Fr. James McConica embodied Basilian motto of "Teach me Goodness, Discipline and Knowledge"

St. Thomas More College has lost another dear friend recently, and another connection to its Basilian heritage.

Fr. James Kelsey McConica, CSB, O.C., died at Michael Garron Hospital on Dec. 20, 2023. He was 93 years of age.

He had been a member of the Congregation of St. Basil (Basilan Fathers) for 58 years, having served as an ordained priest for 55 years.

He was born on April 24, 1930, in Luseland, Saskatchewan, and was predeceased by his parents, Thomas McConica and Edith (Crates) McConica; by his brothers, William and Thomas; and his sister, Martha.

Fr. McConica showed academic excellence from an early age when he was selected for a Rhodes Scholarship in 1952. He received a BA degree and an MA in modern History from Oxford University and spent a year at Princeton as a university fellow, and then taught at the University of Saskatchewan.

Fr. McConica was granted a leave of absence from 1958-60 for doctoral research at Oxford, where he obtained a PhD from the University in 1960 and a D.Phil in 1963.

He then enrolled in the Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies in Toronto and received a MA in Mediaeval Philosophy in 1964.

He joined the Basilian Fathers in 1964 and was ordained on Dec. 14, 1968 in the chapel of St. Thomas More College.

Fr. McConica obtained a STB from the University of St. Michael's College in 1968 and a LLD from the University of Saskatchewan in 1986.

Additional degrees and honours included: Fellow from the Royal Historical Society in 1964, Fellows, Academy II from the Royal Society of Canada in 1987, Foreign Member from the Royal Belgian Academy in 1988, a D.LIT from the University of Windsor in 1989 and the Order of Canada from the Governor General of Canada in 2001.

In 2011, Fr. McConica returned to STM to deliver the 23rd Keenan Memorial Lecture in the Father O'Donnell Auditorium at St. Thomas More College. His lecture, entitled, "Is There a Catholic Humanism?' focused on the notion of humanism as it relates to religion, clarifying its history and aims, and emphasizing its constitutive role in the creation of a civil society.

Among his significant leadership positions, Fr. McConica served as Praeses of the Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies, Toronto and President and Vice Chancellor of the University of St. Michael's College, Toronto. He was also an Emeritus Fellow, All Souls College, the first Roman Catholic priest to be a fellow of this prestigious institution since the English Reformation.

One of the original members of the Collected Works of Erasmus (CWE) in English project of the University of Toronto Press, McConica edited a number of volumes in the series. From 1976 to 2018, he chaired the CWE editorial board.

A man of extraordinary scholarship, erudition and culture, Fr. McConica served the Academy and the Church with dedication, devotion and a genuine love for people.

He mentored countless students and colleagues, not only imparting to them his vast academic experience but offered them a sterling example of a faithful Catholic priest who embodied and modeled the Basilian motto of "Teach me Goodness, Discipline and Knowledge."

A concelebrated Funeral Mass was be held on Dec. 29 in the chapel of Presentation Manor for Seniors in Scarborough, ON, and burial took place at the Basilian plot at Holy Cross Cemetery, Thornhill, ON.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Basilian Fathers Retirement Fund, 360 Davenport Road, Toronto, ON M5R 1K6.

On Monday, Jan. 22, 2024, a Mass was celebrated in honour of Fr. McConica in the STM Chapel.

"His connections to St. Thomas More College ran deep, including his ordination to the priesthood in the STM Chapel in 1968," said Gertrude Rompré, Director of Mission and Ministry at STM College. "He served as an exemplar of Catholic Higher Education and the Basilian charism throughout his ministry and career."

"Throughout his life, he impacted and inspired many, including members of our own faculty and staff. We thank God for his generous spirit and pray for him as he enters the joy of the resurrection."