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In Memoriam

Jesuit Father Philip C. Rule died on Nov. 14, 2018, at Colombiere Center in Clarkston, Michigan. He was 87 years old.

Fr. Rule was born on Feb. 4, 1931, in Cleveland. He graduated from St. Ignatius High School in Cleveland and entered the Society of Jesus on July 24, 1949, at Milford Novitiate in Milford, Ohio. He was ordained on June 14, 1962, at Colombiere College in Clarkston. He took final vows on Aug.15, 1966, at Colombiere College in Clarkston.

While in the Society, he earned a licentiate degree in philosophy (1956) and sacred theology (1961) from West Baden College in West Baden, Indiana. Fr. Rule also earned a master’s degree in English from Loyola University Chicago (1957) and a doctorate in English from Harvard University in Cambridge (1968).

During regency, Fr. Rule taught English and Greek at St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati. After studies, Fr. Rule was the consultant for the Detroit provincial on the studies of Ours (1968-1970) and the Detroit Province director of studies (1973-1977). He was the literary editor of America Magazine for one year (1970-1971). Fr. Rule taught English at the University of Detroit (1968-1980) and was rector of the University of Detroit Jesuit Community (1977-1980). In 1980, he moved to Holy Cross College in Worcester, Massachusetts, where he was a professor of English (1980-2005), professor emeritus (2005-2015), the editor of the Faculty Forum (2005-2007), and assistant director for alumni continuing education (2005-2012). He moved to Colombiere Center in 2012 to care for his health.

Fr. Rule was an excellent scholar, fine teacher, and a good community man. He loved teaching at the University of Detroit (where he taught young Jesuits) and later Holy Cross, but when he knew it was time for a change, with self-knowledge and freedom, he asked to receive a new mission to Colombiere.