Bredeck, Martin J.

Jesuit Father Martin J. Bredeck died Dec. 3, 2012, in St. Louis. He was 79 years old and a Jesuit for 61 years. Born in St. Louis on Nov. 5, 1933, Fr. Bredeck entered the Society of Jesus at St. Stanislaus Seminary in Florissant, Mo., on Aug. 8, 1951. He completed a Licentiate in Philosophy and an M.A. in Latin and Greek at Saint Louis University. He taught classical languages at St. Louis University High School from 1958 to 1961. Fr. Bredeck completed theology studies at St. Mary’s College in Kan. and was ordained to the priesthood on June 16, 1964.

After tertianship at St. Beuno’s College in Wales, Fr. Bredeck began a Ph.D. in Religion and Religious Education at Catholic University in Washington, D.C. While working on his dissertation he taught theology at St. Joseph College in Philadelphia. After completing his doctorate, he taught for two years at Mount St. Mary’s College in Los Angeles. In 1978 he joined the Theology and Religious Studies Faculty at Rockhurst University in Kansas City, Mo., where he would serve for the next 33 years.

In 1988, Fr. Bredeck published “Imperfect Apostles: The Commonweal and the American Catholic Laity, 1924-1976,” a book based on his dissertation. He remained interested in American Catholic history throughout his career. He explored Midwest Jesuit history during a sabbatical in the mid-1990s and later offered a course in Mid-American Christianity. Fr. Bredeck enjoyed teaching. Students found him both demanding and fair and appreciated his dry sense of humor. Fr. Bredeck was awarded emeritus status at Rockhurst University in 2011.

Fr. Bredeck is survived by his brother, Henry E. Bredeck, and several nieces and nephews.