William L. Reilly

William L. Reilly S.J.
President of Le Moyne College
Term 1964 – 1976
Predecessor Nicholas J. Sullivan, S.J.
Successor William J. O'Halloran, S.J.
Born May 16, 1916
Jersey City, New Jersey
Died December 10, 2009(2009-12-10) (aged 93)
Bronx, New York
Profession Jesuit priest, academic, professor of philosophy
Religion Roman Catholic

William L. Reilly, S.J., (May 16, 1916 – December 10, 2009) was an American Jesuit and academic. Reilly holds the distinction of being the longest serving president of Le Moyne College in the school's history.[1] His twelve year term as Le Moyne's president lasted from 1964 until 1976.[1] The college is located in Syracuse, New York.

Contents

Biography

Early life

Reilly was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, in 1916.[2] He first enrolled in the Jesuit novitiate in 1932, and was formally ordained a Catholic priest within the Society of Jesus in 1945.[2] Reilly received a bachelor's degree in philosophy from the former Woodstock College in Maryland. Additionally, he studied theology at Weston College in Massachusetts before obtaining a doctorate in philosophy from Fordham University.[2]

Canisius College

In 1955, Reilly became a philosophy professor at Canisius College in Buffalo, New York.[2] He also became director of Canisius' evening and summer programs.[2] Reilly remained on faculty at Canisius College until 1964, when he left to become the president of Le Moyne College.[2]

President of Le Moyne College

Reilly became president of Le Moyne College in 1964, succeeding Nicholas J. Sullivan. During his 12-year tenure as president, the longest in Le Moyne's history,[1] Reilly oversaw the expansion of Le Moyne's campus to more than 140 acres.[1] Several academic buildings were constructed during this time, including Foery and Harrison halls.[1][2] Harrison Hall was later renamed Reilly Hall in his honor.[3]

Later life

Reilly retired as president of Le Moyne College in 1976 and served at a number of other Jesuit institutions.[1] He became the associate vice president for academy at Fordham University in New York City.[1] Between 1991 and 1998,[4] Reilly served as the retreat minister at both the Jesuit Novitiate in Benin City, Nigeria, as well the retreat minister at a Jesuit facility in Cape Coast, Ghana.[1][2] He began serving as retreat minister at the Nigerian novitiate at the age of 75.[4]

Father Reilly permanently moved to the campus of Fordham University in the Bronx in 1999, where he resided for the remainder of his life.[1] Reilly died at the Murray-Weigel Hall Jesuit care facility at Fordham University on December 10, 2009, at the age of 94.[1][3]

Reilly's funeral mass took place at the Fordham University Church.[4] He was buried at the Jesuit Martyrs' Shrine in Auriesville, New York.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Coin, Glen (2009-12-10). "Le Moyne College's longest-serving president dies". The Post-Standard. http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2009/12/le_moynes_longest-serving_pres.html. Retrieved 2009-12-31. 
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h "Canisius Mourns Fr. Reilly, Former Philosophy Prof.". Canisius College. 2009-12-11. http://www.canisius.edu/newsevents/display_story.asp?iNewsID=6354. Retrieved 2010-01-03. 
  3. ^ a b Pestello, Fred P.. "We remember Father William Reilly, S.J.". Le Moyne College. http://www.dolphinsonline.org/s/445/index.aspx?sid=445&gid=1&pgid=1208&cid=2372&ecid=2372&ciid=10852&crid=0. Retrieved 2010-01-03. 
  4. ^ a b c d "Paid Notice: Deaths Reilly, Rev. William L.". New York Times. 2009-12-12. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9906EED8143AF931A25751C1A96F9C8B63. Retrieved 2009-12-31.