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Fr. Mallon was oldest Basilian |
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Written by Caitlin Badger, The Catholic Register
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Friday, 22 June 2007 |
 TORONTO - Fr. James Francis Mallon, one of the oldest Catholic priests in Canada and the oldest member of the Basilian congregation, passed away on June 13. He was 101.
The last surviving member of the family of John F. and Catherine Teresa Mulvey Mallon, “Father Frank” was one of seven children, three of whom were ordained to the Basilian order.
Fr. Mallon was born on Feb. 11, 1906, and ordained to the priesthood on Dec. 16, 1934, in Windsor, Ont., along with his younger brother Hugh and 12 other Basilians.
Prior to his ordination, Fr. Mallon completed his Bachelor of Arts degree in Modern Languages at the University of St. Michael’s College in Toronto, his Master of Arts from the University of Michigan and pursued postgraduate studies at the Sorbonne and the Institut Catholique in Paris. He also studied theology at St. Basil’s Seminary in Toronto.
A year after his ordination, Fr. Mallon joined the faculty at Assumption College in Windsor where he taught Spanish and French for the next 22 years, eventually becoming the head of the Department of Modern Languages and secretary-treasurer of the Assumption Alumni Association.
Fr. Mallon served as the chaplain aboard the USS Uruguay during a 1951 cruise along the east coast of South America, travelling as far south as Buenos Aires. In 1957, he transferred to Newman Centre at the University of Toronto, where he served as chaplain, editor of the Ontario Catholic Directory and director of Newman Club Tours. As director, Fr. Mallon conducted visits to Europe, South America, the South Pacific and much of Asia.
“His travels were legendary ... But in some way, it was all in a day’s work,” said Fr. William Irwin, CSB, a St. Michael’s professor, at Fr. Mallon’s wake.
Fr. Mallon returned to St. Michael’s in 1975 where he served as chaplain at Fudger House, guest master and photographer for 13 years.
During his lifetime, Fr. Mallon was honoured with several academic awards, including the Assumption Alumni Award (1958), the Arbor Award from the University of Toronto (1990) and the Emeritus Alumnus Award from the University of Michigan (1990).
“He was a teacher, certainly,” said Fr. Wilfrid Janisse, CSB, superior of Anglin House. “He gave a lot of academic advice at the Newman Centre.”
In 1997, Fr. Mallon became a resident of Anglin House at Cardinal Flahiff Basilian Centre in Toronto, where he spent the final decade of his life. He is remembered fondly by fellow Basilians.
“We all had a soft spot in our hearts for Frank Mallon,” said Irwin. “It seemed that (he) knew everyone in the world and was related to most.... You joined Frank Mallon’s community when he met you, and it was as big as the world.” He was admired as one who “was called to work by the steady light of faith for a century.”
A vigil service for Fr. Mallon took place at the Cardinal Flahiff Basilian Centre on June 17, and on June 18 a funeral Mass was celebrated at St. Basil’s Church, where Fr. Mallon was baptized. Internment followed at the Basilian Fathers’ plot in Holy Cross Cemetery, Thornhill, Ont.
Fr. Mallon’s family has requested memorial donations be sent to the Basilian Fathers at 81 St. Mary St., Toronto, Ont., M5S 1J4, to complete the John F. and Catherine Teresa Mulvey Mallon Scholarship in memory of the three Mallon Basilian Fathers.
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Caitlin Badger, The Catholic Register |
| About the author: |
| Caitlin Badger is an intern reporter for the Catholic Register. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree from St. Jerome's University at the University of Waterloo , where she studied English Rhetoric and Professional Writing.
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 26 June 2008 )
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