Loading...
Loading...
Click here if you don’t see subscription options
In All Things

James J. DiGiacomo, S.J., R.I.P.

Tim ReidySeptember 17, 2013

We are sad to note the passing of James DiGiacomo, S.J., a longtime religious educator who wrote frequently for America. DiG (pronounced Deej), as he was affectionately known, was the author many books, including Do The Right Thing: A Guide to Christian Morality, Understanding Teenagers, When Your Teenager Stops Going to Church, We Were Never Their Age and So You Want to do Ministry? Among his most popular articles for America was "Little Gray Cells," which was published in 2005.

Father DiGiacomo had many loyal students from his days teaching at Brooklyn Prep and Regis High School in New York City. He received a nice tribute this month when he appeared in a New Yorker profile of one of those students: NYU President John Sexton.

May he rest in peace.

Show Comments (
3
)
Comments are automatically closed two weeks after an article's initial publication. See our comments policy for more.
Richard Barbieri
11 years 5 months ago
Dige was my debate coach at Brooklyn Prep 1959-63. Along with Charlie Winans and John Sexton he was one of the three great influences on my life. Humor, compassion, competitiveness, spirituality and a deep concern for all the young men in his care made him a mentor and friend. Even in his last years, his wit and warmth showed through his aging frame.
Patricia DeSiano
11 years 5 months ago
Hi Dick, Remember me? Pat Asaro (now DeSiano) from St. Brendan's. I was at Fordham's 5:30 Mass today, which is held at the chapel of the Jesuit residence. That is when I heard that Fr. DiGiacomo has passed away. They mentioned that the funeral Mass was on Sunday, but did not say where. Do you know? I am hoping to attend. Fr. DiGiacomo was always one of my favorites.When my daughter was a teenager, he graciously spent over an hour talking to her. Please email if you know where the Mass is:mrspfa@desiano.com It would be great to hear from you, although I wish it wasn't about funeral plans God bless, Pat
Chris Boscia
11 years 5 months ago
RIP. Jim was a great leader of the freshmen retreat at Regis High School. He used the massacre at Columbine High School as a clarion call for freshmen to know and love their classmates so that no one would feel an outcast. A great loss.

Most popular

1
Trump, Musk and Vance target the most vulnerable and attack Catholic ministries—and it’s working
John Carr
2
Cardinals push back on rumors Pope Francis will resign while in hospital
Gerard O’Connell
3
The Emily Dickinson poem about love that you should read
Jayme Stayer, S.J.
4
The problem with JD Vance’s theology of ‘ordo amoris’—and its impact on policy
Stephen J. Pope
5
Three ways Pope Francis should fix the procedures for papal illness, death and elections
Thomas J. Reese

Your source for jobs, books, retreats, and much more.

Ireland Retreats
Retreats
Mending Prayer Rugs: A Spirituality of Service and Faith
Books
The Psalms: Prayers for All Times – An Online Course
Spiritual Resources
Seeking Executive Director to Lead an Exemplary Center for Integral Ecological Education
Jobs
Black Catholic Spirituality – An Online Course
Spiritual Resources
See all Classifieds

The latest from america

Courtesy of Sundance Institute. Photo by Christopher LaMarca.
Oscar-nominated ‘Sugarcane’ finds beauty after the terror of Canada’s residential school abuses
“Sugarcane” is, surprisingly, a story of healing, although the healing does not come from the church or its ministers.
Maurice Timothy ReidyFebruary 20, 2025
JD Vance shines global spotlight on case of British army vet prosecuted for silent prayer outside abortion clinic
British army veteran Adam Smith-Connor, recently converted to the Catholic faith, said he was “grateful” that Vance raised his case when he warned Europe about retreating from freedom.
Simon Caldwell - OSV NewsFebruary 20, 2025
Pope Francis is still in the hospital. What comes next?
Colleen and Gerry discuss Pope Francis’ double pneumonia diagnosis and whether the U.S. and the Vatican can find any common ground on key policy issues.
Inside the VaticanFebruary 20, 2025
Cardinals push back on rumors Pope Francis will resign while in hospital
“I do not like to speak about the health of the pope. It’s important to be discreet, not to run after rumors and fake news,” the French Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline said at a press conference today.
Gerard O’ConnellFebruary 20, 2025