Ethan Walker
The College of the Holy Cross is a private Catholic college in Massachusetts, founded in 1843 by Benedict Joseph Fenwick, the second Bishop of Boston. It is the nation's only exclusively undergraduate liberal arts Jesuit college, inviting students to ask challenging intellectual, philosophical, and religious questions. The college has a rich history, with notable alumni including Anthony Fauci, US Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, and Pulitzer Prize winners. It has also been recognised for its dining halls, being named one of the healthiest college dining halls in the US by Bon Appetit Magazine.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of College | Undergraduate, Jesuit, liberal arts college |
| Founding | Founded in 1843 by Benedict Joseph Fenwick, second Bishop of Boston |
| Location | Worcester, Massachusetts |
| Campus | More than 175 acres |
| Enrollment | More than 3,000 students |
| Faculty | 300 faculty members |
| Student-Faculty Ratio | 10:1 |
| Academics | Ranked #28 in National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| Financial Aid | 44% of first-year students receive need-based financial aid |
| Graduation Rate | 88% |
| Notable Alumni | Anthony Fauci, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, Pulitzer Prize winners, Nobel Prize laureates, Rhodes Scholars, Marshall Scholars, Truman Scholars, Goldwater Scholars, Watson Fellows |
| Religious Affiliation | Catholic |
| Religious Thought | Embraced liberation theology and social justice |
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What You'll Learn
The College of the Holy Cross is a Catholic college
Holy Cross is a Jesuit liberal arts college with a rich history and a commitment to academic excellence. It is the only exclusively undergraduate liberal arts college of its kind in the nation. The college community is united in its pursuit of knowledge, self-discovery, and higher purpose, embracing intellectual, philosophical, and religious inquiry. Holy Cross encourages students to uncover their beliefs and values, fostering intellectual growth, spiritual development, and moral character.
The college has produced the fifth-highest number of Catholic clergy members among all American Catholic colleges. It has also been recognised as a top producer of Fulbright scholars, with 182 grantees. Notable alumni include Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and US Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.
Holy Cross embraces diverse theological thought, including liberation theology and social justice. This has led to criticism from some who view the college as deviating from official Church teaching. However, Holy Cross remains committed to its Catholic roots, providing an education grounded in the intellectual heritage of Catholicism and promoting active worship and engagement with the contemporary church.
The college's campus spans over 175 acres, with a vibrant community of more than 3,000 students and 300 faculty members from diverse backgrounds. Holy Cross offers a holistic educational experience, challenging students to become skilled, discerning leaders prepared to make a positive impact in the world.
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It was founded by Boston's second bishop, Benedict Joseph Fenwick
The College of the Holy Cross is a Catholic college. It was founded by Benedict Joseph Fenwick, the second Bishop of Boston, in 1843.
Fenwick had a vision to establish a Catholic college within his diocese from the beginning of his tenure as bishop. He wanted to educate Catholics, who were arriving in great numbers, fleeing religious persecution, famine, and seeking economic opportunity. His first attempts to create a Catholic college in Boston were thwarted by the city's Protestant civic leaders.
Fenwick's enthusiasm for the project is evident in his letters. He writes of his ambition to build a "splendid College in Worcester" that would accommodate 100 boys. He chose to open the college 45 miles (72 km) west of Boston in central Massachusetts, where he believed the Jesuits could operate with greater autonomy. The site he selected, Mount Saint James, had been occupied by a Catholic boarding school run by James Fitton and his collaborator Joseph Brigden.
The College of the Holy Cross is a Jesuit liberal arts college serving the Catholic community, American society, and the world. It is the nation's only exclusively undergraduate, Jesuit, liberal arts college. The college has embraced sometimes controversial schools of theological thought, including liberation theology and social justice.
Since its founding, Holy Cross has produced the fifth most members of the Catholic clergy out of all American Catholic colleges.
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It is a Jesuit liberal arts college
The College of the Holy Cross is a Jesuit liberal arts college. It was founded in 1843 by Benedict Joseph Fenwick, the second Bishop of Boston, as the first Catholic college in New England. It is the only exclusively undergraduate liberal arts college in the US with a Jesuit affiliation.
Holy Cross is a private institution with a total undergraduate enrollment of 3,219 (as of fall 2023). The college spans more than 175 acres, with a student-faculty ratio of 10:1. The college's mission is to educate students who, as leaders in business, professional, and civic life, would live by the highest intellectual and ethical standards.
