It's no secret that Catholic University was floundering 12 years ago when the Very Rev. David M. O'Connell took over the reins. By all accounts, he's brought the school's profile WAY up and was rewarded last year when Pope Benedict XVI visited his school.

And now he is moving on. For reasons he's not giving out, the 54-year-old college president is retiring next August, at which point he will have been there 12 years. As to what he's moving onto - well, it's no secret Father O'Connell has been cited as bishop material for several years now. It's not a question of if, it's when and where he'll be named.

Here is the press release from the university. The college president has always been a media-friendly person and he was gracious enough to be one of The Washington Times' guests at last year's White House Correspondents dinner at the Washington Hilton.

- Julia Duin, religion editor

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