Biographical Sketch
of
Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J.
Father Hardon has been a priest for over 52 years, a member of the Society
of Jesus for over 62 years.
- He holds a Doctorate in Sacred Theology from The Gregorian University, Vatican
City and several graduate degrees from various other universities.
- He has taught:
- Over 600 of his fellow Jesuits.
- In six different Protestant seminaries.
- Several large Catholic Universities.
- In a large secular university for one year.
- He is the author of over forty books, many booklets and innumerable published
articles.
- He has been a consultant to the Holy See for thirty-one years.
- In 1995, when 81 and for the first time in history, he inaugurated full
semester courses by teleconference and simultaneously began publishing them
in beautiful albums of twelve audiocassettes each. They have proved to be eminently
popular by filling a hunger for the truth through a media innovation that had
not previously been explored.
- A catechetical study program originally written by Fr. Hardon for the Holy
See after the Holy Father requested Mother Teresa to educate her Missionaries
of Charity to become catechists. The program has been expanded and adapted nationwide.
There are currently two home study courses called The Basic Course (16 lessons)
and the Advanced Course (36 lessons). The program has grown and spread into
every part of the country. The laity are now encouraged to participate.
- Another study program on Eucharistic Education is being written for home
study complete with test sheets and lesson plans. It is designed to develop
a small army of thoroughly educated honest to goodness, Catholics who will be intellectually equipped to teach the truth about the
faith throughout the western world but especially in the United States and Canada.
It has tremendous potential!
- Father has over 2,000 unpublished manuscripts which several of his skilled
volunteers are at present cataloging and editing. Projections estimate that
this as yet unnamed massive project will contain from 5 to 7 volumes.
- Soon to be in print is "Father Hardon's CATHOLIC PRAYER BOOK with
meditations " a 488-page jewel that bids fair to bring America back
on its collective knees. Also Father is reprinting his reference masterpiece,
"THE MODERN CATHOLIC DICTIONARY." Both should be available in the
fall of 1999.
- In 1990 voices in the intellectual world were writing Father off. He had
serious sight and hearing difficulties together with other ailments that would
reduce his productivity to zero, they predicted. They failed to reckon with
the fact that one major faculty does not age – THE INTELLECT !
- Father gradually surrounded himself with many volunteers with a variety
of talents and skills that has enabled him to magnify his amazing talents at
a time when any normal human being would be consigned to a full care nursing
home. Instead, supported by these volunteer arms and legs, minds, hearts, skills
and abilities, he has proven to be even more the master teacher and the world
class theologian with an encyclopedic mind. So he continues to use his amazing
God-given talents to move hearts, build zeal, convert sinners and expose heretics.
The final curtain is far from "going down."
- He has other projects on the drawing board but that's an interesting footnote,
which awaits the third millennium!
From: Who’s Who In America (p.1466):
HARDON, JOHN ANTHONY (Society of Jesus), priest, research educator; b. Midland,
Pa., June 18, 1914; s. John and Anna (Jevin) H. A.B. John Carroll U., 1936;
M. A. Loyola U. Chgo. 1941; S.T.D., Gregorian U., Rome 1951. Joined S. J. Roman
Cath Ch., 1936, ordained priest, 1947. Assoc. prof. fundamental theology West
Baden (Ind.) Coll. 1951-62, assoc. prof religion Western Michigan U., 1962-67,
prof fundamental theology Bellarmine Sch. Theology, North Aurora, Ill. and Chgo.,
1968-73; rsch prof Jesuit Sch. Theology, North Aurora 1973--; prof advanced
studies in Cath. doctrine St. John's U. Jamaica, N.Y., 1974-88 vis prof comparative
religion St. PaulU., Ottawa, Can., 1968-74 prof Notre Dame Inst. (a Pontifica
Catechetical Inst.), Va., 1981-90; v.p. Inst. on Religious Life, dir retreats
priests and religious; chmn. bd Cath. Voice of Am., Inc. Author: The Protestant
Churches of America, 2d edit. 1968, rev edit., 1981, Christianity in Conflict,
1959, All My Liberty, 1959, rev. edit., 1981, For Jesuits, 1963, Religions of
the World, 2d edit., 1981, The Hungry Generation, 1967, The Spirit and Origins
of American Prostestantism, 1968, Religions of the Orient-A Christian View,
1970, American Judaism, 1971, Christianity in the Twentieth Century, 2d edit.
1972, rev edit., 1978, The Catholic Catechism, 1975, Holliness in the Church,
1976, Religious Life Today, 1977, Modern Catholic Dictionary, 1980, Salvation
and Sanctification, 1978, Theology of Prayer, 1979, The Question and Answer
Catholic Catechism, 1981, Spiritual Life in the Modern World, 1982, Pocket Catholic
Dictionary, 1985, The Treasury of Catholic Wisdom, 1987, The Catholic Lifetime
Reading Plan, 1989, Pocket Catholic Catechism, 1989, Catholic Catechist's Manual,
1989, The Catholic Answer Book, 1989, Masters of the Spiritual Life, 1990, Great
Marian Writers, 1990, The Catholic Family in the Modern World, 1991, History
of Eucharistic Adoration, 1991, the Catholic Discovery of America, 1992, Memoirs
of Fatima, 1992, The Real Presence, 1992, How to Make the Spiritual Exercises,
1993; editor: Gospel Witness, 1971; contbg. editor Challenge mag., London, Can.,
1987--; cons. World Book Ency. Founder, dir. Marian and Ignatius Catechists,
1985--, Recipient Papal medal, 1951, award outstanding work in field history
Cath. Press Assn., 1973, medal Slovak World Congress, 1978, St. Maxmillian Kolbe
award in Mariology, 1990, Mem Cath Truth Soc., Soc. for Religious Vocations,
Instituto Slovaco, Internat. Assn. Mission Studies, Fellowship Cath. Scholar
(Cardinal Wright award 1984) Address: U Detroit Mercy Lansing-Reilly Hall Detroit
MI 48221 Conviction is the basis of courage, certitude is the foundation
of peace. The secret of achievement is to have the peaceful courage of possessing
the truth and acting on this conviction in everything we do.
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