Michael O'Kane

Michael A. O'Kane SJ (July 12, 1849 – December 26, 1917) was an American Catholic priest and Jesuit who was the president of the College of the Holy Cross from 1889 to 1893.

After four years, he left and spent the rest of his life engaged in missionary and pastoral work, including as the rector of St. Joseph's Church in Philadelphia from 1910 to 1912.

[2] After two years, he decided to enter the Society of Jesus,[1] and proceeded to the novitiate in Frederick, Maryland, on July 31, 1867.

[3] In 1879, O'Kane returned to Woodstock for his theological studies, where he was ordained a priest by the Archbishop of Baltimore, James Gibbons, in 1882.

Afterwards, he returned to Georgetown for three years, where he held the positions of minister, prefect of studies, and professor of philosophy.

In January 1890, O'Kane revived plans begun under Edward D. Boone to construct a new building.

[9] O'Kane, however, had not yet obtained formal approval for construction from the Jesuit Superior General, who had been forced out of Rome, to Fiesole.

The basement contained a recreation room and gymnasium, including an elevated track and a swimming pool.

The upper floors contained the rector's office, laboratories, a museum, classrooms, dormitories, and an 800-person theater.

In total, the building cost $182,000 (equivalent to approximately $5.8 million in 2023),[15] which put the college in significant debt.