Wednesday, October 25, 2006

OBITUARY
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(Maryland) Rev. Anthony Ignatius McHale, SJ., 85, died Friday, October 20, 2006, at Manresa Hall, Merion Station, Pa.  He was a Jesuit for 66 years and a priest for 53 years.

Father McHale was born in Baltimore, Md., on December 13, 1920.  Following graduation from Loyola High School and a year of studies at Loyola College, Baltimore, Father McHale entered the Society of Jesus at the Novitiate of St. Isaac Jogues, Wernersville, Pa., on August 14, 1940.  After taking his First Vows on August 15, 1942, he pursued Juniorate (college) studies, at Wernersville from 1942 to 1944 and was then sent to study philosophy at Woodstock College, Md., from 1944 to 1947.

From 1947 to 1950, Father McHale, as a Jesuit Scholastic, taught English, French and history at Scranton Preparatory School in Pennsylvania. Following his regency, he studied theology at Facultes St. Albert, Louvain, in Belgium from 1950 to 1954, and he was ordained to the priesthood at Louvain by Bishop W.M. Van Zuylen on August 15, 1953.  Upon completion of his theological studies, Father McHale did his Tertianship at Paray-le-Monial, France, from 1954 to 1955 and made his Final Profession in the Society of Jesus in St. Aloysius Church, Washington, D.C., on August 15, 1957.

Father McHale began his priestly ministry at Gonzaga College High School in Washington, D.C., where he served as headmaster from 1955 to 1967.  He was then assigned to teach religion and Latin to juniors at Georgetown Preparatory School (1967 to 1971) and French at Loyola High School, Towson, Md. (1971-1972), where he was also director of guidance counseling.  Following a year of study in theology at Woodstock College, N.Y., from 1972 to 1973, Father McHale was sent to Philadelphia, Pa., where from 1973 to 1987, he served as assistant chaplain (1973-1974), headmaster (1974-1975), French teacher (1975-1979) and senior guidance counselor (1979-1985) at St. Joseph’s Preparatory School and associate pastor (1985-1987) at Old St. Joseph’s Church.  After a sabbatical year at Weston College, Mass., Father McHale returned to Washington, D.C., where he was assigned as a pastoral minister (1988 to 2001) at St. Aloysius Church, taught religion at Holy Redeemer Parochial School and also taught Latin (1990-1992) and religion (1992-1994) at Gongaza.

Because of age and health problems, Father McHale entered the Keswick Multi-Care Center in Baltimore, Md. in April 2, 2001 until 2004, when he was sent to Colombiere Jesuit residence in Baltimore. Due to failing health, Father McHale was transferred to Manresa Hall in early October, where he died.  

Rev. Theodore Brady, SJ, remembers having Father McHale as a French teacher at Scranton Prep, in the late 1940s. Father McHale often talked to the students about his own calling to the priesthood.

“He was always very warm, open and inspiring to the students,” recalls Father Brady. “He spoke to us with enthusiasm, especially when he talked about Jesuit life.”

Father Brady said Father McHale also had a wonderful sense of humor in addition to being a great lover of books.

Rev. Allen Novotny, president of Gonzaga College High School, said he often hears about what a positive impact Father McHale had on the students there.

“Alumni have continued to inquire about him right up to this fall’s round of reunions,” said Father Novotny. “I’m glad we had the opportunity to recognize his achievements with the St. Aloysius Medal in 1996.”

Announcements from the Maryland Province are published as needed.
This notice is archived on the web: www.mdsj.org/Deaths/McHale_Anthony_4.htm
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact William Watters, SJ, 410.532.1412.