Beloved mystery author, Notre Dame professor and all-round cool Catholic guy Ralph McInerny has died. I never encountered him on campus during my time there (at least I don't remember doing so; though I got a little vicarious thrill once passing his office door in Hesburgh Library when I came up as a thought-he-knew-it-all high-schooler for a summer program at the School of Architecture) and now it seems I never will, at least in this earthly life. Jody Bottum at First Thoughts has further commentary, including this McInerny poem:
Effable
Where are words when not yet spoken:
on the tongue,
in the mind,
perhaps in air,
nowhere?
Their meanings, more elusive
still, unbreathed await
articulation,
though I have heard
in the beginning was the word.
Many people in many different worlds--the groves of academe, the backstreets of mystery fiction, and of course, we, his fellow Catholics--will miss him. God rest his soul.
I had the privilege of having a class with Prof. McInerny sophomore year. Notre Dame has lost one of her true legends today, but, I hope, gained a great heavenly intercessor.
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Requiescat in pace. May God reward him.
ReplyDeleteI met him when he spoke at my alma mater when I was an undergraduate. I did my MA at the University of St. Thomas under the direction of one of his sons. He was a good man.
ReplyDeleteI suppose his mysteries are relatively lightweight compared to his philosophy texts, but for my relatively lightweight mind his mysteries are genuinely part of my religious life. I mourn, but mostly for myself. There won't be any more.
ReplyDeleteWell, his mysteries are a lot of fun, and with a lot of "stuff everyone used to know" bits of Catholic culture. I certainly will miss them.
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