Submitted by: Dan Rich
Rev. J. David Burke CSC
Rev. J. David Burke, CSC, died at
Holy Cross House, Notre Dame IN. on Thursday, November 30, 2006,
after a long bout with cancer. Many members of his family were
with him at the time of his death. Fr. Burke was born to Raymond
and Mary Amalda (Hamilton) Burke on August 30, 1937, in
Orange, New Jersey. He attended Our Lady of Lourdes Grade School
and Seton Hall Prep. After a semester at Seton Hall University he
transferred to the University of Notre Dame and the college
seminary program in January of 1956.
He entered Sacred Heart Novitiate, Jordan, MN on August 15, 1957,
and pronounced first vows August 21, 1958. He returned to Notre
Dame and Moreau Seminary, graduating in 1959. Fr. Burke went to
Rome for his study of theology earning an STB from the Gregorian
University in 1962. He was ordained to the priesthood in June,
1965, by Bishop Leo Pursley in Sacred Heart Church, Notre Dame.
He was assigned to Notre Dame High School, Niles, IL, and
remained there until 1969, teaching religion. After a year of
preparation for doctoral work at the Rice Institute in Houston,
TX, he entered the graduate school at the University of Southern
California in 1970. He was awarded a doctoral degree in 1979 in
Philosophy of Religion.
Fr. Burke spent the remainder of his career serving in a variety
of parochial and educational apostolates in Southern California.
Among them were: Marymount High School, Corpus Christi, St.
Bernard of Sienna, and St. Elizabeth Seton Parishes. He taught
Philosophy and Theology at Loyola Marymount and Pepperdine
Universities and later taught art history at Pepperdine. He had
an avid interest in the hidden mysteries and secrets of religious
art. He also assisted at Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks
under the direction of the Brothers of Holy Cross, Southwest
Province. Fr. Burke will be remembered for his kindness and
sprite-like spirit. Fr. Burke was preceded in death by his
parents Raymond and Mary Amalda Burke and is survived by his
sister Mary Kimmins of Tucson Arizona, a brother Raymond
Burke from Tinton Falls, New Jersey, along with nieces, nephews,
grand nieces and grand nephews.
Viewing for Fr. Burke will be held in the Chapel of Moreau
Seminary, University of Notre Dame, on Sunday, December 3, from
3:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., with a wake service at 4:30 p.m. The
funeral Mass will be celebrated at the Basilica of the Sacred
Heart, Notre Dame, on Monday, December 4, at 3:30 p.m. Kaniewski
Funeral Home is handling arrangements. Memorial contributions may
be made to Holy Cross House at P O Box 1048, Notre Dame, Indiana,
46556.