O’Boyle Hall

Hidden within the Catholic University of America, O’Boyle Hall holds a story that spans over a century. O’Boyle Hall wasn’t always known by this name. It began its life as Holy Cross College in 1900. The Holy Cross Fathers, dedicated to advancing Catholic higher education, established the college in Brookland in 1895. They chose a spot adjacent to CUA. Needing more space, they built a new structure just north of the campus. Cardinal Gibbons of Baltimore dedicated the building in 1900. Bishop Spaulding, a champion of Catholic higher education and CUA, blessed it. Spaulding also played a crucial role in securing funding for Caldwell Hall. Fifty years later, in 1945, Most Reverend Giovanni Cicognanni, the Apostolic delegate to the US from Rome, celebrated a mass for Holy Cross College’s golden jubilee. Near the end of the 1960s, CUA acquired the building. In 1972, President Walton renamed it O’Boyle Hall to honor Cardinal O’Boyle’s retirement from active ministry. The Corinthian columns gracing O’Boyle Hall’s facade stand as a testament to its rich history. Today, O’Boyle Hall houses the departments of Education, History, and Philosophy. It also provides a home for the Counseling Center. O’Boyle Hall continues to serve the university community, a quiet witness to the evolving landscape of education and faith.