Robert Wasson Brady (October 6, 1825 – March 26, 1891) was an American
Catholic
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
institutions in the United States. He served twice as the president of the
College of the Holy Cross
The College of the Holy Cross is a private, Jesuit liberal arts college in Worcester, Massachusetts, about 40 miles (64 km) west of Boston. Founded in 1843, Holy Cross is the oldest Catholic college in New England and one of the oldest ...
from 1867 to 1869 and from 1883 to 1887. He was also the second president of
Boston College
Boston College (BC) is a private Jesuit research university in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. Founded in 1863, the university has more than 9,300 full-time undergraduates and nearly 5,000 graduate students. Although Boston College is classifie ...
Robert Wasson Brady was born on October 6, 1825, in Hancock, Maryland. In his youth, Brady's father died and his mother moved the family to
Frederick, Maryland
Frederick is a city in and the county seat of Frederick County, Maryland. It is part of the Baltimore–Washington Metropolitan Area. Frederick has long been an important crossroads, located at the intersection of a major north–south Native ...
religious life
Consecrated life (also known as religious life) is a state of life in the Catholic Church lived by those faithful who are called to follow Jesus Christ in a more exacting way. It includes those in institutes of consecrated life (religious and se ...
, and proceeded to the Jesuit
novitiate
The novitiate, also called the noviciate, is the period of training and preparation that a Christian ''novice'' (or ''prospective'') monastic, apostolic, or member of a religious order undergoes prior to taking vows in order to discern whether ...
in Frederick, where he entered the
Society of Jesus
, image = Ihs-logo.svg
, image_size = 175px
, caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits
, abbreviation = SJ
, nickname = Jesuits
, formation =
, founders ...
on August 31, 1843.
In 1845, Brady became a professor of rudiments at Georgetown College. However, he began experiencing health problems and his superiors transferred him in 1847 to the newly founded
College of the Holy Cross
The College of the Holy Cross is a private, Jesuit liberal arts college in Worcester, Massachusetts, about 40 miles (64 km) west of Boston. Founded in 1843, Holy Cross is the oldest Catholic college in New England and one of the oldest ...
in
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester ( , ) is a city and county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, the city's population was 206,518 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the second-List of cities i ...
, where they thought the climate would be more advantageous to his health. Brady's health did improve, and he was made the
prefect
Prefect (from the Latin ''praefectus'', substantive adjectival form of ''praeficere'': "put in front", meaning in charge) is a magisterial title of varying definition, but essentially refers to the leader of an administrative area.
A prefect's ...
of the school as well as a professor of grammar and poetry.
Formative years in Maryland
While continuing in his roles as prefect and professor, Brady began his next stage of
Jesuit formation
Jesuit formation, or the training of Jesuits, is the process by which candidates are prepared for ordained or brotherly service in the Society of Jesus, the world's largest male Catholic religious order. The process is based on the Constitution o ...
, the study of
philosophy
Philosophy (from , ) is the systematized study of general and fundamental questions, such as those about existence, reason, knowledge, values, mind, and language. Such questions are often posed as problems to be studied or resolved. Some ...
and
theology
Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the ...
, in September 1853. Four years later, he completed his studies and was
ordained
Ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart and elevated from the laity class to the clergy, who are thus then authorized (usually by the denominational hierarchy composed of other clergy) to perform va ...
a
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 ...
by Archbishop
Peter Richard Kenrick
Peter Richard Kenrick (August 17, 1806 – March 4, 1896) was Bishop of St. Louis, Missouri, and the first Catholic archbishop west of the Mississippi River.
Early life and ordination
Peter Richard Kenrick was born in Dublin on August 17, 1806 ...
of St. Louis on July 25, 1857, in the students' chapel at Holy Cross. Brady was then promoted to vice president and first prefect of discipline of the school.
In 1859, Brady returned to Frederick in 1859 to complete his third year of probation (a part of his Jesuit formation). He professed his third
vow
A vow ( Lat. ''votum'', vow, promise; see vote) is a promise or oath.
A vow is used as a promise, a promise solemn rather than casual.
Marriage vows
Marriage vows are binding promises each partner in a couple makes to the other during a wedd ...
on August 15, 1860. That year, he was sent to Loyola College in
Baltimore
Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...
, where he became a minister and teacher of algebra. In 1861, he was assigned to teach juniors at the college, and the following year, he left the college to become a priest at St. Aloysius Church in
Washington, D.C.
)
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, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
His time in Washington coincided with the
Civil War
A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country).
The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
, and Brady ministered to soldiers in
military hospital
A military hospital is a hospital owned and operated by a military. They are often reserved for the use of military personnel and their dependents, but in some countries are made available to civilians as well. They may or may not be located on a ...
s.
Academic career in New England
At the end of 1863, Brady moved to
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
, where he became the superior of St. Mary's Church in the North End. On July 10 of that year, he was elected to a three-year term as the treasurer and a member of the board of directors of
Boston College
Boston College (BC) is a private Jesuit research university in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. Founded in 1863, the university has more than 9,300 full-time undergraduates and nearly 5,000 graduate students. Although Boston College is classifie ...
. As superior of St. Mary's, Brady refused to continue paying the $3,000 per year (equivalent to approximately $ in ) to Boston College that had been paid by his predecessors. The college's president,
John Bapst
John Bapst (born Johannes Bapst at La Roche, Fribourg, Switzerland, 17 December 1815; died at Mount Hope, Maryland, United States, 2 November 1887) was a Swiss Jesuit missionary and educator who became the first president of Boston College.
Li ...
