 O'Donovan has held distinguished visiting lectureships in the universities of Durham and Cambridge, the Gregorian University in Rome, McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, St. Patrick's College, Maynooth, the University of Hong Kong, and Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, California.In 1978 he married Joan Lockwood O'Donovan.They have jointly authored two books on the history of Christian political thought, and have two sons, Matthew and Paul.