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In Memory of Bill Spohn

A friend and colleague who served as Director of the Bannan Center for over six years.

On August 3, 2005 University President, Paul Locatelli, S.J. announced Bill Spohn's death to the SCU community in these words: It is with deep sorrow that I inform you that Bill Spohn's battle with cancer has ended. Bill died earlier today at Alta Bates Hospital in Oakland while under palliative care. He was 61 years old. This is a great personal loss and an even greater loss for our University community. Bill had a brilliant mind, a loving heart, and a special ability to make the most complex of subjects clear and understandable to others. We are grateful for and blessed by his years of service to Santa Clara University, especially his leadership of the Bannan Center for Jesuit Education. He was the epitome of the teaching scholar - well recognized for his teaching and his scholarly work. His intelligence, wit, and deep commitment to the Jesuit ideal of faith doing justice will be sorely missed.

Bill Spohn's contributions to moral theology

Reflections on the theology of William Spohn can be found in a video of the panel presentation at the annual meeting of the Catholic Theological Society of America 2006. The presenters for the panel include:

James Bretzke, SJ: on Bill's contribution to moral theology
John R. Donahue, SJ: on Bill's contribution to scripture and ethics
Anne Patrick: on Bill's contribution to American theology and philosophy
Richard M. Gula, SS: on where Bill's work could take the various fields to which he contributed

Video Formats*:
Quicktime [Cable/DSL] or Quicktime [Dial-up]

RealPlayer [Cable/DSL] or RealPlayer [Dial-up]

*You may have to download Quicktime or Realplayer in order to view the video.

These reflections were also published in the spring 2007 issue of explore Journal.

The School of Hope - by Marty Stortz (Santa Clara Magazine W '06)

AT THE FIRST SIGN OF ILLNESS, Bill was working on a book, Daily Morality. He had sketched out eight chapters: "How We Work," "How We Love," "How We Play," "How We Worship," etc. There was no chapter on "How We Die." Bill never wrote that chapter. He lived it, offering regular reports to friends and family. These updates chronicle a medical trauma few people will ever experience. But they also describe a spiritual journey that we will all make sooner or later. Every journey needs a chronicle. This is ours.

Continue Reading The School of Hope

William C. Spohn Memorial Fund

Dedicated to the memory of William C. Spohn, Director of the Bannan Center from 1998 to 2005, contributions made to this fund shall be used to fund an annual student internship in accord with the mission and values of the Ignatian Center.