Aaron Neville: 2015 Laetare Address | News | Notre Dame News | University of Notre Dame Skip To Content Skip To Navigation Skip To Search University of Notre Dame Notre Dame News Experts ND in the News Subscribe About Us Home Contact Search Menu Home › News › Aaron Neville: 2015 Laetare Address Aaron Neville: 2015 Laetare Address Published: May 17, 2015 Author: Notre Dame News I am honored and humbled to be receiving such a prestigious medal. I hope I’m worthy of standing next to the people who have received it before me. If it’s for me trying to get my life on the right track the way God wanted me too, then I am worthy, because I know, and God knows, that I’ve tried. I’ve prayed to see the world through God’s eyes and asked that the world see God in me. Aaron Neville, a four-time Grammy Award winning singer and musician, speaks after being awarded the Laetare Medal My early life has been a preview of where I am now. It took who I was and where I came from to make me who I am. For that I have to thank my late parents, Arthur and Amelia Neville. They, along with the nuns at St. Monica’s Catholic School, especially Sister Damien, taught me morals and guidance. My Catholic upbringing helped me in some dark times. One dark night, I remembered a poem I had to memorize and recite in front of the class in maybe the fifth grade. Later, I put music to it and recorded it. The poem was “Lovely Lady, Dressed In Blue, Teach Me How to Pray.” I was always mesmerized by the blessed Mother, and was grateful to get the chance to learn the Ave Maria. I didn’t know what the words meant, but a lady asked me to sing it at her sister’s wedding, so I learned it and have been singing it ever since. Again, I thank you from my heart. To close, I’d like to sing it for you. (Ave Maria) Posted In: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Home Experts ND in the News Subscribe About Us Related September 30, 2022 New prison education initiative joins Center for Social Concerns September 29, 2022 ACE program prepares educators for next generation of linguistically diverse students September 28, 2022 Tyson Yunkaporta, Indigenous Australian scholar and Nasr Book Prize winner, to visit campus September 27, 2022 Alpha Phi Alpha president to be featured ‘fireside chat’ guest September 20, 2022 Merit-based leadership scholars program works to support and empower Latino communities For the Media Contact Office of Public Affairs and Communications Notre Dame News 500 Grace Hall Notre Dame, IN 46556 USA Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube Pinterest © 2022 University of Notre Dame Search Mobile App News Events Visit Accessibility Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube LinkedIn