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Feb. 24, 2020 – Fr. Richard J. Regan, SJ was born on October 26, 1930, in Morristown, N.J. His parents were Joseph and Mary (Cella) Regan. Fr. Regan attended both St. Peter’s Prep (1944-1948) and St. Peter’s College (1948-1952) in Jersey City, and upon graduation he studied for a year at Harvard University Law School.

Fr. Regan entered the Jesuits on August 14, 1953, at St. Andrew-on-Hudson. After Novitiate he went to Loyola Seminary in Shrub Oak, N.Y., for Philosophy. He made his regency at his alma mater, St. Peter’s University, where he taught logic and metaphysics (1957-1960). After regency Fr. Regan spent four years studying Theology at Woodstock College in Maryland. He was ordained to the priesthood in the Fordham University Chapel on June 20, 1963, by Bishop Joseph Pernicone.

Immediately after completing his theological studies, Fr. Regan made his year of Tertianship at the Institute of St. Robert Bellarmine in Wépion, Belgium (1964-1965). Upon returning to the States, he spent the next two years acquiring his Ph.D. in Political Science at the University of Chicago.

After returning to New York, Fr. Regan taught Sociology for one year (1967-1968) at Regis High School before beginning a 44-year career of teaching political science at Fordham University. During this time he spent a year (1986-1987) as visiting professor at the Rome Center of Loyola University of Chicago. Later he also was visiting professor at Blackfriars College, Oxford (1996).

Fr. Regan served as the editor of Law and Justice (1985-1990). He was also a most prolific writer, and he produced significant books such as Law, Morality and Politics, Commentary on Aristotle’s Politics, A Summary of Philosophy, and Just War. He also wrote many books on various themes in theology: The Power of God: by Thomas Aquinas, Light of Faith, The Cardinal Virtues: Prudence, Justice, Fortitude, and Temperance, and Compendium Theologiae. He also produced books on the US Supreme Court, his latest being A Constitutional History of the Supreme Court.

After many years of teaching, research, writing and serving as visiting professor, Fr. Regan retired to Murray-Weigel Hall, where his assignment was to pray for the Church and the Society of Jesus. But while there Fr. Regan continued to publish and also could be seen jogging about the campus to keep in shape. Fr. Regan died on February 21, 2020. His books will live on after him and his spirit will rest in the loving arms of the Lord he served so well.

Arrangements
Fr. Regan’s wish was to be cremated after his death; therefore, there will be no wake.

MASS OF CHRISTIAN BURIAL:

Friday, February 28, 2020—11:30 a.m.
Murray-Weigel Hall Chapel
515 East Fordham Road
Bronx, NY 10458

BURIAL:

Jesuit Cemetery, Auriesville, NY