Daughter of Beelzebub or Voice for Freedom? Jacqueline Grennan and the Secularization of Webster College

In 1967, in a groundbreaking development, the Sisters of Loretto transferred control of the community’s Catholic women’s college, Webster, from the order to an independent board of directors. At the same time, Webster president Jacqueline Grennan left the Loretto community while remaining head of the college, gaining notoriety through sensationalized coverage in the national press. The Sisters of Loretto were the first Roman Catholic religious order to take this step. During this period, many Catholic colleges transitioned to lay boards, but religious communities retained a role in the governance of their colleges, which remained Catholic institutions. Webster, however, replaced its Catholic identity with a commitment to religious pluralism while maintaining a “Christian presence” on campus. New research in the Archives of the Archdiocese of St. Louis suggests a deeper understanding of why Webster made this radical change. Jacqueline Grennan’s conflict with Archbishop Joseph Ritter of St. Louis over her agency and academic freedom convinced her that it was impossible to operate a modern college under ecclesiastical control, and it was impossible for her as a woman religious to serve under these conditions.