Jensen, Frank W.C.

Brother Frank W.C. (Chris) Jensen, SJ, 82, died on July 8, 2012, at the Jesuit infirmary Murry-Weigel Hall in the Bronx, NY. He was a Jesuit brother for 56 years.

He was born on May 26, 1924, in Coffeyville, KS, the only child of Frank and Mildred (Roberts) Jensen. Following secondary school, he attended El Dorado Junior College in Kansas for two years and then moved east. With his interest in art and culture, he attended the Feagin School of Drama in NYC and then studied English at the University of Chicago for one year.

In 1952 at the age of 28, he was baptized and received into the Catholic Church at St. Mary Cathedral, Wichita, KS. On July 30, 1955, he entered the Jesuit novitiate of St. Andrew-on-Hudson, Poughkeepsie, NY, to be a Jesuit brother. He pronounced his first vows there on July 31, 1957. Following Tertianship that began in 1984, he pronounced his final vows as a Jesuit at Murray-Weigel Hall, Bronx, NY, on November 5, 1985.

In his life and mission as a Jesuit brother he served in several capacities, focusing on secretarial, administrative and library work. This was natural for Br. Jensen, as he was well-read, a cultural enthusiast and had a deep respect for books and literature. Together with his quiet nature and retiring personality he kept an ongoing interest and love for theatre, opera and film. This artistic temperament found expression in his paintings which were a delight for his community and visitors.

His apostolic assignments were almost always linked to libraries. He first served at St. Andrew-on-Hudson, Poughkeepsie, where he was assistant prefect of the library from 1957 to 1960 and again from 1963 to 1966. Then he moved south to Loyola Seminary, Shrub Oak, as assistant librarian from 1966-70. He assisted in moving the library from Woodstock College, MD, to the Upper West Side of NYC (1970-75). When the college closed, he began a new assignment at the library of Xavier High School (1975-81).

Beginning in 1981 he assisted in the Fordham University Library for 15 years. His next assignment in 1966 was to Loyola Hall, the Jesuit Community at Fordham University where he was house librarian and postmaster. In 2009 because of declining health, he was missioned to Murray-Weigel Hall. He died there on July 8. The Mass of Christian Burial was held on July 11 at the Murray-Weigel Chapel, and the burial was at the Jesuit cemetery in Auriesville, NY.