William Lonc

William "Bill" Lonc, SJ, Professor emeritus of physics at St. Mary's University in Canada, was also the co-translator and co-editor of the series of Jesuit Relations in Canada.

He was born in London Ontario, Canada on May 5, 1930, son of Gregory Lonc and Veronica Lewickie.^[1] He passed away on November 27, 2014 at the René Goupil House, the Jesuit Infirmary in Pickering, Ontario, having lived 60 years in religious life in the Society of Jesus.^[1]

He received a Doctorate degree in Physics (Ph.D.), followed by a Licentiate in Philiosophy from Saint Louis University in 1965.^[1] He joined the Jesuit Order on September 8, 1954 and was ordained a priest in the Roman Catholic Church on June 1, 1968.^[1]

As professor of Physics at Saint Mary's University in Halifax he specialized in Astrophysics and Microwave Technology. Since his retirement, he worked assiduously in translating and editing a series of publications pertaining to the Jesuit Missions in Canada, beginning with the mission at Port Royal (today’s Nova Scotia) in 1611 and reaching the 1860s. Most of the material consists of translations from French and Latin of letters, diaries, and Reports (Relations), including the French historical works by Lucien Campeau, and is therefore basic data for historiographers. Over 40 titles have been published, each containing an extensive index.

In his final years he served as Chaplain to the Sisters of St. Joseph in Toronto.^[1]

Published works

Volumes in the English series: Early Jesuit Missions in Canada

General Editor and Publisher: William Lonc, S.J.

1. Lucien Campeau, S.J. Biographical Dictionary for New France: 1602‑1656. Transl. by George Topp, S.J. and William Lonc, S.J.

2.Brébeuf’s Writings: A Study, by René Latourelle. S.J. Transl. by George Topp, S.J. and William Lonc, S.J.

3. Lucien Campeau. S.J. Jesuit Mission to the Hurons. Transl. by George Topp, S.J. and William Lonc, S.J.

4. Lucien Campeau, S.J. Gannentaha: First Jesuit Mission to the Iroquois. Transl. by George Topp, S.J. and William Lonc, S.J.

5. Jean Côté. The Donnés in Huronia. Transl. by George Topp, S.J. and William Lonc, S.J.

6‑1 and 6‑2. Letters from the New Jesuit Missions in Canada: 1843‑1852. Edited by Lorenzo Cadieux, S.J.. Transl. by George Topp, S.J. and William Lonc, S.J.

6-3: Lorenzo Cadieux, S.J. and Robert Toupin, S.J. (Eds.).Letters from Manitoulin Island: 1853-1870. Transl. by Shelley Pearen and William Lonc, S.J. 2007. ISBN 978-0-9739886-4-2

6-4: Letters from Wikwemikong: 1845-1863. Transcribed and translated by Shelley Pearen and William Lonc, S.J.

6-5: Nicholas Point, S.J. Memoirs of Wikwemikong: Mid 1800’s. Transcribed and translated by Shelley Pearen and William Lonc, S.J.

6-6: Letters from the Ft. William Jesuit Mission: 1848-1862. Transcribed and translated by Shelley Pearen and William Lonc, S.J.

6-7: Letters from the Sault Ste Marie Jesuit Mission: 1850-1863. Transcribed and translated by Shelley Pearen and William Lonc, S.J.

6-8: Letters from the Jesuit Mission at Sandwich: 1843-1860. Transcribed and translated by Shelley Pearen and William Lonc, S.J.

6-9. Pierre Potier. Jesuit Mission Correspondence: 1746-1781. Ed. by R. Toupin, S.J.. Transl. by William Lonc, S.J.

7. Pierre Cholenec, S.J. Catherine Tekakwitha. Transl. by William Lonc, S.J.

7-1. Félix Martin, S.J. Catherine Tekakwitha: Lily of the Mohawks. Translated by Henry Van Rensselaer, S.J.; Post-translated by William Lonc, S.J.

(contains only the English part of Volume 7-2)

7-2. Félix Martin, S.J. Catherine Tegaouïtha: Iroquois Maiden. English and French versions. English translation by Henry Van Rennsaeler, S.J.; post-translated by W. Lonc, S.J.

8. Fr. Chaumonot, S.J.: Autobiography and Supplement. Transl. by William Lonc, S.J.

9: Jean de Brébeuf. Huron Relations for 1635 and 1636. Ed. by Lucien Campeau, S.J.; Post-translated by William Lonc, S.J.

9‑1: François Le Mercier. Huron Relations for 1637 and 1638. Ed. by Lucien Campeau, S.J.; Post-translated by William Lonc, S.J.

9‑2: Jérôme Lalemant. Huron Relations for 1639 to 1645. Ed. by Lucien Campeau, S.J.; Post-translated by William Lonc, S.J.

