Catholic university is one of only three universities in the united states to have hosted the pope on its campus and it is the only one to have done so three times pope john paul ii in 1979 pope benedict xvi in 2008 and pope francis in 2015 in the first two visits the pontiff used the occasion of his visit to address educational leaders gathered from around the united states in 2015 the pope celebrated mass on the east portico of the basilica of the national shrine of the . The knights of columbus and the catholic university of america have a history of a close and supportive relationship that dates almost to the founding of the university in 1899 the national council of the k of c established a knights of columbus chair of american history at the university. Located in washington dc the catholic university of america is the national university of the catholic church founded by the us bishops and the pope faithful to the teachings of jesus christ as handed on by the church dedicated to advancing the dialogue between faith and reason catholic university seeks to discover and impart the truth through excellence in teaching and research. History of the center the catholic university of america has since its foundation maintained a unique commitment to the study of the early christian era a strong tradition now central to the universitys mission was set in train by msgr henri hyvernat distinguished copticist and professor in semitics at cua from the founding of the