William L. Reilly

William L. Reilly S.J.
William L. Reilly S.J.
President of Le Moyne College
	In office; 1964–1976
Preceded by	Nicholas J. Sullivan, S.J.
Succeeded by	William J. O'Halloran, S.J.
Personal details
Born	May 16, 1916; Jersey City, New Jersey
Died	December 10, 2009 (aged 93); Bronx, New York
Profession	Jesuit priest, academic, professor of philosophy

William L. Reilly, S.J., (May 16, 1916 – December 10, 2009) was an American Jesuit and academic. Reilly holds the distinction of being the longest serving president of Le Moyne College in the school's history.^[1] His twelve-year term as Le Moyne's president lasted from 1964 until 1976.^[1] The college is located in Syracuse, New York.

Biography

Early life

Reilly was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, in 1916.^[2] He first enrolled in the Jesuit novitiate in 1932, and was formally ordained a Catholic priest within the Society of Jesus in 1945.^[2] Reilly received a bachelor's degree in philosophy from the former Woodstock College in Maryland. Additionally, he studied theology at Weston College in Massachusetts before obtaining a doctorate in philosophy from Fordham University.^[2]

Canisius College

In 1955, Reilly became a philosophy professor at Canisius College in Buffalo, New York.^[2] He also became director of Canisius' evening and summer programs.^[2] Reilly remained on faculty at Canisius College until 1964, when he left to become the president of Le Moyne College.^[2]

President of Le Moyne College

Reilly became president of Le Moyne College in 1964, succeeding Nicholas J. Sullivan. During his 12-year tenure as president, the longest in Le Moyne's history,^[1] Reilly oversaw the expansion of Le Moyne's campus to more than 140 acres.^[1] Several academic buildings were constructed during this time, including Foery and Harrison halls.^[1]^[2] Harrison Hall was later renamed Reilly Hall in his honor.^[3]

Later life

Reilly retired as president of Le Moyne College in 1976 and served at a number of other Jesuit institutions.^[1] He became the associate vice president for academy at Fordham University in New York City.^[1] Between 1991 and 1998,^[4] Reilly served as the retreat minister at both the Jesuit Novitiate in Benin City, Nigeria, as well the retreat minister at a Jesuit facility in Cape Coast, Ghana.^[1]^[2] He began serving as retreat minister at the Nigerian novitiate at the age of 75.^[4]

Father Reilly permanently moved to the campus of Fordham University in the Bronx in 1999, where he resided for the remainder of his life.^[1] Reilly died at the Murray-Weigel Hall Jesuit care facility at Fordham University on December 10, 2009, at the age of 94.^[1]^[3]

Reilly's funeral mass took place at the Fordham University Church.^[4] He was buried at the Jesuit Martyrs' Shrine in Auriesville, New York.^[4]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j Coin, Glen (2009-12-10). "Le Moyne College's longest-serving president dies". The Post-Standard. Retrieved 2009-12-31.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h "Canisius Mourns Fr. Reilly, Former Philosophy Prof". Canisius College. 2009-12-11. Retrieved 2010-01-03.
^ ^a ^b Pestello, Fred P. "We remember Father William Reilly, S.J." Le Moyne College. Retrieved 2010-01-03.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Paid Notice: Deaths Reilly, Rev. William L." New York Times. 2009-12-12. Retrieved 2009-12-31.

[ps-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j Coin, Glen (2009-12-10). "Le Moyne College's longest-serving president dies". The Post-Standard. Retrieved 2009-12-31.

[canisius-2] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h "Canisius Mourns Fr. Reilly, Former Philosophy Prof". Canisius College. 2009-12-11. Retrieved 2010-01-03.

[lemoyne-3] Pestello, Fred P. "We remember Father William Reilly, S.J." Le Moyne College. Retrieved 2010-01-03.

[nyt-4] "Paid Notice: Deaths Reilly, Rev. William L." New York Times. 2009-12-12. Retrieved 2009-12-31.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]