1 The Basilian Order in Windsor

In the mid-19th century, the Basilian Fathers, a Roman Catholic order, took on the former charges of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) in Windsor, including Assumption College. The Jesuits had established the Assumption Parish in 1787 but were unable to maintain Assumption College after its opening in 1857. The Basilian Order had been created in France in 1822 to educate priests following the closure of many French seminaries during the French Revolution (1787-99). In Windsor, under Father Denis O’Connor (1841-1908), the Basilians took control of Assumption College in 1870 and created a more permanent home for students by constructing new school buildings. By 1919, the college was affiliated with the University of Western Ontario (UWO). The Basilians struggled to preserve Catholicism throughout their instruction and content, but the college became increasingly secularized through its affiliation with the UWO. In 1953, the college broke from the UWO and became a fully accredited university. Assumption University of Windsor amalgamated with the University of Windsor in 1962.

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