A must-read biography of Fr. Joseph Fessio
By Dr. Jeff Mirus ( bio - articles - email ) | Nov 15, 2024 | In Reviews
I suspect most of my readers are aware of the tremendously positive impact Fr. Joseph Fessio, SJ has had on the Catholic publishing and academic landscapes both here and abroad. His achievements are showcased through his work in creating the St. Ignatius Institute and in serving as Chancellor for the new Ave Maria University and, far more widely, through the magnificent accomplishments of Ignatius Press. Though now in his 80s, happily for the rest of us, Fr. Fessio is still going strong.
Also happily, his long-time confrère Fr. Cornelius Michael Buckley, SJ has written a superb biography of Fr. Fessio which is as entertaining as it is knowledgeable, especially in that Fr. Buckley has been involved in Fr. Fessio’s achievements (and escapades) for most of his life. The book is Father Joseph Fessio, S.J.—California Blackrobe, and it is so hard to put down that (following recent eye surgery) I went out and bought a pair of magnified drug-store reading glasses so I could keep pace with it without excessive eye strain.
In this biography, we are introduced to the tremendous vitality and courage of one of the great pioneers of Catholic renewal over the past sixty years. In describing everything from the way Joe Fessio drove a car in his teens through the legendary walking retreats he led in Europe to his remarkable institutional achievements in the United States, Fr. Buckley’s biography captures the essence of an indefatigable Jesuit priest—a priest who managed to accomplish great things for God from within a religious order that has been in serious decline now for two generations. If anyone exemplifies the true Ignatian spirit in our time, you will find that person in this thorough, sympathetic, perceptive and even stimulating account.
So why go on? Here we have a riveting portrayal of apostleship against the odds within the declining Catholic Church in the West. Neither Fr. Fessio nor his biographer are ungenerous to those who have placed obstacles in Fr. Fessio’s path. Indeed, it is not Fr. Fessio’s way to rage against the night. Instead, he has always sought to illuminate it. This book tells of one man’s long and continuing effort to make the light of Christ brighter, and the darkness less.
Mirroring Fr. Fessio’s life just as it should, and complete with both index and photos, this biography is a rollicking good read.
Jeffrey Mirus holds a Ph.D. in intellectual history from Princeton University. A co-founder of Christendom College, he also pioneered Catholic Internet services. He is the founder of Trinity Communications and CatholicCulture.org. See full bio.
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