William E. Schaffner |
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William E. Schaffner, a Jesuit educator who later was chaplain at Greater Baltimore Medical Center, died of pneumonia Sept. 15 at Manresa Hall Jesuit Community in Merion Station, Pa.
He was 91.
Father Schaffner was born and raised in Wheeling, W.Va. After graduating from Central Catholic High School in Wheeling, he entered the Society of Jesus in 1935 and professed his vows in 1937.
He studied at the Novitiate at St. Isaac Jogues in Wernersville, Pa., from 1937 to 1939, and for the next two years, he studied philosophy at the St. Ignatius Jesuit Retreat House at Inisfada in Manhasset, N.Y.
Father Schaffner completed additional philosophical studies at West Baden College in West Baden Springs, Ind., from 1940 to 1942.
From 1942 to 1945, he taught English at St. Joseph's Preparatory School in Philadelphia, and from 1945 to 1949, he pursed theological studies at the old Woodstock College in Baltimore County.
"When I was at St. Joe Prep in 1942, Father Schaffner was my first-year teacher and homeroom teacher," said the Rev. Frederick A. Homann, a Jesuit priest, who was a math teacher and later department chairman at Loyola College from 1964 to 1970. "He also taught me Latin and English. He was a wonderful teacher and very popular in the classroom," Father Homann said.
"I was very sick the second semester with pneumonia, and I missed a great deal of Latin. He worked with me and helped get me through the final exam so I wouldn't have to repeat the course," he said. "And because of that, he's one of my heroes."
He recalled Father Schaffner as having "lots of energy and enthusiasm in the classroom," and that "made me want to grow up and be like him."
The Rev. George W. Bur, president of St. Joseph's Preparatory School, was a longtime friend of Father Schaffner's.
"He had a great interest in art and music, and he used those gifts in building friendships and honoring the beauty of God," Father Bur recalled yesterday. "He was interested in Christian art, particularly mosaics found in chapels and mausoleums."
Father Schaffner was ordained into the priesthood in 1948, and from 1948 to 1950, he completed his tertianship at the Jesuit Martyrs Shrine in Auriesville, N.Y.
Father Schaffner made his final profession of vows in 1952 at the University of Scranton in Scranton, Pa.
He was professor of theology at the University of Scranton from 1950 to 1956, when he joined the faculty of Loyola College as professor of theology, where he taught for eight years.
From 1964 to 1967, he was director of Loyola Retreat House in Faulkner, Charles County. In 1967, he returned to Baltimore and was assigned to St. Ignatius Roman Catholic Church on North Calvert Street, where he engaged in pastoral ministry and retreat work.
From 1971 to 1974, he did pastoral ministry and retreat work at Corpus Christi Roman Catholic Church on Mount Royal Avenue before being named chaplain at Greater Baltimore Medical Center.
After leaving GBMC, Father Schaffner was a pastoral minister at the Jesuit Novitiate in Wernersville from 1977 to 1978, and then returned to Baltimore, where he was a pastoral minister at Wheeler House, a Jesuit priests' residence in Charles Village, until 1993.
After retiring in 1993, he lived at the Jesuit Novitiate in Wernersville until moving to Manresa Hall in 2008 because of failing health.
Father Schaffner maintained an interest in the Renaissance architecture of Ravenna, Italy.
"He was also a great photographer and made some wonderful slides of buildings in Ravenna," said Father Homann.
A Mass of Christian burial was offered for Father Schaffner on Monday at Manresa Hall.
Surviving are a brother, John "Jack" Schaffner of Indianapolis; and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was 91.
Father Schaffner was born and raised in Wheeling, W.Va. After graduating from Central Catholic High School in Wheeling, he entered the Society of Jesus in 1935 and professed his vows in 1937.
He studied at the Novitiate at St. Isaac Jogues in Wernersville, Pa., from 1937 to 1939, and for the next two years, he studied philosophy at the St. Ignatius Jesuit Retreat House at Inisfada in Manhasset, N.Y.
Father Schaffner completed additional philosophical studies at West Baden College in West Baden Springs, Ind., from 1940 to 1942.
From 1942 to 1945, he taught English at St. Joseph's Preparatory School in Philadelphia, and from 1945 to 1949, he pursed theological studies at the old Woodstock College in Baltimore County.
"When I was at St. Joe Prep in 1942, Father Schaffner was my first-year teacher and homeroom teacher," said the Rev. Frederick A. Homann, a Jesuit priest, who was a math teacher and later department chairman at Loyola College from 1964 to 1970. "He also taught me Latin and English. He was a wonderful teacher and very popular in the classroom," Father Homann said.
"I was very sick the second semester with pneumonia, and I missed a great deal of Latin. He worked with me and helped get me through the final exam so I wouldn't have to repeat the course," he said. "And because of that, he's one of my heroes."
He recalled Father Schaffner as having "lots of energy and enthusiasm in the classroom," and that "made me want to grow up and be like him."
The Rev. George W. Bur, president of St. Joseph's Preparatory School, was a longtime friend of Father Schaffner's.
"He had a great interest in art and music, and he used those gifts in building friendships and honoring the beauty of God," Father Bur recalled yesterday. "He was interested in Christian art, particularly mosaics found in chapels and mausoleums."
Father Schaffner was ordained into the priesthood in 1948, and from 1948 to 1950, he completed his tertianship at the Jesuit Martyrs Shrine in Auriesville, N.Y.
Father Schaffner made his final profession of vows in 1952 at the University of Scranton in Scranton, Pa.
He was professor of theology at the University of Scranton from 1950 to 1956, when he joined the faculty of Loyola College as professor of theology, where he taught for eight years.
From 1964 to 1967, he was director of Loyola Retreat House in Faulkner, Charles County. In 1967, he returned to Baltimore and was assigned to St. Ignatius Roman Catholic Church on North Calvert Street, where he engaged in pastoral ministry and retreat work.
From 1971 to 1974, he did pastoral ministry and retreat work at Corpus Christi Roman Catholic Church on Mount Royal Avenue before being named chaplain at Greater Baltimore Medical Center.
After leaving GBMC, Father Schaffner was a pastoral minister at the Jesuit Novitiate in Wernersville from 1977 to 1978, and then returned to Baltimore, where he was a pastoral minister at Wheeler House, a Jesuit priests' residence in Charles Village, until 1993.
After retiring in 1993, he lived at the Jesuit Novitiate in Wernersville until moving to Manresa Hall in 2008 because of failing health.
Father Schaffner maintained an interest in the Renaissance architecture of Ravenna, Italy.
"He was also a great photographer and made some wonderful slides of buildings in Ravenna," said Father Homann.
A Mass of Christian burial was offered for Father Schaffner on Monday at Manresa Hall.
Surviving are a brother, John "Jack" Schaffner of Indianapolis; and numerous nieces and nephews.
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