WP2011-02 

   Death of Fr. William J. Doran

 

January 31, 2011

 

Dear brothers:

 

Let us pray in thanksgiving for our brother, Fr. William J. Doran, S.J., who was called to eternal life on January 31 in Wauwatosa , WI . He was 87 years old.

 

Fr. Bill Doran was born in Omaha , NE on September 23, 1923 and was baptized at St. Cecilia’s Cathedral. He attended Franklin Grade School and St. John’s Grade School and then Creighton Prep Jesuit High School , where he graduated in 1941. After one and a half years of college at Creighton University in Omaha , he entered the Jesuit novitiate at St. Stanislaus Seminary in Florissant , MO on February 4, 1943 and on February 11, 1945 he pronounced his first vows there. After one year of humanities studies in the same place, he enrolled at St. Louis University in St. Louis , MO and received the A.B. degree in Latin, Greek and philosophy in 1947. From 1949 to 1952 he taught English and Latin at St. Louis University High School and during this time he took some education courses at Creighton University and completed the requirements for his Ph.L. and M.A. degree in Latin from St. Louis University . After regency he started theology studies at St. Mary’s College in St. Marys , KS , being ordained a priest by Archbishop Albert G. Meyer at the Gesu Church in Milwaukee on June 16, 1955 and receiving the S.T.B. degree from St. Louis University . In 1956-1957 Bill was assistant principal at Campion Jesuit High School in Prairie du Chien, WI and the next year he did tertianship at St. Joseph Hall in Decatur, IL under the direction of Fr. Hugo J. Gerleman, S.J. He returned to Campion as principal, until in 1968 he moved to Marquette University High School in Milwaukee first as principal and then as president. In 1985 he left that position to become vice president until 1989, when he spent a sabbatical year at Weston Jesuit School of Theology in Cambridge , MA . Bill returned to Marquette University High School as assistant to the president. During his time at that school Bill pronounced his final vows on February 2, 1977. In 1991 he moved to Creighton University to occupy the parallel position of assistant to the president. The following year he served as associate pastor at Gesu Church in Milwaukee , but in 1994 he returned to Omaha , this time at Creighton Prep as assistant to the President and chaplain to the alumni. As his health continued to fail and he needed more care than the Creighton Prep community could provide, he was missioned to pray for the Church and the Society of Jesus in the Jesuit Community at St. Camillus in Wauwatosa , WI , where he died.

 

Visitation will begin at 6 p.m. Thursday, February 3rd in the round chapel on the second floor at St. Camillus followed by the Funeral Mass at 7 p.m.  Fr. Doran will be buried at Calvary Cemetery in Milwaukee on Friday at 9:00 a.m. Letters of condolence may be sent to:

 

Rev. Patrick J. Burns, S.J.

St. Camillus Jesuit Community

10100 West Blue Mound Road

Wauwatosa , WI 53226-4377

 

Mrs. Shirley (John) Marcil (sister)

223 South 89th Street

Omaha , NE 68114

 

One suffrage is to be offered for Bill’s eternal repose by all members of, and those applied to, the Wisconsin Province . Two suffrages are to be offered by the members of the St. Camillus Jesuit Community.

 

May the Lord receive Bill at his side forever and grant him eternal rest. Let us remember Bill’s family in our prayers.

 

In our Lord,

Rev. Luis Rodriguez, S.J.

Socius