Rev. James F. Keenan, S.J. | 1937-2023

Dear Saint Peter’s Prep Family,

I am sorry to share that Rev. James F. Keenan, S.J., who served as president of Saint Peter’s Prep from 1994-2006, died yesterday following a brief illness. He was 86. I share this news with much sadness, but also with much gratitude.

It would be difficult to overstate Fr. Keenan’s impact on Prep as an institution. His tenure saw the emergence of Prep’s modern campus and tremendous growth in scholarships and financial aid. It also included the acquisition of nearby land—just before downtown Jersey City real estate prices became virtually untouchable—that would become both the athletic field that now bears his name, and a vital key to Prep’s financial stability. Cura apostolica.

But even more importantly, Fr. Keenan made a tremendous impact on the hearts of so many members of our community. He just loved each person he interacted with so much. He had the gift of making each person feel like one in a million. His encyclopedic knowledge of birthdays, anniversaries, and life events for students, alumni, and colleagues (and even their extended families!) made a perfectly-timed phone call, note, or in-person greeting a virtual guarantee. Those words of encouragement, congratulation, or condolence, delivered in his inimitable (yet often lovingly imitated) bass-baritone, formed the foundation of a life filled with selflessness, humility, and pastoral care. Cura personalis.

I know I speak on behalf of so many people when I describe Fr. Keenan as “personally transformative.” Like so many other folks, I can recall the many ways he supported and encouraged me, professionally and personally. This goes all the way back to when I was a teacher at Prep in 1997, and he was our president. He was the first person I called from my new office on July 1, 2019, as president. I asked him if I could borrow his office for a few years. He laughed and said yes.

We will all miss our friend and former president, Fr. Jim Keenan, so much. We also extend our condolences to the Jesuit school communities of Canisius, McQuaid, and Xavier. He also served as president at each of those schools during his extraordinary career.

Prep for Life. Prep Forever.

Michael Gomez, Ed.D., ’91
President