70 Years a Jesuit
Father Albert Rotola, SJ, a Jesuit for 70 years, spent most of his years of Jesuit ministry at Saint Louis University, where he was an educator and pastoral minister. Today, he serves his Jesuit community and the Church in a ministry of prayer at St. Ignatius Hall in Florissant, Missouri.
Father Rotola’s decades of service at St. Louis-area Jesuit schools began in 1962. He taught Greek at St. Louis University High School during his regency from 1962 to 1965. He returned to Saint Louis University in 1972 to teach music until 1979. After completing his doctoral studies in 1984, Fr. Rotola was a music professor at Saint Louis University for more than 30 years when he taught undergraduate students music history, music theory, film music and introductory music. He also assisted in undergraduate admissions from 2008 to 2017.
During his time at SLU, Fr. Rotola served as assistant rector of the Jesuit Hall Community (1993-2003) as well as the superior of the Fusz Pavilion Jesuit Community (1998-2003). In 2017, Fr. Rotola transitioned to pastoral ministry, first at Jesuit Hall and then at St. Ignatius Hall.
Born in Denver, Fr. Rotola attended Regis Jesuit High School and Regis College before entering the Society of Jesus in 1955. He completed his studies at Saint Louis University, where he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Greek and Latin, as well as a licentiate in sacred theology and a master’s in history and dogmatic theology. Father Rotola pursued advanced study in music history and musicology, earning a master’s degree from Colorado University in Boulder and a doctorate from the Catholic University of America.
Father Rotola’s Reflection on his 70th Jubilee
These few years since my priesthood jubilee have been years of adjustment to the new and now happy acceptance of my life in a graceful retirement center in Florissant, Missouri, just a few miles from our former seminary where I began my Jesuit life 70 years ago.
I remain ever thankful for my priestly activity, my former years of teaching and research, countless pastoral occasions, many colleagues and friendships of support, inspiration and encouragement. Life in retirement has taken on new challenges and opportunities that bring to a new fruition my religious and community life as a Jesuit that began way back in 1955. Among these are an awareness that my life as a Jesuit continues to grow in a deeper appreciation of our founding documents and of the emergence of my own talents. While I formerly taught music history and theory, I never thought that playing the piano would be an important contribution to our community and liturgical life, and to the other residents here in the center. Amid all of this, however, I remain particularly grateful for my dear family in Denver, and my community here and for the splendid nursing and medical care that make our aging comfortable and bearable.
