Fr. Malachy Sullivan (1893-1967)

Father Malachy passed away July 24, 1967.

“The Great White Father” so-called because of the unmistakable mane of white hair, this was Fr. Malachy. He was at different times and at the same time, athletic director at St. Benedict’s College, professor of philosophy, and weekend parish minister in Kansas City or Topeka, while teaching a full college load.

His approach to teaching was that of Socrates, the Socratic method.  Loved by some, not appreciated by many.  He taught in such a way that he hoped that his students might learn to think.  Many did.  Others were more comfortable with, let us say, a lecture approach.  In his later years he did mellow some and taught History of Philosophy by the lecture method.

Father Malachy was a very dramatic teacher.  He would walk to a window, clap his hands and say, “Now let us consider the world in the light of the principles and methods of causality.  Mr. N., start us off on that topic.”  Once he asked what label to put a person under who trusted solely in faith and neglected reason.  One student answered that the person would be a fideist! Father Malachy heard not fideist, but fetus.  It was a merry Go Round.

Father Malachy was in great demand as a speaker and retreat master for other Benedictine monasteries.