Milwaukee born Dominican devoted to Catholic education dies

A truly great teacher, Fr. Kurt Pritzl, O.P., died last night. Born in Milwaukee, he was a product of Catholic schools there and dedicated his life as a Dominican priest to just that — Catholic education.

I was blessed to have him as a professor while I was a student at the Catholic University of America, where he would become dean of the School of Philosophy, and he has been a kind influence in the years since.

Besides his dedication to the Church and learning, Fr. Pritzl was a man so full of life. Even in the midst of illness, whenever I encountered him or corresponded with him, he seemed to be running on the Holy Spirit — his energy and presence was beyond anything of this world.

Fr. Pritzl continues to inspire, as he, I pray, is in the warm embrace of the Father he so loved and brought so many closer to through knowledge, faith, and love. Most especially love. Everyone was his brother and sister in Christ and it was probably hard not to notice that — in his presence, in his words, in his thoughtfulness. In the faith he lived and exuded.

Fr. Pritzl leaves us this with this, from a homily to a gathering of CUA in that beautiful crypt church next door, on the feast of St. Thomas Aquinas last year:

Saint Thomas Aquinas’ life in its holiness shows us that love, real love, divine, unconditional love, actually happens in human lives. God grant that it happen in our lives, even in our lives here together in this university, for as long as we are granted to stay here.

I’m confident I saw a similar display in another teacher, who died last night …

Rest in peace, Fr. Pritzl.

Heaven is what he lived for.

CatholicVote: Kathryn Lopez

I guess for some, education is more than the money, more than self centered interest.