Fr. Edward F. Flaherty, S.J.

Rev. Edward F. Flaherty S.J., was called to eternal life on Sunday, June 25 2023 at St.Ignatius Hall in Florissant Missouri. He was 104 years old, a Jesuit for 63 years and a priest for 58 years. At his death he was the oldest Jesuit in the entire Society of Jesus.

Ed was born in Kansas City Missouri on October 3, 1918 and baptized at St. John the Baptist Church on October 20th. He attended St. Elizabeth Grade School and Rockhurst High School graduating in 1936. He then attended Rockhurst College and earned a B.A. in English, Philosophy, and Latin in 1940.

Ed entered the armed forces and spent six years, mostly in the medical corps. He then was in business for a few years until a close friend and classmate’s entering the Society caused him to contemplate taking the step himself. He made inquiries in 1958 and was told to work on Latin for a year and test his determination. The next year, at age 40, he entered the Society at Florissant on September 1, 1959, and pronounced First Vows on September 2, 1961.

During his second year of novitiate he was taking philosophy classes, and in 1962 he earned a Ph. L from Saint Louis University He skipped over regency and was missioned directly to Theology at St. Mary’s, Kansas in 1962. He was ordained to the priesthood at St. Mary’s on June 9, 1965, and was awarded an S.T.B. from Saint Louis University in 1967. From 1966 to 1967 he did Tertianship at St. Joseph’s Hall in Decatur, Illinois under Fr. Charlie Hunter and then studied at the University of San Francisco 1967-68 earning an M . in Theology in 1969. He pronounced final vows on November 6, 1971 at Regis College in Denver.

Ed’s apostolic career began with him teaching Church History and the Old and New Testaments at Regis College in Denver 1968-72. In 1971 he also took up the role of an auxiliary chaplain at Lowry Air Force Base in Denver, which he continued until 1994, and as a chaplain for the Knights of Columbus. From 1972 until 1975 he taught sacramental and spiritual theology at St. Thomas Seminary in Denver and in 1972 also became Coordinator of Religious Activities at Regis College, a post he held until 1982. In his spare time he did adult education in local parishes and was summer superior at the Fraser villa.

From 1983 to 1987 he taught Theology in the night school at Regis; after this he continued his adult education work only in parishes and on the Air Force Base. In 1993 Ed moved down the hill to the Xavier Jesuit Center to continue as a pastoral minister. From 1994 to 2015 he ministered at the Shrine of St. Anne in Arvada, and was the State Chaplain of the K of C 1995-97. In 2021 he was missioned to the Fusz Pavilion and then in 2023 to St. Ignatius Hall, but his health and energy did not really falter until a few months ago.

It’s ironic that those in charge of vocations at the time of Ed’s entrance felt it necessary to test his determination; to anyone who knew him, that quality was never in doubt! He was firm in his faith and unwavering in his devotion—to the Lord, to his family, to his friends. His first apostolic assignment to Regis College began a love affair of over fifty years with Colorado, especially its mountains. The mild weather allowed Ed to pursue his passion for golf year-round and well into his 90s.

He loved a glass of scotch and a good meal, but finally his simplicity became manifest in the fact that after a century of life, everything he brought with him from Denver to St. Louis fit on a small flatbed cart!

Ed’s Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Ignatius Hall on Saturday, July 8 at 10:00 a.m. with visitation preceding at 9:30 a.m. Burial will follow in Calvary Cemetery.

The funeral Mass will be live-streamed; the URL will be https://youtube.com/live/WT8qG2kvJT8.

You may do a YouTube search on “Mass of Christian Burial for Fr. Ed Flaherty, SJ.”

Ed was preceded in death by his parents, Edward and Mary Elizabeth Best Flaherty, his sister, Sister Rita Flaherty, CSJ, and his brother, Donald M. Flaherty, II. He is survived by his niece, Amy Hetherington, and his nephew Brian Flaherty.

Let us thank God for the gifts of Ed’s friendship and ministry throughout his long life. All members of the USA Central and Southern Province and those applied to it are to offer a Mass for him. Members of the St. Ignatius Hall Community are to offer an additional Mass.