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Robert C. Dressman (Father)

October 22, 2013

Father Dressman served as a teacher in Tokyo, director of public relations at Xavier University, and as president of the Gregorian University Foundation in New York.

Robert C. Dressman

Father Dressman served as a teacher in Tokyo, director of public relations at Xavier University, and as president of the Gregorian University Foundation in New York.

Let us pray in thanksgiving for the life of Fr. Robert C. Dressman, SJ, died on October 22, 2013, at Colombiere Center in Clarkston, Mich. Father Dressman was born on June 11, 1922, in Covington, Ky. He entered the Society of Jesus on September 1, 1942, at Milford, Ohio, and was ordained to the priesthood on June 15, 1955, at West Baden College in southern Indiana. He professed final vows on February 2, 1960.

Father Dressman attended Xavier University for two years before he joined the Jesuits in 1942. As a Jesuit, Fr. Dressman earned a bachelor’s degree in literature from Xavier University, Licentiate Degrees in philosophy and theology from West Baden College, a master’s degree in English from Loyola University Chicago, and a master’s degree in journalism from Marquette University in Milwaukee.

During his regency Fr. Dressman was a lecturer and dormitory prefect at Sophia University in Tokyo (1951–52). After ordination, he spent 17 years working for Sophia University, where he was a lecturer in journalism, taught English, and was director of public relations (1959–63). Later, Fr. Dressman was a representative for the university at the Jesuit Missions Office in New York City (1963–65). He returned to Tokyo, where he was an assistant professor of journalism and the director of the International Alumni Association, while also being in charge of international university relations and serving as director of the Continuing Education Community College (1965–76).

Father Dressman returned to the United States and worked as director of public relations at Xavier University (1976–78), before working in the Jesuit Curia Press Office in Rome (1978–80). He worked in development for the Gregorian University Foundation in New York (1980–82), and was its president (1982–85).

After a year of continuing professional education, Fr. Dressman worked in Cincinnati as a chaplain at University Hospital (1986–99) and Mount Notre Dame Convent (1993–99). He was on the retreat staff at Bellarmine Retreat House in Barrington, Ill. (1999–2005), before becoming an active member of the Colombiere Center Jesuit Community in 2005.

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