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
stated that St. Mary's had been placed under the direction of the Society of Jesus so that its revenue could support the newly founded Boston College.
On February 27, 1867, Brady was named the
president of the College of the Holy Cross
The following is a chronological list of presidents of the College of the Holy Cross:
# Rev. Thomas F. Mulledy, SJ (1843–1845)
# Rev. James Ryder, SJ (1845–1848)
# Rev. John Early, SJ (1848–1851)
# Rev. Anthony F. Ciampi , SJ (1851–18 ...
, replacing James Clark. The college's board of trustees authorized Brady to take out $46,000 in loans to expand the school physical facilities. Brady oversaw the addition of a west wing and spires to Fenwick Hall, the college's original building. The new wing included a library, meeting rooms for the debating society, and dormitories for students and the Jesuits; it also saw the addition of steam heating to the building. The project cost a total of $50,000. Brady left to become the second president of Boston College on August 27, 1869, succeeding John Bapst. At Holy Cross, he was succeeded by
Anthony F. Ciampi
Anthony Francis Ciampi (born Antonio Francesco Ciampi; January 29, 1816 – November 24, 1893) was an Italian priest of the Catholic Church and member of the Society of Jesus.
Early life
Antonio F. Ciampi was born on January 29, 1816, to ...
. Instead of taking the typical title of president and rector, Brady and his successor,
Robert J. Fulton
Robert James Fulton (June 28, 1826 – September 4, 1895) was an American Catholic Church, Catholic priest and Society of Jesus, Jesuit who twice served as the List of presidents of Boston College, president of Boston College, from 1870 to 18 ...
, took the title of vice rector, because the school was still in the process of being established. At the same time that he was president, Brady was the
pastor
A pastor (abbreviated as "Pr" or "Ptr" , or "Ps" ) is the leader of a Christian congregation who also gives advice and counsel to people from the community or congregation. In Lutheranism, Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy and ...
of the Church of the Immaculate conception in Boston's South End. On August 2, 1870, Brady left Boston College to once again resume the position of superior of St. Mary's Church. At St. Mary's, he oversaw the construction of a new church building and
rectory
A clergy house is the residence, or former residence, of one or more priests or ministers of religion. Residences of this type can have a variety of names, such as manse, parsonage, rectory or vicarage.
Function
A clergy house is typically ow ...
final vows
Religious vows are the public vows made by the members of religious communities pertaining to their conduct, practices, and views.
In the Buddhism tradition, in particular within the Mahayana and Vajrayana tradition, many different kinds of rel ...
that day. With the unification of the Maryland and New York provinces on August 7, 1879, Brady assumed the position of provincial of the New York Province. The province was renamed the Maryland–New York Province on August 19, 1880. Brady was succeeded as provincial by Robert J. Fulton on May 28, 1882.
Following his term as provincial, Brady became an (a Jesuit ministering away from his home community) in
Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City is the second-most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey, after Newark. On June 28, 1883, he again returned to the College of the Holy Cross to replace Edward D. Boone as president. In 1883, while president, Brady was sent to the Jesuits' 23rd general congregation as an elector. Despite experiencing poor health, he was sent to Italy in 1886 to temporarily become the procurator of the Jesuit Province of
Fiesole
Fiesole () is a town and ''comune'' of the Metropolitan City of Florence in the Italian region of Tuscany, on a scenic height above Florence, 5 km (3 miles) northeast of that city. It has structures dating to Etruscan and Roman times.
Sin ...
. Upon his return in November 1886, he became the vice provincial superior and acting superior of the Maryland–New York Province while Fulton was appointed a
visitor
A visitor, in English and Welsh law and history, is an overseer of an autonomous ecclesiastical or eleemosynary institution, often a charitable institution set up for the perpetual distribution of the founder's alms and bounty, who can interve ...
in Ireland; Brady held this position until May 1887. Brady's second term as president of Holy Cross ended on August 2, 1887, and he was succeeded by Samuel Cahill.
Later years
Around this time, Brady became ill and was assigned to various posts in Maryland and Washington, D.C. that would be less taxing than his previous roles. He first became an at Bohemia Manor in
Cecil County, Maryland
Cecil County () is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland at the northeastern corner of the state, bordering both Pennsylvania and Delaware. As of the 2020 census, the population was 103,725. The county seat is Elkton. The county was n ...
. He then was made the superior of
St. Thomas Manor
St. Thomas Manor (1741) is a historic home and Catholic church complex located near Port Tobacco, Charles County, Maryland. Known as St. Ignatius Church and Cemetery, the manor house complex is the oldest continuously occupied Jesuit residence in ...
in Charles County and then spiritual father at Georgetown College.
In 1890, Brady succeeded Stephen A. Kelly as the pastor of
Holy Trinity Church Holy Trinity Church may refer to:
Albania
* Holy Trinity Church (Berat), Berat County
* Holy Trinity Church, Lavdar, Opar, Korçë County
Armenia
* Holy Trinity Church, Yerevan
Australia
* Garrison Church, Sydney, South Wales, also known as ''H ...
in Georgetown, where he would spend the remainder of his life. On March 16, 1891, he became ill with
pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of productive or dry cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing. The severity ...
and was taken to nearby Georgetown College. He was administered last rites on March 26, and he died that day. John J. Murphy replaced Brady as pastor of Holy Trinity. His funeral was held at Holy Trinity Church on March 30, and he was buried that day in the
Jesuit Community Cemetery
The Jesuit Community Cemetery on the campus of Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., is the final resting place for Jesuits who were affiliated with the university. It was first established in 1808 and was moved to its present location in ...