Submitted by Dan Rich

Brother James Gerard Thornton CSC

Feb. 15, 1935 - July 4, 2008

South Bend Tribune 7/9/2008
SOUTH BEND - In your kindness, please pray for the repose of the soul of Brother James Gerard Thornton, CSC, 73, a member of the Eastern Province of Brothers of the Congregation of Holy Cross who died suddenly at Dujarié House, Notre Dame, IN, on Friday, July 4, 2008. Brother James was in his 55th year of religious life in Holy Cross. James Gerard Thornton was the second child born to James and Mae Dunne Thornton in Brooklyn, NY, on February 15, 1935. He was baptized in St. Francis of Assisi Church in Brooklyn and attended St. Francis of Assisi School where the Holy Cross Brothers were his teachers. Upon his graduation from St. Francis of Assisi School in 1949, he attended Immaculata High School in New York City. There he met the famous Sister Herberta, IHM. James was one of her first vocations to Holy Cross. Over the next 20 years, Sister Herberta shepherded at least 15 young men from Immaculata High School to the Holy Cross Brothers. He graduated from Immaculata in 1953. James entered St. Joseph Juniorate in Valatie, NY, on June 30, 1953.

He was received into the Congregation at St. Joseph Novitiate, Rolling Prairie, IN, on August 15, 1953, and made his first profession of vows on August 16, 1954. He made his perpetual profession on August 23, 1958. Following his first profession, Brother James was assigned to Dujarié Hall, the scholasticate at the University of Notre Dame. After two years of study, in 1956, he was assigned to teach at Sacred Heart Juniorate, Watertown, WI. He remained there for six months and was then assigned to St. Charles Boys Home in Milwaukee, WI. In August 1957, he traveled back East to St. Thomas Aquinas School in Flatbush, Brooklyn, where he remained for three years, from 1957-60. At this time he continued his studies by attending classes after school, on weekends and in the summer at St. John's University in Jamaica, NY. In 1960 he was assigned to Holy Cross High School, Flushing, NY, and a year later to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel School in the Bronx. Brother James completed his BA at St. John's during this time. From 1962 to 1981, Brother James continued his ministry as teacher and as guidance counselor in several schools of the Eastern Province, having earned an MS Ed in Guidance and Counseling from Siena College in Loudonville, NY, in 1967. Brother James ministered at Notre Dame High School in West Haven, CT (1962 to 68, and 1971 to 1981), Bishop McNamara High School in Forestville, MD (1968 to 1970), and Pius XII School in Chester, NY (1970 to 1971). In 1981 Brother James began ministry in Ontario. At that time there was an attempt to establish the Holy Cross Brothers in English Canada. From 1981 to 1992, he was chaplain and campus minister at St. Mary's High School in Hamilton, Ontario, and from 1992 to 2000, he filled those same roles at Bishop Ryan High School, also in Hamilton, Ontario. From the early 70s on, Brother James suffered from the effect of several strokes and diabetes. Because of his declining health, he was assigned to St. Joseph Center in Valatie, NY, in 2000. As his medical condition worsened, he eventually was assigned to Dujarie House at Notre Dame in 2003. For the better part of the last 30 years or more, Brother James struggled with the effects of those debilitations and with alcoholism. He was a recovering alcoholic and involved in AA. He continued to minister even from his room at Dujarié. Oftentimes he was the leader for house meetings for his Holy Cross brothers in residence there. Brother James is survived by his sister and two nephews. A funeral liturgy was celebrated at Dujarie House, Notre Dame, on Tuesday, July 8, 2008, at 11:30 AM in the chapel of Our Lady of Holy Cross. There will be a service for the reception of the body at St. Joseph Center, Valatie, NY, on Thursday, July 10, 2008, at 9 AM, followed by a funeral liturgy in St. Joseph's Chapel at 11 AM, with the burial immediately following at the community cemetery. Kaniewski Funeral Home is handling arrangements.