Fr. Fran Daly, SJ

Fr. Fran Daly, SJ, grew up in Chicago and entered the Society of Jesus at Milford, Ohio in 1959. He taught Latin and History at St. Xavier High School from 1966-69 and worked with the Sodality and Xavier’s Summer Enrichment Program mostly for African-American students. In June, 1972, after his theological studies in Chicago he was ordained and was missioned to the Jesuit novitiate in Berkley, Michigan as minister of the community. He worked closely with Frs. Howard Gray and Frank Houdek studying and directing the Spiritual Exercises, and also teaching Jesuit History. He served as Novice Director from 1977-1983 and during that time directed the 30-day Spiritual Exercise two or three times a year. He returned to Chicago in 1984 as rector of his alma mater, St. Ignatius College Prep, teaching Religious Studies to Juniors and doing Adult Faith Development with the faculty and staff. In 1990, he became Formation Director for the Chicago Province and in 1991 executive director to the Provincial. During those years he traveled around the United States and Europe visiting Jesuits in formation. In 1997, the Jesuit province began to sponsor an Ignatian Pilgrimage to Spain and Rome every other year for high school faculties and staff, and Fran was the docent for the first three trips which deepened his appreciation of the Ignatian heritage. From 1988-1991 and 2000-2011, he served as Tertian Director for the Chicago Province Two Summer Program in which he worked with Jesuits from Asia, Africa, Europe, and the United States. In 1998, he returned to Cincinnati and served at St. Xavier High School as rector until August of 2005. In 2000, he became Director of Ignatian Formation for the Adult Community at St. Xavier High School, where he worked with Adult Faith programs and introduced new teachers for their first five years to the person and vision of St. Ignatius. In the summer of 2014, he became the Executive Director of Manresa Jesuit Retreat House.