Notices
The Loyola University Chicago community mourns the death of our brother, Fr. Fr. Gensler J. Gensler, S.J., who died on June 8, 2022 at St. Camillus Jesuit Community in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. He was 77 years old. May he rest in peace.
Fr. Gensler is preceded in death by his parents (Harry and Helen) and his sister (Carol Tuttle).
Fr. Gensler was born in Detroit, Michigan on May 5, 1945. He was interested in being a priest from an early age. He graduated from Sacred Heart Minor (i.e. high school) Seminary in 1963 and earned a Bachelor's Degree in Philosophy from Sacred Heart Major Seminary in 1967. While studying at Sacred Heart, Fr. Gensler felt called to teach, write books, and work in a university setting rather than working in a parish. This desire led him to investigate the Society of Jesus. Fr. Gensler entered the Detroit Province of the Society of Jesus at Colombiere College in Clarkston, Michigan, on August 20, 1967. Fr. Gensler was in the Collegian (now called "First Studies") Program at the University of Detroit (1968-1970). He was ordained on June 8, 1974 at [the then Jesuit run] St. Patrick Church in Cleveland and pronounced final vows on September 8, 1985 at Loyola University Chicago.
While in the Society, Fr. Gensler earned a Master's Degree from Wayne State University in Detroit (1969), a Master's of Divinity from the Jesuit School of Theology at Chicago (1974), and a Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Michigan (1977). His dissertation was on the Golden Rule under William Frankena. His extensive work on the golden rule, an important and original contribution to ethical theory, began when Fr. Gensler listened to and was inspired by a lecture by the great Oxford philosopher R. M. Hare at Wayne State University.
During Regency, Fr. Gensler taught Philosophy at John Carroll University (1970-1972). After completing doctoral studies, Fr. Gensler was a professor of Philosophy for almost 50 years. He taught at: Gonzaga University (1977-1981); Loyola University Chicago (1981-1996 & 2014-2021); the University of Scranton (1996-1998); and John Carroll University (1998-2014). He was the Director of Studies for the Collegian Program at Loyola University Chicago (1983-1986). Fr. Gensler was missioned to the St. Camillus Jesuit Community in January 2021.
Fr. Gensler was a devoted priest and Jesuit. He loved the outdoors, especially hiking and bicycling. He hiked Georgia to Maine (Appalachian Trail) and Mexico to Canada (Pacific Crest Trail). He bicycled LA to NY, Chicago to Newfoundland, and around Lake Michigan (by way of New Orleans).
A focus of his life was "The Golden Rule" (treat others as you want to be treated) about which he taught and published. He wrote: "To apply the golden rule adequately, we need knowledge and imagination. We need to know what effect our actions have on the lives of others. And we need to be able to imagine ourselves, vividly and accurately, in the other person's place on the receiving end of the action. With knowledge, imagination, and the golden rule, we can progress far in our moral thinking." Anyone who met Fr. Gensler realized that he not only taught about the Golden Rule, but he truly and completely lived and breathed in it.
From an early age (and throughout his life), Fr. Gensler was a thinker, philosopher, and scholar. He had grand ideas -- many of which he published. Before entering the Society, Fr. Gensler was interested in Amateur Radio and electronics. His callsign was K80CO. He created many Amateur Radio inventions and several of them were written up in QST, the major magazine for amateur radio enthusiasts which is published by the American Radio Relay League, including his Iambimatic keying concept together with an adapter for the Hallicrafters HA-1 single-lever keyer which appeared in the January 1967 edition.
While in the Society, Fr. Gensler published about twenty books, mostly on logic, ethics, and Catholic philosophy. His book Ethics: A Contemporary Introduction is one of the most widely used textbooks in Ethics. His books have been translated into several foreign languages including: Chinese, Thai, French, Portuguese, Korean, Persian, and Arabic. In addition to his books, Fr. Gensler published many articles, and the LogiCola and EthiCola software for logic and ethics. He also published courses for Learn25 (formerly "Now You Know Media") on the Golden Rule and Great Catholic Philosophers. Shortly before his death, he completed the manuscript for his most recent book to be published.
Please remember Fr. Gensler, his family, and the Jesuit Community in your prayers.
Mass of Christian Burial:
Saturday, July 23, 2022
11:00 a.m.
St. Camillus Jesuit Community
10201 W. Wisconsin Ave.
Wauwatosa, WI 53226-3541
Condolences:
St. Camillus Jesuit Community
c/o George E. Winzenburg, S.J.
10201 W. Wisconsin Ave.
Wauwatosa, WI 53226-3541
gwinzenburg@jesuits.org