁of ▁Constantin ople ▁on ▁the ▁Mount ▁of ▁Ol ives ▁on ▁ 5 ▁January ▁ 1 9 6 4 . ▁This ▁famous ▁first ▁encounter ▁of ▁po pe ▁and ▁patri arch ▁in ▁centuries ▁inspired ▁the ▁idea ▁that ▁the ▁international ▁ec umen ical ▁inst itute ▁be ▁located ▁in ▁Jerusalem . ▁ ▁In ▁September ▁ 1 9 6 4 , ▁Pope ▁Paul ▁received ▁in ▁audience ▁Rev . ▁The odore ▁H es burgh ▁( Fr . ▁Ted ), ▁then ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Notre ▁D ame , ▁at ▁the ▁head ▁of ▁the ▁International ▁Federation ▁of ▁Catholic ▁Univers ities . ▁From ▁this ▁meeting ▁and ▁others ▁over ▁the ▁next ▁year ▁and ▁a ▁half , ▁the ▁bishop ▁of ▁Rome ▁entr usted ▁the ▁idea ▁of ▁T ant ur ▁to ▁Notre ▁D ame ▁and ▁a ▁committee ▁of ▁international ▁ec umen ical ▁advis ors ▁–