9‑3: Paul Ragueneau. Huron Relations for 1646 to 1650. Ed. by Lucien Campeau, S.J., Post-translated by William Lonc, S.J.

9-4: Lucien Campeau, S.J. Jesuit Huron Mission Latin Letters:1626-1650. Transl. by William Lonc, S.J. and others.

9-5: Paul Ragueneau, S.J. Memoirs: 1652. A translation. Ed. by William Lonc, S.J.

10: Lucien Campeau, S.J. Jesuit Mission to the Souriquois in Acadia: 1611‑1613. Post-translated by William Lonc, S.J.

11: Lucien Campeau, S.J. The Jesuits and Early Montreal. Transl. by William Lonc, S.J. March, 2005. ISBN 0-9687053-6-7

12: Lucien Campeau, S.J. The Jesuit Missions in Acadia and New France: 1616‑1634. Post-translated by William Lonc, S.J.

13: Pierre Biard S.J. Jesuit Mission in Acadia: 1611‑1613. Ed. by Lucien Campeau S.J.. Transl. by George Topp, S.J. and William Lonc, S.J.

14: Paul Le Jeune, S.J. Québec Relations for 1632, 1633, 1634. Ed. by Lucien Campeau, S.J. Post‑translated by William Lonc, S.J.

14‑1: Paul Le Jeune, S.J. Québec Relations for 1635, 1636, 1637. Ed. by Lucien Campeau, S.J. Post‑translated by William Lonc, S.J.

14‑2: Paul Le Jeune, S.J. Québec Relations for 1638, 1639, 1640. Ed. by Lucien Campeau, S.J. Post‑translated by William Lonc, S.J.

15: D. F. Shanahan. The Jesuit Residential School at Spanish.

16: Jesuit Journal: 1645‑1668, (Journal des Jésuites). Laverdière and Casgrain. Lucien Campeau; Reuben Thwaites, Eds. Post‑translated by William Lonc, S.J.

17: A Mission Diary: 1843, Dominique du Ranquet, S.J. Ed. by Fernand Ouellet and René Dionne. Translated by William Lonc, S.J.

17-1: Mission Journal: 1853-1856, Dominique du Ranquet, S.J. Original transcribed and edited by Alain Nabarra. Transl. by William Lonc, S.J.

17-1: Mission Journal: 1875-1877, Dominique du Ranquet, S.J.. Original transcribed and edited by Alain Nabarra. Transl. by William Lonc, S.J., and William Maurice, S.J.

18. Ft. William Mission Diary: 1848-1852. Original transcribed and edited by Alain Nabarra. Transl. by William Lonc, S.J.

19. François Maynard, S.J. Jesuit Missions in Northern Ontario. Transl. by William Lonc, S.J.

19-1. François Maynard, S.J. Du Ranquet’s Diary: 1852-1877, A "Copy". Transl. by William Lonc, S.J. and Shelley Pearen.

Other related translations/publications

René Latourelle, S.J. Jean de Brébeuf. Transl. by William Lonc, S.J.

Volumes in the French series Missions anciennes des Jésuites au Canada

Jean Côté. Institution des Donnés à Sainte-Marie-des-Hurons. French version of Volume 5.

François Maynard, S.J. Missions jésuites du Nord de l’Ontario. Transcription par Robert Toupin, S.J., édité par William Lonc, S.J., French version of Volume 19.

Lucien Campeau, S.J. Montréal, fondation missionnaire. French version of Volume 11.

Dominique du Ranquet, S.J. Journal de mission: 1853-1856. édité par Alain Nabarra. French version of Volume 17-1(1853-1856).

Journal de mission: 1875-1877. Dominique du Ranquet, S.J., édité par Alain Nabarra. French version of Volume 17-1(1875-1877).

La Mission jésuite de Ft. William: Journal de 1848-1852. edité par Alain Nabarra, French version of Volume 18.

Lettres de la Mission jésuite au Ft. William: 1848-1862. Transcribed by Shelley Pearen and William Lonc, S.J., French version of Volume 6-6.

Lettres de la Mission jésuite au Sault Ste Marie: 1850-1863. Transcription et traduction par Shelley Pearen et William Lonc, S.J., French version of volume 6-7.

Lettres de la Mission jésuite à Sandwich: 1843-1860. Transcription et traduction par Shelley Pearen et William Lonc, S.J. French version of volume 6-8.

Journal du Père du Ranquet S.J., de 1852 à 1877." Copie, par François Maynard, S.J. Transcription par William Lonc, S.J. et Shelley Pearen, French version of volume 19-1.

Mémoires: 1652, par Paul Ragueneau, S.J. Transcription par William Lonc, S.J.

(French-Latin version of our volume 9-5).

References