IN LOVING MEMORY OF FATHER RICHARD ROACH (OCTOBER 12, 1934 TO NOVEMBER 7, 2007)

 

Father Richard Roach

Some churches are now espousing a pro-life continuum, a philosophy whereby the taking of any life, under any circumstances, must be condemned - such as the taking of lives through war, self defense, suicide, abortion and the death penalty. This is an interesting social philosophy which directly conflicts with the Word of God. Catholic biblical scholar Father Richard Roach, S.J. of Marquette and Columbia Universities argues that it is not a contradiction for religious people to oppose abortion and . . . to support capital punishment:

"Abortion is absolutely prohibited. It is always evil. No one can ever abort a ‘guilty’ baby, so the act can never be right. This is not the case, however, with either capital punishment or a just and defensive war.  It is only murder, along with its subdivisions suicide and abortion, which God’s law absolutely prohibits. The upshot of all this is that trying to put abortion, capital punishment and war in one package makes chaos of Catholic morals and can lead one to misinterpret God’s Law . . . "

AUTHOR: Fr. Richard ROACH, S.J. Pastor of St John Vianney Parish on Vashon Island, died in the parish rectory on Friday, November 7th, after a long illness. Richard Roach was born in Seattle on October 12, 1934, and baptized as an adult at Blessed Sacrament Church on April 18, 1955, toward the end of his undergraduate years at the University of Washington. Shortly after graduating, he joined the US Air Force as a jet pilot, serving for three years before he entered the Jesuit novitiate in Sheridan, Oregon, in September of 1958. He pronounced his first vows as a Jesuit in 1960, studied philosophy at Mount St. Michael's in Spokane, taught for three years at Jesuit High School in Portland, OR, and began theology studies in Toronto in 1966. Fr. Roach was ordained a priest by Archbishop Thomas Connolly at Seattle on June 14, 1969. As a newly ordained priest, he began doctoral studies under the noted moral theologian Dr. Jim Gustafson at Yale University. Fr. Roach returned to the Jesuit theology program in Toronto, this time as professor of moral theology. He taught at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for almost 20 years, and then spent a year as scholar-in-residence at Columbia University's Catholic Campus Ministry before returning to Seattle where he has been pastor of St. John Vianney Parish since 1998. Fr Roach brought his great learning and intellectual energy to bear in the carefully prepared homilies he delivered each week at St. John Vianney, always providing longer written versions for those who wanted them. Fr. Roach deeply loved his parishioners, and they returned his affection, caring for him and supporting him during the long months of his illness. He loved the Catholic liturgy and looked forward to the opportunities to gather his parishioners at the daily Eucharist and especially at the weekly Saturday and Sunday Masses. One of his favorite ways of being with parishioners was a weekly discussion group during the time between Sunday Masses.