Edwards, John H.
Jesuit Father John H. Edwards died on Feb. 1, 2016, at Treemont Healthcare and Rehab Facility in Dallas. He was 91 years old, a Jesuit for 74 years and a priest for 61 years.
Fr. Edwards was born in Dallas on Sept. 26, 1924, the second son of Raymond James and Margaret Franz Edwards. He entered the Society of Jesus on Aug. 14, 1941 at St. Charles College in Grand Coteau, Louisiana. Following first vows, he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Classics from Spring Hill College in Mobile, Alabama. He returned to Dallas to teach at what was then known as Jesuit High School (1948-51). His theology studies were at St. Mary’s College in St. Marys, Kansas (1951-55) from which he received the licentiate in sacred theology in 1955. While still studying theology at St. Mary’s, he was one of the translators and editors of “The Church Teaches,” a collection of key church doctrinal documents not readily available in English.
He was ordained to the priesthood on June 16, 1954, at St. Joseph’s Chapel at Spring Hill College. He pronounced his final vows in 1958 at Jesuit High School in Dallas.
Upon completion of his Doctor of Sacred Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome in 1958, he taught Ecclesiology for two years at St. Mary’s. He then served at the New Orleans Province novitiate in Grand Coteau (1960-65). He was appointed as a Province Consultor in 1961.
He was named provincial of the New Orleans Province in the first wave of appointments made by the new Fr. General Pedro Arrupe, and he took office on July 31, 1965, at the age of 41. His tenure, 1965-71, was a time of great change in the Church and society in general. He saw the need for bold action and this, coupled with his interest in organizational dynamics, led him to institute a province planning process that included the first province assemblies. This gave the members of the province an opportunity to participate in governance in ways that had not been seen before. He listened carefully and was among the first provincials to institute a system of vice-provincials to assist him in the work of governing the province and caring for the men. Today almost every provincial has assistants, but this was very much a new idea in 1970.
When his term as provincial ended in 1971, he almost immediately moved to being Rector-President of Jesuit High School in Tampa, Florida, where he served for two years. For the next 16 years, he served in parishes, first as associate pastor at St. Rita’s parish in Dallas, then as pastor at the Gesù Parish in Miami (1975-83) and at Sacred Heart Parish in El Paso, Texas (1984-89.) After characteristically careful preparation and research, he was welcomed by the Bishop of Palm Beach as the founding director of Emmaus Residence there (1990-2000).
His last posting as superior was at Ignatius Residence in New Orleans (2000-2004) where his sensitivity, knowledge, and compassion were much appreciated. He then was associate pastor at Immaculate Conception in New Orleans (2004-2008) before moving to the Dallas Jesuit Community.
He was preceded in death by his parents, older brother, Raymond James, Jr. and sister Rosemary Harvey. He is survived by his sisters Dorothy (Jimmy) Thornhill, Joyce (Richard) Johnson, Loyce (Martin) Nussbaum, many nieces and nephews, and his brothers in the Society of Jesus.
Memorial gifts may be made to the USA Central and Southern Province of the Society of Jesus at 4511 West Pine Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63108 or through this website.