Fr. O’Connell literally resurrected a school in decline, and it will be sad to see him go.
The prestige of the university has certainly risen under Fr. O’Connell’s tenure, and though the Brookland area has a ways to go before it can reclaim the status of “Little Vatican” the Catholic University of America has come and is going a long ways towards re-establishing itself as the heart of the community, not to mention a vocal part of the debate over Catholic participation in public life.
Here’s hoping for a continued trend under a new president.