The Aquinas 1985-03-06

              Photos'by Mike Frederi~k
March 6, 1985
exceptional means and so it
gets in the way because it
somehow keeps people apart
from one another. That
certainly isn't the life we've
been called to," he added.
However, Gonzales said
that the estate adequetly
provides the Jesuits with
the necessary conditions to
work at maintaining the
quality of the University.
"If we all live in tents
we're not going to be very
effective," he said.
','. "
simplicity: The religious fife
is not meant to be lived in
the lap of luxury,'"
Hamernick said.
For this reason, the estate
is to an extent
inappropriate for Jesuits,
according to Gonzales.
"I think there are certain
aspects of the hous~ that
are isolating," Gonzales
said.
"It wasn't built to house
17 religious men. It was
built for a family of
'T:·":'·- ...-
by the Society of Jesus and
the first group of Jesuits
moved in.
Because of the estate's
historical significance, its
interior was well preserved.
"There is a debt to
maintain' the place and
we're careful to respect
that," Hamernick said.
Despite its stately
appearance, the atmosphere
inside the residence is not
out of the ordinary to those
currently inhabiting the
mansion.
"We hope others don't
measure our lifestyle 'by the
externals of the building.
Our lifestyle is marked by
,The interior of the
Scranton Estate is filled
with hand-crafted
woodwork by top artists of
a century ago. A portrait
of St. Ignatius of Loyola
u·as placed in the library
(left) by the University's
first president. The
stairway (right) is one of
the most impressive
as ects of the interior.
The exterior of the Jesuit Residence 'takes on a'stately appearance.
"We hope others
don't measure 'our
lifestyle by the
externals of the
...building. "
-Rev. Joseph
Hamernick, S.J.
afford it today,'" h-e said.
In addition, woodworkers
and stone masons whose
craftsmanship took on the
qualities of an art form no
longer exist.
"No one would know how
to carve an oak door by
hand today," Rev. John
Lange, S.J. said.
With its elaborate artistry
unchanged, the mansion
was donated by
Worthington Scranton
(Joseph's grandson) in 1941
"for the'development of an
institution of higher
education.' ,
The following year the
University was takfm ovpr
craftsmanship that would be
difficult if not impossible to
duplicate today at any price,
according to Rev. Joseph'
Hamernick, S.J., who has .
lived in the Jesuit Residence
for the past 16 years.,
"A house like that could
never be built again because
the type of art work that
went into it is so expensive
that no one could possibly
"At the moment
it's the home of
the 'best men's club'
in the world - the
Jesuits." .
- Rev. J. J. Quinn,
S.J.
Jesu,it Residence
shelters· history
BY TOM FITZSIMMONS
AND TOM KAHRIGER
The Scranton Estate
'which houses i 7 of the
University's Jesuits is in
many ways suitable for the
order founded by St.
Ignatius Loyola in 1534.
"It has been a good home
f.or many Jesuits for. many
years and they have been
very effective and
productive here," ReV-.
Charles Gonzales, S.J., said'.
"The school is Catholic
and Jesuit and; therefore, it
is appropriate for the ,
Jesuits themselves to be
present in an important
place," Gonzales added.
Rev. J.J. Quinn added his
perspective on the current
estate.
"At the moment it's the
home of the best ~en's club
in the world -, the Jesuits,"
he noted.
The history of this
structure begins more than
a century ago when one of
America's finest archit~cts,
Russel Sturgis, was
commissioned by-the city's
founder and namesake,
Joseph H. Scranton, to
design the home. The threest9ry
building was r '
constructed between 1867
and 1871 in' the French
Second Empire style for
$150,000.
The Estate is a work of
."-'" orner ,Aquinas Arts/Feature~ Maga~in.e