The Rev. John W. Cavanaugh, C.S.C. (May 21, 1870 – May 22, 1935) was an American

priest A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particu ...

and

President of the University of Notre Dame The president of the University of Notre Dame is the chief administrator of the university. The president is selected by the board of trustees of the university, which has the general power of governance of the institution, and is second only to ...

from 1905 to 1919. He came to Notre Dame at the age of 16, in 1886. On August 15, 1889, John Cavanaugh received the habit and worked during his Novitiate for Notre Dame English professor Maurice Francis Egan. He received his Litt. B. in 1890. On August 15, 1891, Cavanaugh made his final vows. From 1892 to 1905 he helped Fr. Hudson with The

Ave Maria The Hail Mary ( la, Ave Maria) is a traditional Christian prayer addressing Mary, the mother of Jesus. The prayer is based on two biblical passages featured in the Gospel of Luke: the Angel Gabriel's visit to Mary (the Annunciation) and Mary's s ...

. On April 20, 1894, Cavanaugh was ordained a priest by bishop Joseph Rademacher of

Fort Wayne Fort Wayne is a city in and the county seat of Allen County, Indiana, United States. Located in northeastern Indiana, the city is west of the Ohio border and south of the Michigan border. The city's population was 263,886 as of the 2020 Censu ...

. He was superior of Holy Cross Seminary from 1898 to 1905.

President of the University of Notre Dame

Cavanaugh was an intellectual figure, known for his literary gifts and his eloquent speeches. During his presidency, he dedicated himself to improve Notre Dame's academic and scholastic reputation, and the number of students awarded bachelor's and master's degrees significantly increased during his tenure. As part of his ongoing commitment to improve the university's academic standing, Cavanaugh attracted a number of eminent scholars to the University, established a chair in journalism, and introduced courses in Chemical Engineering. During his time as president, Notre Dame also rapidly became a significant force on the football field. Yet Cavanaugh resented the implications that Notre Dame should be known as a football school, and almost ended the football program because it was a money-losing endeavor until 1913. Ironically, two of Notre Dame's most famous football personalities appeared during his tenure, George Gipp and

Knute Rockne Knut (Norwegian and Swedish), Knud (Danish), or Knútur (Icelandic) is a Scandinavian, German, and Dutch first name, of which the anglicised form is Canute. In Germany both "Knut" and "Knud" are used. In Spanish and Portuguese Canuto is used whi ...

. Cavanaugh Hall at the University of Notre Dame was dedicated in 1936 in his honor.

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* * Presidents of the University of Notre Dame 20th-century American Roman Catholic priests Congregation of Holy Cross 1870 births 1935 deaths {{RC-clergy-stub