In Memoriam
We give thanks for the following Jesuits who have gone home to God.
Fr. David H. Gau, SJ
November 8, 1930 – February 9, 2024
“Dave was kind, thoughtful and intelligent. He was an avid reader, an adventurous traveler and a lifelong learner who gave his mind and heart to everyone he served.”
Latin and math teacher at St. Francis Mission on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota; history and speech teacher at Creighton Preparatory School in Omaha; Latin and French teacher, and rector and minister of the Jesuit community at Marquette University High School in Milwaukee; associate director of the Mother Butler Center in Rapid City, S.D., associate director of the Sioux Spiritual Center in Plainview, S.D., associate pastor of St. Francis Mission in South Dakota and of St. Margaret’s Church in Riverton, Wyo.; missioned to St. Camillus.
Fr. James L. “Jake” Empereur, SJ
December 21, 1933 – February 24, 2024
“Jake taught a great number of Jesuit priests about liturgical theology and the liturgy. He had an important influence over the development of a theological and liturgical sense in many young priests.”
Latin, history and theology teacher at Marquette University High School in Milwaukee; liturgical and systematic theology professor at the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley and the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, Calif.; pastoral minister at the Cathedral of San Fernando and St. Matthew Catholic Church in San Antonio, Texas; founder of the Institute for Spirituality and Worship, a nine-month renewal program that has trained people from all around the world; founding editor of Modern Liturgy magazine (later Ministry and Liturgy); author of many books; missioned to St. Camillus.
Fr. John F. Libens, SJ
September 28, 1939 – February 28, 2024
“John was a devoted priest who always kept Jesus, and the Eucharist, at the core of his life. He loved the Society of Jesus and was able to truly live the spirit of the Society.”
Latin and sociology teacher at Saint Ignatius High School in Cleveland, where he was also dean of teachers and curriculum, interim president and superior of the Jesuit community; teacher at St. John’s Jesuit High School in Toledo, Ohio, where he was also the academic assistant principal, principal and president; retreat director at Manresa Jesuit Retreat House in Bloomfield Hills, Mich.; rector of Weston Jesuit Community in Cambridge, Mass.; provincial assistant for formation, studies, continuing education, province planning and secondary education for the Detroit Province, where he was also provincial; superior of the Loyola University Chicago First Studies Program and the Loyola University Chicago Jesuit community; superior of Colombiere Center in Clarkston, Mich.; missioned to Colombiere Center.
Fr. Albert J. Fritsch, SJ
September 30, 1933 – March 5, 2024
“In addition to his care for the earth, Al was a real man of prayer, had a devotion to the sainthood cause of Père Jacques Marquette and served his parishioners with deep devotion.”
Research associate at the University of Texas in Austin; chemistry consultant with Ralph Nader at the Center for the Study of Responsive Law in Washington, D.C.; co-founder and co-director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest in Washington, D.C.; founder and executive director of Appalachia Science in the Public Interest, a non-profit resource center in Kentucky advocating for sustainable development, responsible resource management and informed personal choices; associate pastor in Kentucky at Good Shepherd Parish in Frankfort, Our Lady of the Mountains Parish in Stanton, and St. Elizabeth of Hungary Parish in Ravenna, where he was pastor; researcher and prolific author on environmental issues and sustainability;
Fr. Dennis T. Glasgow, SJ
May 21, 1951 – March 7, 2024
“Dennis was rooted in Christ and the Eucharist. His relationship with Jesus deepened throughout his life as he experienced challenges, health issues and setbacks. Because his faith was like ‘gold that had been tested in fire,’ Dennis had a great capacity to listen to people, especially people experiencing difficulties or challenges in their lives.”
French teacher at Walsh Jesuit High School in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio; director of campus ministry at Saint Ignatius High School in Cleveland; associate pastor at St. Mary Student Parish in Ann Arbor, Mich.; missioned to Colombiere Center to care for his health.
Fr. Bradley M. Schaeffer, SJ
July 21, 1949 – March 28, 2024
“Through homilies, conversations, and deeds, Brad helped others encounter God’s love for them. He was caring, thoughtful and a great supporter—some would say cheerleader—for everyone he engaged with.”
English teacher and student counselor at Saint Ignatius College Prep in Chicago; pastoral minister at Ascension Church in Oak Park, Ill.; English and theology teacher, student counselor and academic assistant principal at St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati; principal at Saint Ignatius College Prep; provincial assistant for social ministry, pastoral ministries and secondary education for the Chicago Province, where he was also provincial; co-creator of the first Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago; president of the Jesuit Conference of the USA; rector of the Jesuit Community at the Boston College School of Theology and Ministry; provincial assistant for senior Jesuits for the Chicago-Detroit Province, Wisconsin Province and the USA Midwest Province; superior of the Colombiere Jesuit Community.
Fr. Joseph A. Bracken, SJ
March 22, 1930 – April 13, 2024
“Joe Bracken gave himself to penetrating study of the American philosophical theology of cosmic process. The unexpected outcome was for him to become like St. Ignatius at Manresa: ‘Nor could he stop talking about the Most Holy Trinity.’”
Latin and Greek teacher at Saint Ignatius High School in Cleveland; philosophy and theology professor at St. Mary of the Lake Seminary in Mundelein, Ill.; professor at Marquette University; theology professor, director of the Brueggeman Center for Interreligious Dialogue and rector of the Jesuit Community at Xavier University; author and/or editor of many books and more than 150 articles in academic journals; missioned to St. Camillus.
