Washington D.C., Oct 3, 2009 / 16:25 pm
Fr. David M. O’Connell, C.M., president of the Catholic University of America, has announced that he will step down as president in August 2010 after 12 years in office. Catholic leaders praised his “devoted service” and what they said was his “notable success” in strengthening the Catholic identity of the school.
The Vincentian priest was elected as the 14th president of CUA in March 1998, becoming the second youngest president in the school’s history. He is now the school’s second longest serving president.
In April 2008 Fr. O’Connell hosted Pope Benedict XVI at CUA during his pastoral visit to the United States. The event was “the highlight of my academic career,” he said.
He has lived on campus throughout nearly all of his tenure and has been highly visible. He has made a point of interacting with undergraduates through listening to their concerns, accompanying them to events, and visiting them when they are sick, a CUA press release says.