Fr. Thomas Cullen Presidential Records

Fr. Thomas E. Cullen was born September 20, 1874 in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island Canada.  He was educated at the Prince of Wales College and St. Dunstan University before receiving his BA degree from the University of Ottowa in 1898. Cullen enrolled in the Saint Paul Seminary in 1898, graduating in 1902.  His ordination for the Archdiocese of Saint Paul was held on November 8, 1901.    He was assigned to the old Immaculate Conception parish in Minneapolis in August 1902 and became pastor a year later.  He was pastor there when Archbishop Ireland made the decison to make the parish the site of the Basilica of St. Mary.

Fr. Cullen was appointed president of the College of St. Thomas on August 15, 1921.  The school lost a significant number of students when the Nazareth Hall Seminary was opened in 1923.  Some of the loss of students was made up by the opening of the Law School, the expansion of the School of Education and the creation of a Night School of Commerce.  Fr. Cullen served as president of the College until October 7, 1927 when he was appointed pastor of St. Stephen's parish.  He continued in that position until his death on September 30, 1940.