Friday, September 29, 2006

OBITUARY
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(Maryland) Rev. William Francis Gavin, S.J., 74, died on Tuesday, September, 26, 2006, at Manresa Hall, Merion Station, Pa.  He was a Jesuit for 57 years and a priest for 44 years.

Father Gavin was born on July 4, 1932, in New Brunswick, N.J., where he also attended St. Peter’s High School.  After graduation, he entered the Society of Jesus at the Novitiate of St. Isaac Jogues, Wernersville, Pa., on August 14, 1949. After taking his First Vows on August 15, 1951, he pursued Juniorate (college) studies at Wernersville, Pa., from 1951 to 1953 and was then sent to study philosophy at Bellarmine College, Plattsburgh, N.Y. (1953-1955) and Loyola Seminary, Shrub Oak, N.Y. (1955-1956). 

From 1956 to 1959, Father Gavin, as a Jesuit Scholastic, taught religion, geometry, trigonometry and mathematics at Gonzaga High School, Washington, D.C.  Following his regency, he studied theology at Woodstock College, Md., from 1959 to 1963 and was ordained to the priesthood on June 17, 1962 in the Woodstock College Chapel by the Most Rev. Lawrence J. Shehan, archbishop of Baltimore.  Upon completion of his theological studies, Father Gavin made his Tertianship at the Jesuit Martyrs Shrine, Auriesville, N.Y., from 1963 to 1964 and then pursued graduate studies from 1964 to 1965 at Fordham University, Bronx, N.Y., where he received a master’s degree in mathematics.  Father Gavin pronounced his Final Vows in the Society of Jesus at Fordham University on August 15, 1965.

Father Gavin began his priestly ministry at the University of Scranton, Scranton, Pa., where he taught mathematics from 1965 to 1968. He then taught mathematics at Loyola Seminary, Shrub Oak, N.Y. from 1968 to 1969 before returning to the University of Scranton as assistant student counselor and professor of mathematics.  From 1971 to 1982, Father Gavin held the positions of student counselor and theology teacher at Gonzaga High School, Washington, D.C. (1971-1973), Newman chaplain at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (1973-1977) and assistant chaplain at St. Joseph’s University, Philadelphia, Pa. (1977-1982).

Following a sabbatical year at Weston College in Massachusetts, (1982-1983), Father Gavin served two years as assistant director of campus ministry at the University of Scranton (1983-1985), rector of the Jesuit Community at Gonzaga High School, Washington, D.C. (1985-1991), where he also taught theology and was a student chaplain, and then seven years (1991-1998) as rector of the Jesuit Community at Wernersville, where he directed retreats in the Jesuit Spiritual Center. From 1999 to 2000, Father Gavin ministered as a retreat director at St. Pius X Retreat House, Blackwood, N.J., before becoming parochial vicar at Old St. Joseph’s Church, Philadelphia, Pa., from 2000 to 2004 and then parish administrator at St. Aloysius’ Church, Washington, D.C. from 2004 to 2005. 

Due to failing health, Father Gavin was transferred on December 28, 2005, to Manresa Hall, Merion, Pa., where he resided until his death.

Rev. Joseph McCloskey, SJ, pastoral minister at the Jesuit Community of St. Aloysius Gonzaga, has fond memories of Father Gavin. “A best friend, a scholar, teacher, man of God are but a few of the ways Bill was looked at by his friends,” he said. “He gave all that he was to the one he was with and challenged each of us to do the best we could do.”

Myles McDonald, social worker at Manresa and friend of Father Gavin, said he was always impressed with Father Gavin’s deep spirituality. “I think that his humanity was enriched by a deep spirituality, grounded in a love of Christ and his priestly role as a Jesuit,” said Mr. McDonald. “He never complained about his fate, or his pain, and always showed the face of Christ to his caretakers, always saying ‘thank you’ for the smallest services rendered.  He remained witty and smiling almost to the very end.  I will always feel gifted that I had the privilege of knowing him.”

Announcements from the Maryland Province are published as needed.
This notice is archived on the web: www.mdsj.org/Deaths/Gavin_William_2.htm
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact William Watters, SJ, 410.532.1412.