Thursday, June 14, 2007

Rev. Frank Charles Bourbon, SJ, 80, of the Manresa Hall Jesuit Community, Merion Station, Pa., died Tuesday, June 12, 2007, at Lankenau Hospital, Wynnwood, Pa. He was a Jesuit for 62 years and a priest for 50 years.

Father Bourbon was born November 10, 1926, in Baltimore, Md. Following graduation from Loyola High School in Towson Md., he entered the Society of Jesus at the Novitiate of St. Isaac Jogues, Wernersville, Pa. on July 30, 1944.  He took his First Vows on January 26, 1947 and pursued Juniorate (College) Studies at Wernersville until 1948, when he was sent to study philosophy at Woodstock College in Maryland from 1948 to 1951. 

From 1951 to 1954, Father Bourbon, as a Jesuit scholastic, taught English grammar at Gonzaga High School in Washington, D.C.  Following his regency, he was assigned to pursue studies in theology from 1954 to 1958 at Woodstock College in Maryland, where he was ordained to the priesthood in the Woodstock College Chapel on June 23, 1957 by the Most Reverend Francis P. Keough, Archbishop of Baltimore.  Father Bourbon made his Tertianship at Manresa Hall, Port Townsend, Washington (1958-1959) and his Final Profession in the Society of Jesus on August 15, 1978 at Loyola College in Maryland.

Father Bourbon began his priestly ministry at Loyola College in Baltimore in 1959, where he held the office of dean of men and taught theology until 1968. After serving as minister of the Jesuit community and as teacher of religion for one year at Georgetown Prep, he was assigned to Scranton Prep in Pennsylvania, where he taught Latin from 1969 to 1977.  Following a sabbatical year at Immaculate Conception Church in New Orleans, La., Father Bourbon returned to Scranton Prep and again taught Latin from 1978 to 1981.   After leaving Scranton, he became an associate pastor at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in High Point, N.C. (1981-1982), pastor of St. Barnabas Church in Arden, N.C. (1982-1984) and Our Lady of Peace Church in Appomattox, Va. (1985-1986). 

In 1986, Father Bourbon was named minister of the Jesuit Community at Loyola College, where he also taught Latin and elocution, was coordinator of Public Relations for the college alumni and chaplain to the Baltimore City Fire Department until 1988.

“He really loved his chaplaincy for the fire department,” recalls Rev. Leo O’Donovan, SJ, president emeritus of Georgetown University. “Frank was at Loyola College when I taught there as a regent, and he was terrific to me. He was a hearty, friendly, very supportive guy to me as a young regent, and I liked him enormously.” 

Father Bourbon served as associate pastor (1988-1992) at St. Jane Frances Church in Riviera Beach, Md.  From 1992 to 2003, he was assigned to various ministries in West Virginia.  He taught elocution at Wheeling Jesuit University (1992-1993), was associate pastor in Weirton, W.V. (1993-1994), administrator of Nativity Church in Wayne, W.V. (1994-1996) and from 1996 to 2003, assistant to the rector at Wheeling Jesuit University, pastoral minister, and chaplain to the Knights of Columbus and the Ohio County Sheriff’s department.

Julie Bourbon, editor of National Jesuit News and niece of Father Bourbon, said her uncle was “a born storyteller with many friends and adventures to recount! Eighty years is a good, long life, but still we will miss him.”

Due to failing health, Father Bourbon was transferred in 2003 to Manresa Hall, Merion Station, Pa. where he prayed for the Church and the Society until his death.

Announcements from the Maryland Province are published as needed.
This notice is archived on the web: www.mdsj.org/Deaths/ Bourbon_Frank_3.htm
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact William Watters, SJ, 410.532.1412.