Fr. Theodore C. Ross, SJ
December 11, 1934 – April 14, 2024
“Ted educated countless people, including Jesuit and diocesan priests, throughout his teaching career. Many clergy members in the Midwest got their understanding of Church history from Ted’s classes. These priests, in turn, educated a myriad of parishioners about Church history.”
History teacher at Saint Ignatius High School in Cleveland and University of Detroit Jesuit High School; historical theology professor at Bellarmine School of Theology in North Aurora, Ill., the Jesuit School of Theology in Chicago, Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, Mundelein Seminary in Mundelein, Ill., the Athenaeum of Ohio in Cincinnati and Loyola University Chicago; missioned to Colombiere Center.
Fr. John A. Hennessy, SJ
November 28, 1934 – May 8, 2024
“John was a devoted priest who took his prayer and faith very seriously. He was quiet, lived like a monk, and spent many hours praying before the Blessed Sacrament.”
Geography and religion teacher at Red Cloud Indian School, and theology teacher and associate pastor at Holy Rosary Mission, both in Pine Ridge, S.D.; pastor of Holy Rosary Church in Graceville, Minn.; chaplain at the Benedictine Priory in Norfolk, Neb.; pastor of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Parish in Martin, S.D.; chaplain at the Carmelite Monastery in Traverse City, Mich.; missioned to St. Camillus.
Br. John P. Martin, SJ
June 30, 1937 – April 24, 2024
“Jack saw the dignity of each person and treated them as he would treat Jesus—with loving kindness, patience and caring for their personal needs.”
Cook and refectorian at the Jesuit novitiate in Milford, Ohio, and the nearby Men of Milford Retreat House and Youth Retreat House; at West Baden College in West Baden Springs, Ind.; and at Bellarmine School of Theology in North Aurora, Ill.; secretary to the assistant principal for discipline at St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati; director of Mary Magdalen House, an organization in the Over-the-Rhine region of Cincinnati that provides showers, clean clothing and connection to community/social resources; missioned to Colombiere Center.
Fr. Theodore M. Kalamaja, SJ
February 25, 1935 – May 8, 2024
“Ted was remarkable for his service to the poor in prison, and for his untiring efforts to make the riches of the Christian Bible available to them. Ted lived simply, was a good companion in community and was a faithful Jesuit priest all his life.”
Latin and Greek teacher at Marquette University High School in Milwaukee and at Campion Jesuit High School in Prairie du Chien, Wis; Latin, Greek and religion teacher at Creighton Preparatory School; associate pastor of Church of the Gesu in Milwaukee; prison minister in Orleans Parish, La.; missioned to St. Camillus.
Thaddeus J. Burch, SJ
June 4, 1930 – May 14, 2024
“Tad was definitely a university Jesuit, at home in the world of American higher education, committed to Marquette University as a Jesuit ministry, and willing to devote all his energies to making that ministry fruitful for both faculty and students.”
Physics and math teacher at Scranton Preparatory School in Scranton, Pa.; professor of physics at Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, Fordham University in New York, the University of Connecticut in Storrs, Conn., and Marquette University in Milwaukee, where he was also chair of the physics department, acting dean and dean of the graduate school, and director of special projects; co-author of 43 articles and 21 abstracts on the use of nuclear magnetic resonance to study ferromagnetic materials and properties; university delegate to Argonne Universities Association; member of the Medical College of Wisconsin’s institutional review board; missioned to St. Camillus.
Kohima Regional Superior
Fr. Anand Pereira, SJ
Days after being appointed regional superior of the Kohima Province in northeast India, Fr. Anand Pereira, SJ, died of cardiac arrest at home in Guwahati on June 9. He was 56.
Father Pereira, who earned a doctorate in education in 2012 as part of the first cohort of Creighton University’s EdD program, was also president and principal of St. Xavier’s School in Palizi, Arunachal Pradesh. He entered the Society of Jesus in 1986 after graduating from high school, was ordained in 2000 and professed final vows in 2008.
“A Jesuit to the core, he was a man of passion and depth,” says Fr. Melvil Pereira, SJ, the outgoing regional superior of Kohima at the time of Fr. Anand Pereira’s death. “His zeal and optimism were contagious and inspired many. With his smile and humor, he brightened every place he went. We will remain forever grateful for the impact he made on our lives.”
Marquette University President
Dr. Michael Lovell
Marquette University (MU) President Dr. Michael R. Lovell died on June 9 following a three-year battle with sarcoma, a rare form of cancer. He was 57.
Lovell and his wife Amy were in Rome with members of the Society of Jesus and the MU Board of Trustees on a Jesuit formation pilgrimage when he fell ill and was taken to a hospital, where he died.
“President Lovell’s decade of leadership at Marquette was marked by a deep commitment to innovation, entrepreneurship, and community renewal and development—consistent with the university’s Catholic, Jesuit mission that animated him,” says Todd Adams, chair of the Marquette University Board of Trustees.
Throughout Lovell’s presidency, he attended hundreds of campus events each year and continued to teach undergraduate students in his product realization class, saying that he gained great energy from his interactions with students, faculty and staff.
To read the full obituaries of Jesuits who have gone home to God, visit us at www.jesuitsmidwest.org/In-Memoriam
IN THIS ISSUE
Photo: Steve Donisch