Father Vincent T. O'Keefe, S.J., was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, the youngest of eight children born to James O'Keefe and Sarah Allen. One of his older brothers, Lieut George Woodrow O'Keefe, was killed in action in WWII.
Father O'Keefe entered the Society of Jesus in 1937, was ordained in 1950 in Louvain, Belgium and took his final vows in 1954 in Woodstock. After his formation, Father O'Keefe was professor of fundamental theology at the Woodstock theologate.
At Fordham University he served as academic vice president from 1960 until 1963, and was its 27th president from 1963-1965. Despite his short tenure, he recognized the need to make Fordham accessible to women. It did come to pass after the groundwork he started.
"At that time, only men were allowed at Fordham, and women were seen as second-class citizens," O'Keefe said. "We wanted them to see that women were first-class citizens and had great minds, too."
However, the Fordham University Jesuits were not ready to accept women in the same classroom as men, and St. Thomas More College for women was created on the Rose Hill campus. Thus, the campus was co-ed but the classes and dormitories were not. O'Keefe explained that after about 10 years, Thomas More shut down and women were allowed to attend Fordham. O'Keefe Commons at the university is named for him.
O'Keefe left his position as president of the University in 1965 because he was elected the assistant to the superior general of Jesuits in Rome. Along with the superior general, Fr. Pedro Arrupe, S.J., he traveled the world for almost 20 years promoting education in countries that include China, India, Germany, France and many other regions throughout Europe.
In 1978 he manned the news desk with his friend, Peter Jennings, on ABC World New Tonight, giving commentary during the Papal Enclaves to elect Pope John Paul I and Pope John Paul II.
His travels throughout the world imbued him with compassion and empathy, and filled his memories with innumerable stories, which he was talented at retelling.
Father O'Keefe possessed a quick wit, brilliant mind, story-telling ability, but most of all, a gentle soul and a knack for diplomacy. Despite his height, he never made anyone feel smaller than him. He will be missed: This was a man who inspired and changed the world, for sure.
Father O'Keefe entered the Society of Jesus in 1937, was ordained in 1950 in Louvain, Belgium and took his final vows in 1954 in Woodstock. After his formation, Father O'Keefe was professor of fundamental theology at the Woodstock theologate.
At Fordham University he served as academic vice president from 1960 until 1963, and was its 27th president from 1963-1965. Despite his short tenure, he recognized the need to make Fordham accessible to women. It did come to pass after the groundwork he started.
"At that time, only men were allowed at Fordham, and women were seen as second-class citizens," O'Keefe said. "We wanted them to see that women were first-class citizens and had great minds, too."
However, the Fordham University Jesuits were not ready to accept women in the same classroom as men, and St. Thomas More College for women was created on the Rose Hill campus. Thus, the campus was co-ed but the classes and dormitories were not. O'Keefe explained that after about 10 years, Thomas More shut down and women were allowed to attend Fordham. O'Keefe Commons at the university is named for him.
O'Keefe left his position as president of the University in 1965 because he was elected the assistant to the superior general of Jesuits in Rome. Along with the superior general, Fr. Pedro Arrupe, S.J., he traveled the world for almost 20 years promoting education in countries that include China, India, Germany, France and many other regions throughout Europe.
In 1978 he manned the news desk with his friend, Peter Jennings, on ABC World New Tonight, giving commentary during the Papal Enclaves to elect Pope John Paul I and Pope John Paul II.
His travels throughout the world imbued him with compassion and empathy, and filled his memories with innumerable stories, which he was talented at retelling.
Father O'Keefe possessed a quick wit, brilliant mind, story-telling ability, but most of all, a gentle soul and a knack for diplomacy. Despite his height, he never made anyone feel smaller than him. He will be missed: This was a man who inspired and changed the world, for sure.
Father Vincent T. O'Keefe, S.J., was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, the youngest of eight children born to James O'Keefe and Sarah Allen. One of his older brothers, Lieut George Woodrow O'Keefe, was killed in action in WWII.
Father O'Keefe entered the Society of Jesus in 1937, was ordained in 1950 in Louvain, Belgium and took his final vows in 1954 in Woodstock. After his formation, Father O'Keefe was professor of fundamental theology at the Woodstock theologate.
At Fordham University he served as academic vice president from 1960 until 1963, and was its 27th president from 1963-1965. Despite his short tenure, he recognized the need to make Fordham accessible to women. It did come to pass after the groundwork he started.
"At that time, only men were allowed at Fordham, and women were seen as second-class citizens," O'Keefe said. "We wanted them to see that women were first-class citizens and had great minds, too."
However, the Fordham University Jesuits were not ready to accept women in the same classroom as men, and St. Thomas More College for women was created on the Rose Hill campus. Thus, the campus was co-ed but the classes and dormitories were not. O'Keefe explained that after about 10 years, Thomas More shut down and women were allowed to attend Fordham. O'Keefe Commons at the university is named for him.
O'Keefe left his position as president of the University in 1965 because he was elected the assistant to the superior general of Jesuits in Rome. Along with the superior general, Fr. Pedro Arrupe, S.J., he traveled the world for almost 20 years promoting education in countries that include China, India, Germany, France and many other regions throughout Europe.
In 1978 he manned the news desk with his friend, Peter Jennings, on ABC World New Tonight, giving commentary during the Papal Enclaves to elect Pope John Paul I and Pope John Paul II.
His travels throughout the world imbued him with compassion and empathy, and filled his memories with innumerable stories, which he was talented at retelling.
Father O'Keefe possessed a quick wit, brilliant mind, story-telling ability, but most of all, a gentle soul and a knack for diplomacy. Despite his height, he never made anyone feel smaller than him. He will be missed: This was a man who inspired and changed the world, for sure.
Father O'Keefe entered the Society of Jesus in 1937, was ordained in 1950 in Louvain, Belgium and took his final vows in 1954 in Woodstock. After his formation, Father O'Keefe was professor of fundamental theology at the Woodstock theologate.
At Fordham University he served as academic vice president from 1960 until 1963, and was its 27th president from 1963-1965. Despite his short tenure, he recognized the need to make Fordham accessible to women. It did come to pass after the groundwork he started.
"At that time, only men were allowed at Fordham, and women were seen as second-class citizens," O'Keefe said. "We wanted them to see that women were first-class citizens and had great minds, too."
However, the Fordham University Jesuits were not ready to accept women in the same classroom as men, and St. Thomas More College for women was created on the Rose Hill campus. Thus, the campus was co-ed but the classes and dormitories were not. O'Keefe explained that after about 10 years, Thomas More shut down and women were allowed to attend Fordham. O'Keefe Commons at the university is named for him.
O'Keefe left his position as president of the University in 1965 because he was elected the assistant to the superior general of Jesuits in Rome. Along with the superior general, Fr. Pedro Arrupe, S.J., he traveled the world for almost 20 years promoting education in countries that include China, India, Germany, France and many other regions throughout Europe.
In 1978 he manned the news desk with his friend, Peter Jennings, on ABC World New Tonight, giving commentary during the Papal Enclaves to elect Pope John Paul I and Pope John Paul II.
His travels throughout the world imbued him with compassion and empathy, and filled his memories with innumerable stories, which he was talented at retelling.
Father O'Keefe possessed a quick wit, brilliant mind, story-telling ability, but most of all, a gentle soul and a knack for diplomacy. Despite his height, he never made anyone feel smaller than him. He will be missed: This was a man who inspired and changed the world, for sure.
