Father James J. DiGiacomo, S.J., a popular Jesuit writer and religious educator, died Sept. 15 at Murray-Weigel Hall, the Bronx. He had been in declining health and was 89 years old. He was a Jesuit for 70 years and a priest for 57 years.

Born in Brooklyn, he was introduced to the Jesuits in secondary school at Brooklyn Prep, and he entered the community in 1943.

He studied at Woodstock College, Md., 1947-50, and taught as a scholastic. He taught seniors at Gonzaga H.S., Washington, D.C., 1950-53.

He was ordained to the priesthood by Cardinal Francis X. Spellman at the Fordham University Church, Rose Hill, N.Y., on June 16, 1956.

From 1958 to 1964, he taught Latin, English and religion at Brooklyn Prep. This experience led him to further studies and to over 40 years of teaching religion at the secondary school, college and graduate school level. To gain expertise in the post-Vatican II era of catechetics, he studied at the Institute of Lumen Vitae, Brussels, Belgium.

He then began his long career of teaching religion at Brooklyn Prep, Fordham University, and Fordham Prep. From 1977 to 2003, he taught theology at Regis H.S., Manhattan, while residing at America House. Retiring from the classroom in 2003 but continuing to write and preach, he assisted at Our Lady of Victory Church in Manhattan and at St. Anthony’s parish, Greenpoint. In 2010, his health necessitated a move to Murray-Weigel Hall in the Bronx.

A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Sept. 23 at the Fordham University Church. Burial followed in the Jesuit Cemetery in Auriesville, N.Y.

 

Sister M. Jacinta Guinther, I.H.M., of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary died at Regional Hospital in Scranton, Pa., Sept. 19.

Born in Honesdale, Pa., as Elizabeth Ann, she entered the I.H.M. Congregation in 1946 and made her final profession of vows in 1954.

Locally, she taught at St. Ephrem School, Dyker Heights, 1960-62 and 1978-86.

She is survived by a brother, Edward, and a sister, Grace Augello, both of Honesdale.

Interment was at St. Catherine’s Cemetery in Moscow, Pa.

 

 

 

Regina Barry, a former Sister of St. Joseph (Sister Mary Jeanine, C.S.J, 1955-75), died Sept. 19.

She is survived by her siblings Veronica Schad and Don Sterling (Betty).

She was predeceased by her husband Donald.

Memorial donations may be made to the Little Sisters of the Poor’s Queen of Peace Residence, Queens Village.