After an eight-month search following the surprise resignation of Joseph Nyre, Seton Hall University appointed Reilly as its 22nd president, effective July 2024. The appointment marks the return of a priest-president, which has been a hallmark of the private Catholic university in South Orange for all but 22 years of the school’s 168-year history. A Mountainside native, Reilly attended Seton Hall Preparatory School and graduated from Seton Hall University in 1987. Reilly has played what Seton Hall described as “key roles in multiple pontificates.” That includes being named a monsignor by St. John Paul II in 2005 and appointed by Pope Francis in 2015 as a Missionary of Mercy. He also served on the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Faithful Citizenship Strategy Committee and Catholic Social Teaching Task Force. Reilly said he was “profoundly grateful and exceedingly energized” to be president of one of the nation’s oldest diocesan universities. Shortly after his appointment to the post, he said, “Seton Hall is the place where I have come to know the truth about God, about who I am before God, and about what contribution to society that God is inviting me to make. Since 1856, countless others have had a similar experience. I cannot wait to engage our community as together we strive to bring new life to the timeless Catholic mission that makes Seton Hall unique among American universities.” Reilly took the helm from interim president Katia Passerini, who was named to the role in July 2023 following Nyre’s departure. In February, Nyre filed a lawsuit against the university alleging violations of New Jersey’s Conscientious Employee Protection Act, discrimination and retaliation in violation of New Jersey’s Law Against Discrimination, and breach of the Separation and General Release Agreement between Nyre and Seton Hall. Among his demands were back pay, reinstatement and benefits. The university has said it will defend itself against the suit, calling the claims completely without merit. His resignation came in the wake of an embezzlement scheme at Seton Hall’s law school that saw a group of longtime employees steal $1.3 million over the course of several years.