President Emeritus Dr. Timothy O’Donnell recently appeared on the Cardinal Newman Society Podcast, sharing his insights on the state of Catholic education in the modern world. Dr. O’Donnell, who served as president of Christendom for over 31 years, spoke about the importance of preserving authentic Catholic education, his tenure at Christendom, and the college’s ongoing mission to “restore all things in Christ.”
In his conversation with podcast host Kevin Murphy, Dr. O’Donnell emphasized the importance of maintaining a distinctly Catholic identity in education — a commitment he has long championed.
“Most Catholics that leave the faith do so between their 18th and 24th year,” Dr. O’Donnell noted.“That’s when they’re in college. If you think about it, when do you really become who you are? It’s when you go away from home and you go off to school. In every person’s life, there has to come a time when there’s a second conversion. There has to come a time when you say, well, my parents were Catholic, I was brought up Catholic, but I choose with God’s grace to be Catholic. Most of the time that happens in college, but at many colleges and universities, they seem to be designed to do the exact opposite. Is it any wonder that so many people go and they lose their faith there because what they’re being given is husk meant for swine, rather than the pearl of great price, which is Catholic education.”
Dr. O’Donnell, who recently retired as president but will continue to teach at the school following a sabbatical, reflected on how Christendom has remained steadfast in its mission since its founding in 1977. Throughout his time at Christendom, Dr. O’Donnell has witnessed the college’s growth from a small, rented facility with just 26 students to a thriving institution that now stands as a model of faithful Catholic education.
According to Dr. O’Donnell, a large part of the reason why the college continues to thrive is due to hiring faculty and staff who are fully aligned with the college’s Catholic mission.
“Something I learned throughout my presidency from my predecessors Dr. Carroll and Dr. Fedoryka was that you have to hire for mission,” said Dr. O’Donnell. “People ensure that the policy and the mission are going to be maintained. When I became president in 1992, my major goal was to maintain and ensure institutional fidelity to the mission. And so, one of the things that we began, and we’ve continued to do, is that each academic year opens with the Mass of the Holy Spirit. All of the faculty, not just theologians, voluntarily kneel in the presence of the bishop and take the Oath of Fidelity. So immediately, all of the students see men and women, who are academically outstanding individuals, showing that there is no conflict between faith and reason. That being a devout and practicing Roman Catholic, if anything, strengthens your commitment because you love the truth and you want to communicate all of the truth, not just part of the truth, but the whole truth about God, man, and the created order. That’s what we do in the curriculum here. Every Catholic institution should be doing the same thing.”
He noted that this intentionality is critical for fostering an authentically Catholic culture on campus, something he believes is lacking in many institutions that identify as Catholic in name only. Murphy echoed Dr. O’Donnell’s concerns, referencing the decline in Catholic education following the cultural upheavals of the 1960s and 70s. Dr. O’Donnell agreed, describing the challenges Catholic educators face today as similar to those of the past.
“Many Catholic schools have abandoned their Catholic identity,” he said. “A lot of times, you’ll visit a college that looks great on the outside, but they’re not teaching the full truth. You have to be intentional if you’re going to have a Catholic college and inspire a Catholic community.”
Reflecting on the state of Catholic education in the broader landscape, Dr. O’Donnell expressed optimism for the future. He praised initiatives like the Cardinal Newman Society’s Newman Guide, which helps parents and students find schools that prioritize Catholic identity.
“Thanks be to God, people are starting to recognize the need for authentically Catholic education,” he said.
As the conversation concluded, Murphy asked Dr. O’Donnell what advice he would give to educators and parents looking to preserve Catholic education. Dr. O’Donnell’s answer was simple yet profound: “Young people are made for heroism, and they want to be challenged. We have to proclaim the truth because our hearts are made for truth.”
Listen to the full podcast episode here.
For more information on Christendom College or the Cardinal Newman Society, visit christendom.edu or cardinalnewmansociety.org.