Thomas Buckley, S.J.

Message from the President
Nov. 10, 2017
 
Dear LMU Community:

I am saddened to share that Rev. Thomas Buckley, S.J., retired professor of history, died on Nov. 8, 2017, at Sacred Heart Jesuit Center in Los Gatos, California. He was 78 years old.

Father Buckley taught in our History Department from 1973 until 1998 and returned in 2012 to work with Alumni Relations, to teach part time as Professor-in-Residence, and to finish his book, “Establishing Religious Freedom: Jefferson's Statute in Virginia,” which he discussed at a Pub Night in William H. Hannon Library. Over the course of his career, Father Buckley authored two other books and numerous scholarly articles on religious freedom and American religious history.

In addition to his tenure at LMU, Father Buckley taught at Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley, the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, the University of Santa Clara, and the College of the Holy Cross.

He earned his Ph.D. in history in 1974 from UC Santa Barbara. Father Buckley also earned a Bachelor of Divinity in 1970 at Boston College, his master’s degree in 1969 from LMU, a Ph.L. in 1964 and a bachelor’s degree in 1963 from Gonzaga University, and a bachelor’s degree in 1961 from Santa Clara University.

Father Buckley was born in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and entered the Society of Jesus, California Province, in August 1957; he was ordained in June 1970 and made final profession in April 1979.

A memorial Mass for Father Buckley will be held Monday, Nov. 20, at 1 p.m. in Sacred Heart Chapel.

Please keep Father Buckley, his family, and his many friends in your thoughts and prayers.
 
Sincerely,

 
Timothy Law Snyder, Ph.D.
President