Let us pray for the life of, Fr. William J. Spine, SJ, who died at 6:30 a.m. on June 27, 2026 at Mercy Hospice – St. Louis de Greeff Hospice House in Missouri. He was 86 years old. May he rest in peace.
Bill was born on January 2, 1940 in Louisville, Kentucky. He entered the Chicago Province of the Society of Jesus on September 1, 1960 at the Jesuit Novitiate in Milford, Ohio. He was ordained a priest on May 12, 1973 in Louisville, Kentucky, and pronounced final vows on August 15, 1976 in Tacna, Peru.
While in the Society, Bill earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Loyola University Chicago (1966) and a master’s degree in anthropology from Washington University in Saint Louis, Missouri (1969).
During regency and after ordination, Bill worked at the Colegio Cristo Rey in Tacna, Peru (1968-1970; 1974-1979). After returning to the United States, Bill engaged in pastoral work — especially with the Hispanic community — at: Our Lady of Mercy Church in Bronx, New York (1979-1982); St. Ignatius Parish in Brooklyn, New York (1982-1983); St. Mary’s Parish in Moline, Illinois (1983-1986); and Holy Family Parish in Chicago, Illinois (1986-1989). From 1992 through 2001, Bill worked with Hispanic people at Loyola University Chicago. He returned to parish ministry at St. Paul’s Parish in Lexington, Kentucky (2001-2006) before working at the Collegio S. Roberto Bellarmine Jesuit Community in Rome, Italy (2006-2012). In 2012, Bill was missioned to a Jesuit health care facility.
