Kinda pissed that Nimoy stole Hesburgh's thunder. Every time I see a headline about Spock without a concurrent mention of Fr. Ted, I think "Someone far more important passed today..."
Terrible, I know.
Understandable, though. I mourn both for their lives lived in different ways.
Here's something I posted on my FaceBook doohickey thingamagiggy:
Perhaps not as well known as Mr. Spock, but an important figure in my life and many, many others:
"To the Notre Dame Community:
It is my sad duty to inform you that the Rev. Theodore M. Hesburgh, C.S.C., died late Thursday at Holy Cross House on the campus of his beloved University of Notre Dame. He continued in his final days to visit with family, friends, and fellow Holy Cross religious, and to enjoy the occasional cigar.
The Congregation of the Holy Cross and the University will celebrate Fr. Ted’s life in coming days with visitation hours and a Funeral Mass in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, a procession to Holy Cross Community Cemetery afterward, followed by a memorial commemoration at the Purcell Pavilion. Details will be forthcoming.
Notre Dame lost a piece of its heart today, but Fr. Ted’s spirit lives on at Notre Dame and among the millions of lives he touched around the world. He is now with Our Lady, whose university he served so well, and with the Lord.
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine upon him.
- Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., President, University of Notre Dame."
Some of you know that I don't consider myself all that religious in a traditional sense, but this man of the cloth crossed my path personally on more than one occasion. I was never more proud of him than when he was kicked to the curb as head of the Civil Rights Commission by Tricky Dicky for being "too critical" of his (Nixon's) actions/inactions on civil rights.
He was light heartedly and respectfully referred to as Ted The Head in my day.