It was the heavy hitters of religion and politics Tuesday night in Washington.

Along with the Notre Dame faithful and his family, hundreds gathered to honor President Emeritus, Father Theodore Hesburgh.

His picture taken with Martin Luther King at a 1964 civil rights rally in Chicago and is now a permanent part of the Smithsonian Institution's National Portrait Gallery.

Father Hesburgh's day started here at the White House where he met with President Bush.

Father Hesburgh graciously accepted Maureen McFadden’s request for an interview as the gala was getting underway in Washington, and talked about his meeting with President Bush.

“It was a cordial man to man talk about a lot of things we have in common or think about in common it was perfectly friendly and enjoyable for me at least and I hope for him,” says Father Hesburgh of Martin Luther King Jr.

He was humbled that people like Former Senator Alan Simpson had agreed to be one of the speakers, along with Senator Ted Kennedy who spoke via satellite.

NBC news correspondent and Notre Dame grad, Anne Thompson emceed the event.

All coming together, in honor of a man who appreciates the accolades, but his proudest moment is being a man of the cloth.

“That’s been my life since 1934 when I was ordained. That's quite a long time ago,” says Father Ted.

Father Hesburgh is no ordinary priest.

He chaired the civil rights commission, tackled tough issues like illegal immigration, and was sought out for his advice by popes and presidents.

His commitment to justice was never more evident than 43 years ago, when Hesburgh drove to Chicago where civil rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King Junior would speak at a rally.

He went because he thought it was the right thing to do.

“The mayor was the father of the current mayor and he was so furious because he was proud of Chicago and thought Martin Luther King was giving a bad name to Chicago so as a result he said, I'm not going. Suddenly someone grabbed me and pulled me up on the stage and we got up there we started singing, We Shall Overcome and the picture was taken,” remembers Father Ted.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who went to graduate school at Notre Dame, was introduced Tuesday night by current Notre Dame President, Father John Jenkins.

She reflected on her years at Du Lac and spoke of how what she learned from father Hesburgh helps her today.

Condoleezza Rice says, “Father Hesburgh would be very active in the efforts attending Middle East peace talks to work on issues of incitement, to try to overcome and bridge the hatreds that had developed in so many years and that is work that I draw on even today.”

He was a man whose only real goal was to become a Roman Catholic priest.

“I've had a chance to be many other things and some of them I have become and many I've turned down, but if I wanted to be thought of as one kind of person, I want to be thought of as a priest,” says Father Hesburgh.

A picture of a man with a dream, and another with a vision, that will forever be part of our history and Notre Dame's.