Patrick Reilly

Cardinal Newman Society, President & Founder

Patrick J. Reilly founded The Cardinal Newman Society in 1993 and serves as President and CEO. The Newman Society promotes and defends faithful Catholic education by recognizing exemplary Catholic schools and colleges and advocating the Church’s vision for authentic Catholic formation.

Reilly has authored and edited many articles, reports, studies, and other publications on Catholic education for the Newman Society and national media; addressed audiences for national and local Catholic organizations; and appeared on EWTN, FOX News, MSNBC, and numerous radio programs.

For the work of the Newman Society, Reilly was awarded the Lumen Vitae Medal (2018) from the University of Mary, the Miles Militantis Ecclesiae Award (2011) from the Brent Society of the Diocese of Arlington, the Hall of Fame Award (2009) from the Catholic Education Foundation, an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters (2008) from Holy Apostles College and Seminary, and the Spes Nostra Award (2003) from the National Association of Private Catholic and Independent Schools.

Reilly also develops and teaches courses in logic, rhetoric, and philosophy for the Aquinas Learning homeschool program, founded by his wife Rosario. He promotes faithful Catholic Scouting as committee chairman and former scoutmaster of his sons’ Boy Scout troop, for which he received the Excellence in Youth Ministry Award (2019) from the Diocese of Arlington.

Prior to the Newman Society, Reilly served as editor and research fellow at Capital Research Center, executive director of Citizens for Educational Freedom, higher education analyst at the U.S. House of Representatives, program analyst at the U.S. Department of Education, media consultant for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and chairman of American Collegians for Life.

He and his wife Rosario have five children, including two in college.