Thomas McGlynn, O.P. (1906-1977) was a Catholic priest and member of the Dominican Order, as well as an artist, sculptor, writer, and teacher. He received the habit of the Dominican Order on September 8, 1925, taking the religious name of Brother Matthew. He was ordained in 1932, at St. Dominic’s Church, in Washington, D.C. Fr. McGlynn earned a degree in sculpture from the Royal Academy of Rome in 1934 and continued his artistic studies at Cranbrook Academy in Michigan. He began teaching oratory at Providence College in 1946, though he continued to apply himself to sculpture. In 1956, Fr. McGlynn traveled to Pietrasanta, Italy, to carve a marble statue of Our Lady of Fatima for the Shrine at Fatima, Portugal, and he remained connected to Pietrasanta, where he kept a studio, for the rest of his life. Fr. McGlynn was Providence College’s first professor of sculpture, and he served as the inspiration for the Pietrasanta study abroad program. The Thomas M. McGlynn, O.P. collection contains manuscripts, drafts, poetry, correspondence, news clippings, pamphlets, and photographs. The College also maintains a sculpture collection of around seventy original works of art; the bronzes of St. Dominic and St. Martin de Porres are on public display on the campus grounds.
