Memorial Mass Reflections

Memorial Mass for James N. Loughran, S.J.
January 17, 2007
Reflection of Eileen Poiani, Ph.D., Vice President for Student Affairs

Reflecting on JAMES N. LOUGHRAN of THE SOCIETY OF JESUS is for me reflecting on time.

Check your watch – just about 45 minutes ago, Father Loughran would be walking with a lively step along the Boulevard to his office, proudly wearing his fisherman or straw hat, swinging a canvas bag filled with overstuffed manila folders and lots of Dictaphone tapes. On a typical day, he would later head, like clockwork, to Gothic Towers for lunch with his Jesuit brothers.

He had a special instinct about TIME, even though he did not wear a watch. Always on time; always expecting everyone to be on time and everything to start on time. He turned Cabinet members into quivering jelly at the mere thought of being late for a meeting. Father had no patience with the careless waste of time.

Father Loughran wanted all the clocks in his office to tell the same time. About weekly, he would say: “These clocks are not synchronized.” So they would be reset only to repeat the process a week later. I finally gave him a clock that ran backwards.

He had certain rules. Liked paper clips, not staples. Liked Arial, not Times New Roman. Insisted on reports on Thursdays to be read over the weekend, and commas before the word “and” in a series. He endorsed repetition to communicate new plans and policies.

Father totally focused on the project at hand. If it was teaching a class, he invested time to prepare his lecture meticulously. If it was an administrative matter, he researched it to seek resolution in a timely manner. If it was playing a game of basketball or tennis, he had perfect timing and was fiercely competitive.

Time was a factor in his choice of academic discipline – philosophy – where ideas are timeless. His vision of Saint Peter’s College was as a good classical liberal arts college.

Despite time demands of the presidency, Father made time for his personal family and for the students he loved so much. From the International Evening of Song and Dance, created by the students for his inauguration and held each year thereafter, to the Blessing of the Christmas Tree, Argus Eyes and McMullen Chorale performances, and athletic games, he was present. He was a very public Jesuit and a very private person.

Through it all, I always found Father Loughran to be cheerful and to have a perfectly wonderful sense of humor. He was a great boss and a kind friend.

During my five years as his Executive Assistant, I had the privilege of speaking with his beloved father on many occasions. I would also hear Father Loughran say quite often: “Eileen, I do not want surprises.” Well, Father, you not only surprised us, you shocked us. It wasn’t your time to leave us in a second, so unprepared. But who are we to call the time out?


I will close with a Thought from St. Ignatius in the very book that he gave the Trustees and Cabinet members for Christmas:

The most precious crown is reserved in heaven for those who do all that they do as zealously as possible: for to do good deeds is not enough by itself; we must do them well.

And so, Father Loughran, that is your timeless legacy.