On August 15, 1889, John Cavanaugh received the habit and worked during his Novitiate for Notre Dame English professor Maurice Francis Egan.

On April 20, 1894, Cavanaugh was ordained a priest by bishop Joseph Rademacher of Fort Wayne.

During his presidency, he dedicated himself to improve Notre Dame's academic and scholastic reputation, and the number of students awarded bachelor's and master's degrees significantly increased during his tenure.

During his time as president, Notre Dame also rapidly became a significant force on the football field.

Ironically, two of Notre Dame's most famous football personalities appeared during his tenure, George Gipp and Knute Rockne.