The Rev. Andrew Morrissey, C.S.C. (November 16, 1860 – May 27, 1921) was an Irish-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 1893 to 1905, after having served previously as director of studies. He was born in 1860 in Ireland, and left for America at the age of twelve. He studied in the United States and was professed with the Congregation of Holy Cross in 1880. He taught at Sacred Heart College, Watertown, Wisconsin, and was ordained priest in 1884. Morrissey Hall at the University of Notre Dame was dedicated in his honor.

President of the University of Notre Dame

In 1885 he arrived at Notre Dame, where he served as Director of Studies. In 1892, he succeeded Fr.

John Augustine Zahm The Rev. John Augustine Zahm (pseudonym H. J. Mozans), CSC (June 14, 1851 – November 10, 1921) was a Holy Cross priest, author, scientist, and explorer of South America. He was born at New Lexington, Ohio, and died in Munich, Germany. Education ...

as Vice President, and in 1893, when Fr. Thomas E. Walsh died. On his deathbed in 1893, Walsh requested that Morrissey succeed him as president. Fr.

Edward Sorin Edward Frederick Sorin (French: Édouard Sorin), C.S.C. (February 6, 1814October 31, 1893) was a French-born priest of the Congregation of Holy Cross and the founder of the University of Notre Dame in Indiana and of St. Edward's University in Aus ...

died on October 31 of 1893, making Fr. Morrissey the first Notre Dame president to serve without the university founder. His presidency saw the construction of the

Grotto A grotto is a natural or artificial cave used by humans in both modern times and antiquity, and historically or prehistorically. Naturally occurring grottoes are often small caves near water that are usually flooded or often flooded at high ti ...

in 1896, the addition of wings to

Sorin Hall Sorin Hall, also known as Sorin College, is the oldest of the 32 Residence Halls on the campus of the University of Notre Dame and one of the 16 male dorms. It is named after Edward Sorin, the founder of Notre Dame. Sorin is located directly nor ...

in 1897 and the erection of the first gymnasium in 1898. In 1900 student enrollment increased to more than 700, with most students still followed the Commercial Course. During Morrissey's 12-year tenure, the University remained largely focused on younger students in its boarding school model, in line with the vision of Fr. Sorin. Many college students did not graduate, and enrolled just to study the Commerce courses. Morrissey once said, "We can never compete with those colleges that have such tremendous endowments! Our very existence depends on giving Catholic boys a good preparatory foundation." His vision was opposed by Fr. John Zahm, who championed the view of Notre Dame becoming a research university dedicated to scholarship. Morrissey and Zahm were very different men, and often at odds. Zahm was cold, stand-offish, guileless, while Morrissey was warm-hearted, expansive, not altogether impartial. Zahm was willing to go into debt in order to expand the University, while debt was strongly opposed by Morrissey. Zahm was deeply intellectual but no politician; Morrissey, on the other hand, was rather astute.

References

External sources

* * * *

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Morrissey, Andrew Presidents of the University of Notre Dame 20th-century American Roman Catholic priests Congregation of Holy Cross 1860 births 1921 deaths