Fr. T. James Sheppard, S.J.

Fr. James Sheppard died at René Goupil House in Pickering on July 3. He was in his 87th year and in his 47th year as a Jesuit. The son of Sydney Sheppard and Clare Balfour, he was born at Burnham Norton, UK. He studied Classics at Oxford University from 1956 to 1960 and later moved to Canada where he entered the Society of Jesus at Guelph in1977. In 1980 he spent two–years as assistant pastor of St. Ignatius Parish, Winnipeg. Theology studies followed at Regis College, Toronto, where he was ordained in 1985. Having expressed an interest in Base Communities, he was invited by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops to make a tour of several South American countries, ending up in 1985 at Belo Horizonte, Brazil, for two years of study and ministry. He became fluent in Portuguese and for the next twenty years was involved with base communities in both South and North America. In 1987 Jim was assigned for two years to the Jesuit Centre for Social Faith and Justice, Toronto; 1989 to 1993 to pastoral ministry at St. Andrew’s Parish in Thunder Bay. From 1993 to 1997 he served at St. Peter’s parish in Nanaimo in BC; then in 1997 he returned to Thunder Bay for ministry among indigenous people. In 2003 he was named Superior of the Jesuit community on the west coast where he conducted retreats and other pastoral ministry. Bishop Remi DeRoo invited Jim to participate in communal spiritual discernment in the Diocese of Victoria. Between 2007 and 2011, he served as administrator of St. Ignatius of Antioch Parish. His presence initiated a relationship between the parish and the Society of Jesus, setting the stage for the Jesuits to accept a pastoral administration in Vancouver. The plan to bring together the two Catholic communities at the University of British Columbia, St. Mark’s College and St. Ignatius of Antioch Parish, was completed in 2011, and began to serve the residents and students at UBC and the university hospital system. In 2013 he published The Word for us – Spirituality and Community. Then, moving east, Jim settled in 2017 at La Storta House in Pickering, with ministry at Manresa Retreat House. Being fluent in French, he moved in 2020 to Maison Bellarmin in Montreal. Precarious health required a final move to Pickering in 2022. Never of a robust constitution, he nevertheless managed to live a full life, always centred on his vision of the Catholic Base Community model, adaptable to every region. He made friends with ease and cared for others with a big heart. He will be missed by many. He leaves behind two sisters, Stephany Inderbinen-Sheppard, in Switzerland and Nicolette (Bernard) Robson in England. Visitation and prayer vigil in René Goupil House Chapel (Infirmary) Pickering, on Tuesday, June 9 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial, on Wednesday, July 10, 2024 at 10 a.m. Family and friends may also join the mass via live webcasting at: https://ipickart.com/stream/Fr.JamesSheppard/

Burial will take place that day at the Jesuit Cemetery in Guelph, at 2:30 pm. As expressions of sympathy, donations to the Jesuit Advancement Office, 43 Queen’s Park Cres. E., Toronto, ON M5S 2C3, (416-962-4500) would be appreciated.