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Cardinal Dolan appointed Michael J. Deegan as superintendent of Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of New York Sept. 17. Deegan, who had served as interim superintendent since April, became superintendent effective immediately.
“As Catholic school systems across the country rise to face the challenges of our modern cultural and educational landscape, we are blessed to have Mr. Deegan guiding the archdiocese’s schools,” Cardinal Dolan said in a statement.
“He is a person of deep faith, possessing an innovative pedagogical vision and decades of operational management. Our Catholic schools are a treasured jewel of the Church, and I believe they will be in good hands through Mr. Deegan’s service.”
As superintendent, Deegan succeeds Dr. Timothy J. McNiff, who retired in April after more than a decade of service.
Deegan has been a professional educator for four decades, all in the New York Catholic schools. He began his career as a teacher in Catholic elementary and high schools before becoming a principal.
In 2004, Cardinal Egan appointed Deegan director of Inner-City Schools, and he served as deputy superintendent of schools for the past 10 years, overseeing many day-to-day operations of 200 schools.
“I am humbled to be chosen by Cardinal Dolan to be the servant-leader of this 200-year-old precious gift of the Church—its Catholic schools,” Deegan said. “However, the real work takes place every day in the classrooms of our schools where Jesus is brought to every child through our talented and gifted teachers and principals inspired by the personal witness of faith of our priests. Supported by our remarkable staff and devoted donors and benefactors our Catholic schools are the preeminent educational institutions in New York.”
Deegan was headmaster of Iona Grammar School, New Rochelle, 1991-1994, and taught there, 1975-1978. In Manhattan he served as principal of St. Jude School, 1994-2004 and 1988-1991, and St. Francis Xavier, 1985-1988. Also in Manhattan, he taught at Sacred Heart School, 1982-1985, and the former Power Memorial Academy, 1978-1982.
Deegan, a Bronx native, lives in Valhalla in Westchester County, with his wife, Angela, the recently retired principal of St. Francis Xavier School in the Bronx.
Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of New York serve more than 62,000 students from pre-K through 12th grade across 200 schools in nine counties and boroughs throughout New York, including Manhattan, the Bronx, Staten Island, Westchester, Putnam, Rockland, Ulster, Orange and Dutchess.
