Conen, Paul F.

Jesuit Father Paul F. Conen, 86, died on Feb.19, 2013, at St. Joseph Mercy Oakland Hospital in Pontiac, Mich.

Fr. Conen was born on Sept. 23, 1926, in Youngstown, Ohio. He entered the Society of Jesus on Aug. 20, 1944, at Milford, Ohio. He was ordained on June 19, 1957, and took final vows on Feb. 2, 1962. Fr. Conen attended St. Ignatius High School in Cleveland for the first two years of high school and graduated in 1944 from St. Charles High School in Cantonsville, Md. He entered the Chicago Province in 1944. Fr. Conen earned a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in Latin & Greek from Loyola University Chicago. In 1963 he earned a Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Munich in Germany.

Fr. Conen taught Latin & Greek during regency in the Juniorate at Milford (1951-1953) and St. Ignatius High School in Cleveland (1953-1954). After receiving his doctorate, he spent two years teaching Philosophy the first semester at the University of Detroit and the second semester at Bellarmine School of Theology in North Aurora, Ill. (1963-1965). Fr. Conen spent much of his apostolic life at the University of Detroit where he was: a professor of philosophy (1965-1969); dean of the College of Arts and Sciences (1965-1969); rector (1969-1972), Director of Religious Activities (1970-1972); worked in the Romero Spiritual Exercises Center (1980-1987); and professor of philosophy and religious studies (1987-1997). Fr. Conen spent the rest of his apostolic life at Colombiere Center where he first was a retreat and spiritual director (1972-1980) and in recent years performed community service (1997-2013).

Fr. Conen willed his body to science.