What Were We Thinking?

Twenty-two years ago today.... the sky was bright, the sun was sunny.... and hopes were high.  Wow! We were young then. Watch that knife. I believe it was a carrot cake under the frosting.

See also Twenty Years Ago for one of my favorite pictures of that day.

Father Hattie

The last time I heard from Fr. Hattie, he was recovering from something and hoping to return to Africa. In searching the web for possible news today, I found this article last year (2012) from the Canton, Ohio paper to mark his 90th birthday. Thought you might enjoy it. Today is the anniversary of his entering the Jesuits. Some of the dates are apparently incorrect-see my notes at the end. In any case, what a remarkable life.

Fr. Hattie celebrated his 90th birthday on July 18, 2012. He was born in Canton, Ohio, to George and Mary "Girlie" (Lab) Hattie.

He graduated from St. John High School in 1940. He entered the Jesuit Novitiate in Milford, Ohio, that same year[1]. After four years of study there he went to study in West Baden, Ind.

In 1947, he left for India where he had one year of language to learn Hindi. After completing two years of teaching he went to Kurseong (about 10,000 ft. up in the Himalayan Mountains) to study theology for four years [2]. After that he taught in various high schools for 15 years and was then sent to Cleveland, Ohio (at the beginning of 1963) to do fund raising for seven years.

He returned to India (at the beginning of 1970) for 15 more years to teach in high schools, work in mission stations among the untouchables and giving Spiritual Retreats. 

In 1984, he was assigned to Southern Sudan, in Africa, where he taught in the Major & Minor Seminaries. After two years, he had to leave Sudan because of the fierce fighting between the rebels and government soldiers. He was then assigned to Uganda, in East Africa, where he spent 33[3] years teaching, helping in parishes and working with the "street kids" in the slums.  

He taught until he was 80 yrs. old. For six months, he worked in the slum areas from 8-11 p.m.to learn the mentality of the "street kids".  At the age of 83 he built four homes and a farm for 140 "street kids". In 1984[4] he turned his project over to the Salesian Fathers and Brothers. At the age of 86 he built an orphanage and farm for 600 orphaned boys and girls (from the ages of two months to 16 years). 

At the age of 88 he decided that it was time to retire. He lived in the Jesuit Retirement home in Nairobi, Kenya. He was fully determined to spend the rest of his life in Africa, but at the age of 89, was sent to the United States to have various health problems taken care of. 

Since mid-January of 2012 he has been living at Colombiere Center (Jesuit Retirement Home) at 9075 Big Lake Road, Clarkston, MI 48346.

His 90th birthday was celebrated with his family on Aug. 4, 2012 at the home of his sister and brother-in-law, Gerry and Charles Michel of North Canton.

Source: September 9, 2012 issue of The Repository (Canton, Ohio)
http://www.cantonrep.com/life/birthdays/x1107515172/Father-Eugene-Hattie-S-J-90th-birthday#ixzz2daQT2hK3

[1] August 31, 1940.

[2] Ordained November 21, 1953.

[3] 33 years teaching in Uganda is clearly wrong. Perhaps it was meant that he taught for 33 years (in various places).  If he arrived in Uganda in 1986, he would've been 64 years old at that time.

[4] I think this is also an error. I remember him telling me his frustration with how the Salesians were running the mission after they took over. I probably have a letter in my files. Perhaps they meant he turned it over to the Salesians when he was 84.