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Caufield, Kenneth J. (Father)

March 24, 2014

Jesuit Father Kenneth J. Caufield died on March 24, 2014, at Murray-Weigel Hall, Bronx, N.Y., at the age of 77.

Caufield, Kenneth J.

Jesuit Father Kenneth J. Caufield was born on Oct. 10, 1936, in Brooklyn, N.Y., of William and Margaret (Maloney) Caufield. He died on March 24, 2014, at Murray-Weigel Hall, Bronx, N.Y., at the age of 77. After completing his secondary education at Brooklyn Prep, he entered the Society of Jesus at St. Andrew-on-Hudson in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. on July 30, 1954, and was a Jesuit for 59 years. For his second year of novitiate he proceeded north to Bellarmine College in Plattsburgh, N.Y., and pronounced his first vows there. Following collegiate studies, in 1961 he studied philosophy at Loyola Seminary in Shrub Oak, N.Y. In 1961 he began many years of teaching in secondary schools, returning to Brooklyn Prep until 1964 where he taught Latin, English and religion.

For the study of theology in preparation for the priesthood, he studied at Woodstock College in Woodstock, Md., from 1964-68. There he gained the STB (Bachelor of Sacred Theology) and STM (Master of Sacred Theology) degrees. He was ordained to the priesthood on June 15, 1967, at the Fordham University Church.

Following his final year of formation, tertianship at Auriesville, N.Y., he began 15 years of teaching in Jesuit high schools: at Xavier (1969-77), at St. Peter’s Prep (1977-81) and at Regis High School (1981-84). While at Xavier, he also earned his master’s degree in counseling from New York University. This was followed by a sabbatical at Weston School of Theology and at Wernersville Spiritual Center (1984-85). He then turned to ministry more focused on counseling and spirituality than on teaching.

From 1985-88 he was Assistant to the Director of Novices at the Jesuit Novitiate in Syracuse, N.Y. He served as the Director of Formation for the New York Province from 1988 to 1994. For several years he served as student counselor at Fordham Prep, and in 1996 he also was called to be Rector of the Jesuit House of Studies, Ciszek Hall in the Bronx. In 2000 he returned to Regis High School as chaplain for the faculty, imbuing the Ignatian spirit in faculty and staff. From 2007 to 2011, living at the Jesuit community at East 83rd Street in New York City, he continued his ministry of counseling, directing and sharing the Spiritual Exercises with numerous Jesuits, women religious and lay men and women.

In 2011 due to declining health, he was missioned to the Jesuit infirmary, Murray-Weigel Hall. He is survived by his cousins, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Freiburger of Bohemia, N.Y.