In Memoriam: Fr. Thomas King, S.J.

From The Hoya:

Longtime Jesuit Professor Fr. Thomas King Dies at 80 

By Christine Roberts 
Hoya Staff Writer 

Fr. Thomas King, S.J., a respected member of the Georgetown community for 41 years, passed away today at age 80, confirmed Fr. Eugene Nolan, S.J. 

King was a professor of theology; he taught The Problem of God and classes covering the works of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, Thomas Merton, Jean Paul Sartre and C. G. Jung. 

King also was a strong presence outside of the classroom. During his second year of teaching at Georgetown, he began offering 11:15 p.m. Mass six days a week at Dahlgren Chapel of the Sacred Heart. These masses have become increasingly popular with Georgetown’s student body over the past 40 years. 

He had also served as a chaplain in residence and was an active participant in student retreats. 

During his time at Georgetown, King wrote nine novels, including “Teilhard’s Mass: Approaches to ‘The Mass on the World’” (published in 2005) and “Jung’s Four and Some Philosophers: A Paradigm for Philosophy” (published in 1999). 

In 1999, The Hoya named King “Georgetown’s Man of the Century,” claiming that “no one has had a more significant presence on campus and effect on students than Father King.” 

University spokesperson Julie Bataille, Fr. Kevin O’Brien, S.J., and Father Patrick Rogers, S.J., could not be reached for comment.

More on Fr. King's life and impact on the Georgetown community: Georgetown Alumni Online