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President Emeritus

Fr. Bartley MacPháidín, C.S.C.
President Emeritus/Chancellor

Fr. Bartley MacPháidín, C.S.C. is Stonehill's first President Emeritus/Chancellor. As such, he serves as an ambassador working closely with his successor, Rev. Mark T. Cregan C.S.C., and the College’s Advancement Division.

In 2000, Fr. MacPháidín stepped down as president and became President Emeritus/Chancellor. The College's eighth president, he served in that position from 1978 to 2000.

In 2002, Fr. MacPháidín received the Papal Cross, Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice, for his commitment to higher education and his devotion to the Holy Father. Instituted by Pope Leo XIII in 1888, this Papal award is given to clergy and lay people who have served the church with distinction.

As President, Fr. MacPháidín guided the College through an extended period of growth and development. Under his leadership, Stonehill's academic reputation grew dramatically and the College's facilities and endowment were enhanced considerably. Fr. MacPháidín affected every facet of Stonehill life, including academics, finances, physical plant, community involvement, student life and public image. During his 22-year tenure, Fr. MacPháidín: 

• Expanded the College's reputation for academic excellence and enhanced Stonehill's name recognition. U.S. News & World Report in its 2000 edition of America's Best Colleges ranked Stonehill first among regional liberal arts colleges in the North.
   
• Oversaw the construction of many new buildings and facilities, including: the Bartley MacPháidín, C.S.C. Library; the Sally Blair Ames Sport Complex; the Joseph W. Martin, Jr. Institute for Law and Society; John W. Stanger Hall (Lockary Computer Center); Roche Dining Commons; Merkert-Tracy Science Center, and numerous student residence halls
   
• Oversaw the renovation of Alumni Hall, the Merkert-Tracy Science Center, Commonwealth and Colonial Courts as well as Cardinal O'Hara Hall, the necessary wiring of the College for the computer age along with maintaining the campus in pristine condition.
   
• Helped the College establish a secure fiscal base and led Stonehill in its first Capital Campaign, raising over $22 million. At present, the College's endowment is $90 million, up from $3 million in 1978. In every year of his tenure, Stonehill operated with a balanced budget.
   
• Built strong relations with Stonehill's neighbors, cultivated a dynamic and loyal Board of Trustees, and helped to attract more and better qualified student applicants.
   
• Enhanced the College's admissions profile. For the freshman class entering in fall 2000, Stonehill received 5,238 applications for 510 available places, then the largest number of freshman applications in the College's history.

A native of County Donegal, Ireland, Fr. MacPháidín earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Stonehill in 1959, having been directed to the College by the late Fr. Patrick Peyton, C.S.C., the "Rosary Priest." In 1963, Fr. MacPháidín was ordained a priest in the Congregation of Holy Cross.

Fr. MacPháidín holds his baccalaureate and licentiate in theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. He also holds a doctorate in theology from the Gregorian. In 1966, he joined the Stonehill faculty and subsequently become a professor of religious studies at the College.

As President of Stonehill, Fr. MacPháidín was active in the promotion of private higher education at both state and federal levels. He continues to participate in community causes and also maintains a strong interest in Irish affairs.

He serves on many boards, including those of the American Ireland Fund, Elms College, Chicopee, Mass., Xaverian Brothers High School, Westwood, Mass., and Aqualine Resources, Inc., Waltham, Mass. He is also a chaplain to the New England Chiefs of Police.

Fr. MacPháidín is the recipient of honorary degrees from the New England School of Law, Bridgewater State College, Rivier College, the University of the Holy Spirit in Beirut, Lebanon, and Yaroslavl State University in Russia. Fr. MacPháidín likes to travel, cook and speak other languages. He also enjoys collecting paintings, bronzes and rooster figures.

On the occasion of Stonehill’s Golden anniversary 1998-1999, Fr. MacPháidín was one of 50 individuals to receive the Fr. Basil Moreau, C.S.C. Medallion in recognition of his many contributions to the development of the College in its first half century.

In 2000, Fr. MacPháidín published a book in tribute to his late mother, Margaret McFadden, entitled "Coming Safely Home: Habits of a Mother's Heart." 

Fr. MacPháidín’s office is in the MacPháidín Library, which the College’s trustees named for him in appreciation of his accomplishments during two decades as president. He can be reached through his assistant, Patricia Neagle, at 508-565-1324.

For more information, contact Martin McGovern, Director of Communications, at 508-565-1070 or email mmcgovern@stonehill.edu.