Rev. Christopher Billac

Rev. Christopher
August Billac, S.J., departed this life on Wednesday, October 3, 2012, at Ignatius Residence in New Orleans, La. He was 78 years of age, a Jesuit for 60 years and a priest for 47 years. There will be visitation on Monday, October 8th at Holy Name of Jesus Church in New Orleans beginning at 9:30 a.m., followed by a Funeral Mass at 10:30 a.m. Burial will follow at St. Charles College in Grand Coteau, La. There will be a Memorial Mass in the Parsley Center at Strake Jesuit College Preparatory, 8900 Bellaire Boulevard in Houston at 7 p.m. Wednesday, October 10th.
Fr. Billac was born on October 18, 1933, in New Orleans. He graduated from Jesuit High School as a member of the Class of 1952, and entered the Jesuit Novitiate on August 14, 1952, at St. Charles College in Grand Coteau. After his first vows on August 15, 1954, and studies in Grand Coteau, he moved to Spring Hill College, Mobile, Ala., where he received a bachelor's degree in secondary education in 1958 and a master's degree in philosophy in 1959. In 1960 -1961 he returned to Grand Coteau to teach Jesuit seminarians. He then taught at Jesuit High School of New Orleans in 1961-1962. He studied theology at St. Mary's College in St. Marys, Kan. He was ordained a priest at St. Joseph Church in Mobile on June 7, 1965. He earned a Licentiate in Sacred Theology at St. Mary's in 1967 and a master's degree in classical languages from Loyola University Chicago in 1968. In 1973 to 1974 he studied classical languages at the Georgian University in Rome where he received a diploma in advanced Latin studies. He continued at the Salesian University and at Pacific Western University, where he earned a doctorate in Neo-Latin literature.
Fr. Billac taught Latin, theology and history at Strake Jesuit College Preparatory from 1967-1982, and he was rector of the community from 1976 to 1982. In 1982 he went to Jesuit High in Tampa, Fla., where he taught Latin and theology. He served as school chaplain in 1982-1983 and was rector of the community from 1985 to 1991. He returned to Strake Jesuit in 1992 where again he taught Latin and theology, and he served as the alumni director from 1992 to 1999. He became alumni chaplain in 1999 and served in that role until 2012, when he moved to Ignatius Residence in New Orleans.
Fr. Billac was preceded in death by his parents, Catherine Grant and Christopher August Billac, and his adopted sister Shirley Grau. He is survived by his adopted family: Mat Grau Sr.; Judy and Andrew Meibaum; Gary and Mary Ann Grau, Mat and Leah Grau Jr.; Jean Ann Boudreaux; and Ginger and Frank Szczepanski. Donations may be made in his memory to the Senior Jesuit Fund of "The Jesuits," 710 Baronne St., Ste. B., New Orleans, La. 70113 or the Christopher A. Billac, SJ Endowed Scholarship at Strake Jesuit College Preparatory.