Bernard A. Maguire | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 25th & 27th President of Georgetown University | |
| In office 1866–1870 | |
| Preceded by | John Early |
| Succeeded by | John Early |
| In office 1853–1858 | |
| Preceded by | Charles H. Stonestreet |
| Succeeded by | John Early |
| Personal details | |
| Born | February 11, 1818 Edgeworthstown, County Longford, Ireland |
| Died | April 26, 1886 (aged 68) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Resting place | Jesuit Community Cemetery |
| Alma mater | |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | September 27, 1851 by John McGill |
Bernard A. Maguire SJ (February 11, 1818 – April 26, 1886) was an Irish-American Catholic priest and Jesuit who served twice as the president of Georgetown University. Born in Ireland, he emigrated to the United States at the age of six, and his family settled in Maryland. Maguire attended Saint John's College in Frederick, Maryland, and then entered the Society of Jesus in 1837. He continued his studies at Georgetown University, where he also taught and was prefect, until his ordination to the priesthood in 1851.
In 1852, Maguire was appointed president of Georgetown University. His tenure is regarded as successful; new buildings were erected, the number of students increased, and the preparatory division was partially separated from Georgetown College. Upon the end of his presidency in 1858, he engaged in pastoral and missionary work in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, and developed a reputation as a skilled preacher. In the aftermath of the American Civil War, which devastated the university, Maguire again became president of Georgetown in 1866. The long-planned Georgetown Law School was established at the end of his presidency. His term ended in 1870, and he returned to missionary work, traveling throughout the country. He died in Philadelphia in 1886.