Neal Henry Gillespie

Brother of Eliza Maria Gillespie; b. in Washington County, Pennsylvania, 19 January 1831; d. at St. Mary’s, Notre Dame, Indiana, 12 November, 1874. He was one of the first students of the University of Notre Dame, Indiana, and in 1849 received the first degree conferred by that institution. On 1 September, 1851, he entered the novitiate of the Congregation of the Holy Cross at Notre Dame, Indiana, made his religious profession 15 August, 1853, and was ordained priest 29 June, 1856, at Rome, where he had been sent to complete his theological studies. Returning to America, he filled the post of vice-president and director of studies at Notre Dame (1856-59), and then was appointed president of the College of St. Mary of the Lake, Chicago, Illinois. In 1863 he was called to the mother-house of the congregation at Le Mans, France, where he remained until 1866. He then returned to Notre Dame and assumed the editorship of the “Ave Maria”, which position he filled until his death. In addition to his editorial labours, he was a frequent contributor to its pages, as well as to many other Catholic periodicals.