Reverend Walter James Kane S.J.

KANE Reverend Walter James Kane, S.J., age 67, a Jesuit priest engaged in the ministries of spiritual direction and retreats at the Fairfield Jesuit Community, died Tuesday, December 21, 2004 at St. Vincent's Medical Center in Bridgeport. Father Kane, the son of the late Walter J. Kane Sr. and Alice Beauchemin Kane, was born in Bridgeport on July 4, 1937. He graduated from St. Anthony's Grammar School, in Bridgeport, in 1951 and from Fairfield Prep in 1955. He entered the Society of Jesus at Shadowbrook, in Lenox, Mass., in 1955. He received his M.A. in philosophy from Weston College, where he also did his theology studies. Fr. Kane was ordained to the priesthood on June 8, 1968, at St. Ignatius Church, Chestnut Hill, Mass., by Archbishop John J. McEleney. From 1962 to 1965 and from 1970 to 1988, Fr. Kane taught mathematics at Cheverus High School, in Portland, Maine, where he served as chair of the Mathematics department from 1972 to 1982. From 1982 to 1985, he studied Computer Science at the University of Southern Maine. After working in several other apostolates, he was responsible for the care of the computer systems, networks, and e-mail servers, first in the Provincial Offices of the Society of Jesus of New England, in Boston, from 1993-1998, and then for the General Curia of The Society of Jesus, in Rome, from 1998 to 2002. In 2003-2004, Fr. Kane was an associate at the Center for Religious Development, in Cambridge, Mass., obtaining a certificate in spiritual direction in May of 2004. He was missioned to the Fairfield Jesuit Community this past summer. For many years, Fr. Kane was active in pastoral ministry in various parishes throughout New England. In addition to his Jesuit brothers, Father is survived by two sisters, Louise Attianese of Milford, and Irene Delia, of Midlothian, Va., and by several nephews and nieces. The wake will be held on Monday, December 27, from 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m. at St. Ignatius residence, 86 Barlow Road, Fairfield. The Funeral Liturgy will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, December 28, in the Eagan Chapel of St. Ignatius on the Fairfield University campus. Burial will follow at Campion Center, in Weston, Mass., at approximately 3:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations in Fr. Kane's memory may be sent to the Fairfield Jesuit Community Scholarship Fund, at Fairfield University, 1073 North Benson Road, Fairfield, CT 06824. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Lesko Funeral Home, of Fairfield center. For more information, or to sign an online register, please visit www.leskofuneralhome.com