The Cardinal Newman Society in Manassas is on a mission to “renew and strengthen Catholic identity” in Catholic education. Reilly, the president and founder, started the nonprofit organization in 1993 after a challenging four years at Fordham University in New York City. Do you consider yourself to be of a specific faith?

I’m a Roman Catholic. I was actually adopted, and my birth parents wanted to ensure that I was raised in a Catholic family. So it’s always been very important to me, but I also grew up in a time in the Catholic Church when most other young people were not well-catechized. Going into college, I found my faith significantly challenged. I attended the Jesuits’ Fordham University in New York City at a time when ACT UP was protesting at St. Patrick’s Cathedral and abortion was a major controversy on campus. I found myself as editor of the student newspaper, caught up with these many issues on campus, which helped me focus on what the Catholic Church teaches and come to a more adult faith.