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OBITUARY: Fr. Maclean was leader of English Canada’s Jesuits |
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Written by Michael Swan, The Catholic Register
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Friday, 13 April 2007 |
A priest of wit and drive who once headed the Jesuit order in English-speaking Canada died of an apparent massive heart attack while working out on a treadmill Ash Wednesday, Feb. 21, in Montreal.
Fr. Eric R. Maclean, S.J., was president of Loyola High School in Montreal and director of formation for the Upper Canada Province of the Society of Jesus when he died. A devastated Loyola High School community took the day of Fr. Maclean’s funeral off to mourn his passing.
Fr. Maclean was born in Montreal April 6, 1943. He was in his 63rd year, his 43rd year of religious life and his 33rd year as a priest. He was to be buried at the Jesuit Cemetery in Guelph on Feb. 28 following a funeral Mass at St. Patrick’s Basilica in Montreal Feb. 26, and a memorial Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes in Toronto Feb. 28.
Fr. Maclean was born to a Protestant father and Catholic mother and grew up a devout boy who practised Mass in his basement, but he was better known for high spirits as a student at Loyola High School and Loyola College. He went straight into the Jesuit novitiate in Guelph following his graduation from Loyola College with an honours B.A. in English in 1964.
His formation included philosophy studies at Saint Louis University, a master’s degree in English at the University of Toronto, advanced studies in education at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education and theology studies at Regis College in Toronto. He was ordained in 1974 and was principal of his alma mater, Loyola High School, by 1976.
Fr. Maclean’s career in education took him to Winnipeg’s Jesuit high school, St. Paul’s, in 1988.
The only point in his career that Fr. Maclean wasn’t in classrooms dealing with young people every day was his six-year term as Jesuit Provincial from 1990 to 1996.
When he returned to Loyola High School in 1997 he launched a $9.2-million capital campaign. By the time he was done he had raised $13.5 million for a new wing which includes 14 classrooms and a 750-seat performing arts centre.
A man who took in the Stratford Festival every year and travelled whenever he could to London for the west end theatre, Fr. Maclean lived up to Jesuit humanist ideals. He was also known for what fellow Jesuit Father Len Altilia called “a nasty sense of humour.”
While he loved to tease his fellow Jesuits, he was just as hard on himself, said Altilia.
Loyola director of development Pat Dubee told The Montreal Gazette Fr. Maclean was “a great leader with a huge heart and a great sense of humour.”
Fr. Maclean leaves behind a brother, Dr. Alan Maclean.
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Michael Swan, The Catholic Register |
| About the author: |
| Michael Swan is Associate Editor of The Catholic Register. He is an award-winning writer and photographer and holds a Master of Arts degree from New York University.
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