1953

scmintern@scu.edu

Born in Los Angeles on June 28, 1931—the youngest of Mary and Cornelius Buckley’s three sons—Gerald Albert Buckley ’53 spent his earliest years in Los Angeles in the lively embrace of Irish forebears. After briefly attending St. John Military Academy and St. Agnes School, Gerald enrolled at St. Matthew School. Having moved to the Bay Area, he attended Serra High School and Bellarmine College Prep before advancing to Santa Clara University. On Aug. 14, 1951, Gerald entered the Dominican Novitiate in Ross and began his studies for priesthood, with his first profession of vows on Aug. 15, 1952, and solemn profession on Aug. 15, 1955. He studied at St. Albert College, Oakland, and continued studies at St. Albert in Walberberg, Germany. He was ordained to the priesthood at the historic Cologne Cathedral on July 25, 1957. After ordination, he studied in Rome at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum), where he earned the Licentiate of Sacred Theology and Lector of Sacred Theology. In 60 years of ministry, Fr. Gerald taught, preached, and governed with a lighthearted spirit and a passion for evangelization—telling the world about Jesus Christ. He taught at Dominican University and St. Mary’s College and served as director of Western Dominican Preaching. He worked in campus ministry and served as superior at both the University of Oregon and Arizona State University. He also served at Our Lady of the Mountain Parish in Ashland, Oregon, as pastor and prior at Holy Rosary in Portland, Oregon, as prior at St. Dominic’s in Los Angeles, and as prior at St. Albert’s in Oakland. Fr. Gerald brought the joy of the Gospel to his preaching in a firm but sweet and bright way. His preaching touched many souls and he exemplified the “joyful friar”—a true son of St. Dominic. Sixty-two years to the day after he professed vows in his religious community, Fr. Geralddied in Portland on Aug. 15, 2017. He was preceded in death by his parents and by his brother, James. He is survived by his brother, Cornelius Buckley, S.J., his sister-in-law, Winifred, and many nieces, nephews, grandnieces, and grandnephews.

08 Nov 2018