The college invites students to ask challenging intellectual, philosophical, and religious questions. It encourages students to uncover what they believe and how they wish to live, with the aim of helping them achieve their full potential. As a liberal arts college, Holy Cross pursues excellence in teaching, learning, and research, challenging its community to be open to new ideas and to combine a passion for truth with respect for the views of others.
Holy Cross has embraced sometimes controversial schools of theological thought, including liberation theology and social justice. As a result, it has been referred to as the "cradle of the Catholic Left". The college has been criticized by some for being overly liberal and deviating from official Church teaching and papal directives.
Holy Cross has a rich history and has produced the fifth-most members of the Catholic clergy out of all American Catholic colleges. Notable graduates include Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and US Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.
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It is the nation's only exclusively undergraduate liberal arts college
The College of the Holy Cross is a Catholic college in Massachusetts. It was founded by Benedict Joseph Fenwick, the second Bishop of Boston, in 1843. It was the first Catholic college in New England.
Holy Cross is the nation's only exclusively undergraduate liberal arts college. It is a Jesuit college, and its teachings are based on Ignatian Jesuit ideals: to care for the whole person and leave the planet in a better state than we found it. Holy Cross invites students to ask challenging intellectual, philosophical, and religious questions. It encourages students to uncover what they believe and how they wish to live, challenging them to be open to new ideas and to respect the views of others.
The college has a student-faculty ratio of 10:1 and a total undergraduate enrollment of 3,219 (as of Fall 2023). It has a semester-based academic calendar and a four-year graduation rate of 88%. The college has a strong academic focus, with students bringing lessons to life through internships, volunteering, and community-based learning. It also has 27 Division I athletic teams.
Holy Cross has a rich history and has produced notable alumni, including Pulitzer Prize winners, a Nobel Prize laureate, U.S. Senators, and Olympic athletes. It has also been criticised for being overly liberal and deviating from official Church teaching. However, it remains a top producer of Fulbright scholars and has a strong commitment to service and the promotion of justice.
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It has been criticised for deviating from official Church teaching
The College of the Holy Cross is a Jesuit liberal arts college serving the Catholic community, American society, and the wider world. It was founded by Benedict Joseph Fenwick, the second Bishop of Boston, as the first Catholic college in New England.
Holy Cross has been criticised by some parties for being overly liberal and deviating from official Church teaching. This criticism is levelled at the College's stance on abortion, homosexuality, liberation theology, and its sponsorship of events such as the Vagina Monologues. Since 2000, the college has hosted a conference allowing seminars from Planned Parenthood and NARAL. In 2007, Robert Joseph McManus, the diocese's bishop, wrote to the college, threatening to remove its Catholic status if it did not cancel the conference.
Holy Cross has also been criticised for its association with pro-choice alumnus Chris Matthews, to whom the College awarded an honorary degree and a public platform in 2003, despite objections from pro-life alumni. This action went against the United States Conference of Catholic Bishop policies, which state that those at odds with central Church teachings should not be given a platform.
Holy Cross's embrace of liberation theology and social justice has also been a point of contention. In 1974, Time magazine referred to the College as the "cradle of the Catholic Left" due to its education of Philip Berrigan and socialist leader Michael Harrington, author of The Other America.
Despite these criticisms, Holy Cross has a strong Catholic heritage and has produced the fifth most members of the Catholic clergy out of all American Catholic colleges. The College's mission is to form a community that supports the intellectual growth of its members while offering opportunities for spiritual and moral development. It encourages dialogue about basic human questions, such as the moral character of learning and teaching, and how we find meaning in life and history.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, the College of the Holy Cross is a Catholic college. It was founded by Benedict Joseph Fenwick, the second Bishop of Boston, as the first Catholic college in New England.
The College of the Holy Cross is a private, Jesuit liberal arts college. It is the only exclusively undergraduate liberal arts college of its kind in the United States.
The College of the Holy Cross was founded in 1843.
The College of the Holy Cross is known for its academic excellence and for producing notable alumni, including Pulitzer Prize winners, Olympic athletes, and U.S. Senators. It has also been called the "cradle of the Catholic Left" due to its embrace of sometimes controversial theological schools of thought.
