A Brief History of The Origins of Villanova University
The history of Villanova can be traced back to the Irish Augustinians in Dublin, Ireland. The Irish Augustinians were established in 1259 and by 1508, there were 26 Augustinian communities. Because of the oppression the Irish Catholics faced under King Henry VIII, the Augustinians continued ministry in hidden spaces under the guise of teachers.
The first Augustinian foundation in America was spearheaded by Matthew Carr O.S.A in 1796 with request from Bishop John Carroll, the first Bishop in colonial America. The Augustinians settled in Pennsylvania because Pennsylvania guaranteed rights for ownership of private property, a free press, a trial by jury, and most importantly, religious tolerance. Matthew Carr was 41 years old when he landed in Philadelphia on April 18, 1796. However, this time was a time of fear for the Catholics, even in Pennsylvania. Independence from England’s rule had been won, but the hostility of Protestants and their laws against Catholics, especially Irishmen, was something that could not be overlooked. Father Carr began raising funds for the Saint Augustine Church in Philadelphia by publishing a pamphlet with an appeal for funds. His hard work paid off as he raised 9,000 dollars, one of the donors being President George Washington himself. Father Carr set up the 1804 Corporation under the name “Brothers of the Order of Hermits of Saint Augustine” which continues today. Father Carr passed away on September 29, 1820 which left Father Michael Hurley in charge of completing the building of the church and assuming the role of pastor at Saint Augustine Parish. The church was finished in 1829.
Father Hurley’s main tie to Villanova today was his service as priest at Belle-Air, an estate owned by Jane and John Rudolph in the Radnor Township. When Jane Rudolph put the estate on sale after John Rudolph’s death, Patrick E. Moriarty and Father Kyle bought the Belle-Air estate for a mere $18,000. This purchase would be the foundation and start of Villanova.
In 1842, Saint Thomas of Villanova College was founded in order to establish a place of education for priesthood and Augustinian life for Catholic boys. Saint Thomas of Villanova, a Spanish Augustinian Saint and Bishop of Valencia was chosen as the chief patron of the institution. However, Catholics and Catholic institutions still faced religious oppression.
Even though Pennsylvania offered full religious freedom, there was a deep mistrust of Catholics and thousands of Catholic immigrants were seeking refuge from persecution. Bishop Kenrick sought a ruling to give Catholic children the right to use a different Bible other than the Protestant Bible. The Protestants saw the pursuit as an attack on their culture and religion and so the Nativist Riots started to take place. On May 8th, thousands of Nativists roamed the streets and set fire to two Catholic properties, St. Michael’s church, the School and convent of the Sisters of Charity as well as numerous Irish family homes around the area. The Saint Augustine’s Church was completely destroyed, set aflame by the Nativists.
After only being open for a couple of years, Saint Thomas of Villanova College had to quietly close its door in 1845. The Augustinians focused on raising money to rebuild the church. In November 27, 1847, the Augustinians were awarded an indemnity of $47,433.87 by the
City and County of Philadelphia. The new St. Augustine Church, was dedicated on Sunday November 5, 1848. Villanova reopened in 1846 only to be closed again in 1857 due to the Panic of 1857 and the shortage of priests. Villanova’s last reopening was in 1865.
Villanova has come a long way since then and is now ranked the 50th out of 310 for Best National University by U.S. News & World Report.
