Burns, Charles F. (Father)

Jesuit Father Charles F. Burns died on Aug. 2, 2018, at St. Camillus, in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. He was 81 years old, a Jesuit for almost 54 years, and a priest for 46 years.

Born in South St. Paul, Minnesota, on Oct. 20, 1936, Fr. Burns attended grade school and high school in St. Paul and graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1959. On Sept. 1, 1964, he entered the Society at Jesuit College in St. Bonifacius, Minnesota. After first vows and one year of juniorate studies, Fr. Burns did two years of philosophy at St. Louis University and three years of theology at Woodstock College in Woodstock, Maryland. He was ordained on June 3, 1972, completed tertianship in 1981, and took final vows on Oct. 10, 1982.

From 1972 to 1991 Fr. Burns taught theology and did counseling at Marquette High in Milwaukee. From 1991 through 2004 he did full-time pastoral ministry at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church and St. Luke’s Church in St. Paul. After some years battling health issues while doing pastoral ministry in San Diego, California, he moved to the St. Camillus Jesuit Community, where he remained until his death.

Fr. Burns was a gifted, dedicated, and very successful pastoral minister. He worked well both with young people and adults. He had passionate dreams for the Church and for those whom he served pastorally.