Brother Stephen Vincent Walsh

Brother Stephen Vincent Walsh, CSC, executive director of The Holy Cross Institute at St. Edward’s University, passed away peacefully on Monday, Jan. 10, at St. David’s South Austin Medical Center. He was 69.

Brother Stephen was the oldest of four sons of Charles J. and Charlotte Frye Walsh. He was born on Feb. 27, 1941 in Long Beach, Calif.; was baptized at St. Anthony Church in Long Beach on April 4, 1941; and was confirmed at St. Athanasius Church in Long Beach on March 8, 1953.

His connection with Catholic education started in elementary school and continued through high school. He studied with the Brothers of Holy Cross at St. Anthony High School in Long Beach and graduated in 1958. He was admitted to St. Joseph Novitiate in Rolling Prairie, Ind., near Notre Dame, on Aug. 15, 1958. He made his first profession of vows there one year later. On Aug. 16, 1962, he made his perpetual profession of vows at St. Francis de Sales Church in Sherman Oaks, Calif.

Brother Stephen graduated with his BS in History from St. Edward’s in July 1962 and was named valedictorian of his class. After graduation, he was sent to Holy Cross High School in San Antonio where he taught for one year. Brother Stephen was then assigned to Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio where he earned his MEd degree in May 1964. He continued his studies at the University of Texas at Austin where he earned his PhD in May 1967.

In 1966, he joined the St. Edward’s University faculty, and served as academic dean in 1970. By 1972, Brother Stephen became the university's youngest president, serving until 1984. His contributions and commitment to St. Edward's and Holy Cross education are many, but most notably, Brother Stephen is credited for his leadership and initiation of the New College program and the College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP).

Following his term as president, he lived for a year with the Holy Cross Brothers Community at Notre Dame International School in Rome. For the next decade, he served in various roles as an educational consultant and principal at Notre Dame High School in the Los Angeles area. In 1993, he became Headmaster at Holy Cross School in New Orleans.

After leaving New Orleans, he served for a time on the staff of the Moreau House candidate and collegiate program to give college men the chance to experience community life. In 2005, he was appointed the first executive director of the Holy Cross Institute which serves Holy Cross schools around the country and throughout the world, helping them become better educational institutions in the Holy Cross Tradition.

Funeral services will be held on Monday, Jan. 17, at 2 p.m. at St. Ignatius Martyr Catholic Church, 126 West Oltorf St. in Austin, Texas. He will be buried at Assumption Cemetery.

While plans develop to appropriately memorialize Brother Stephen, his family of Brothers within the Congregation’s South-West Province, along with the St. Edward’s community, would like to honor him. In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made in his memory to St. Edward’s University and be designated to either the College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) or the Holy Cross Institute – initiatives he championed passionately. These gifts will be tributes to Brother Stephen’s dual commitment to social justice and the Holy Cross educational tradition. You may give online at www.stedwards.edu/makegifts or send gifts to Cheri Sullivan, Director of Advancement Services, St. Edward’s University, 3001 S. Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas 78704. If you have questions, Cheri may be contacted at (512) 448-8430 or [email protected].

Cards and letters of condolence may be sent in care of Brother Donald Blauvelt, CSC, Brothers of Holy Cross, Province Center, 1101 St. Edward’s Drive, Austin, TX 78704-6512.