Paul Mankowski
American Jesuit priest and biblical scholar (1953–2020)
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Paul Vincent Mankowski, S.J. (November 15, 1953 – September 3, 2020) was an American Catholic priest, biblical scholar, philologist, and essayist. He was a member of the Society of Jesus.
University of Oxford (M.A.)
Weston Jesuit School of Theology (M.Div., S.T.L.)
Harvard University (Ph.D.)
Fr. Paul Vincent Mankowski, SJ | |
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| Born | November 15, 1953 South Bend, Indiana, U.S. |
| Died | September 3, 2020 (aged 66) Evanston, Illinois, U.S. |
| Education | University of Chicago (A.B.) University of Oxford (M.A.) Weston Jesuit School of Theology (M.Div., S.T.L.) Harvard University (Ph.D.) |
| Occupations | Priest, biblical scholar, writer, satirist |
Early life
Paul Vincent Mankowski was born on November 15, 1953, in South Bend, Indiana.[1] He worked in steel mills to finance his education at the University of Chicago, earning an A.B. in Classics and Philosophy in 1976.[1]
Education and Jesuit formation
Mankowski entered the Society of Jesus as a novice on September 5, 1976, in Berkley, Michigan.[1] He earned an M.A. in Classics from the University of Oxford in 1983, a Master of Divinity and Licentiate in Sacred Theology from Weston Jesuit School of Theology in 1987, and a Ph.D. in Comparative Semitic Philology from Harvard University in 1997.[1] He was ordained a priest on June 13, 1987, and professed final vows on December 12, 2012, at Loyola University Chicago.[1] During his regency (1979–1984), he studied at Oxford and taught at Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio.[1]
Academic and pastoral career
From 1994 to 2009, Mankowski was a professor of Old Testament languages at the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome, teaching ancient Semitic languages and advising on liturgical translations.[1][2] He taught at the University of Chicago’s Graham School of General Studies from 2010 to 2011.[1] In 2011, he served as pastor of Sacred Heart Church English Language Parish in Amman, Jordan.[1] From 2012 to 2020, he was Scholar-in-Residence at the Lumen Christi Institute at the University of Chicago, leading courses on theology and classics and catechesis for RCIA programs.[1] He also provided pastoral ministry at parishes and Newman Centers.[1]
Writings and publications
Mankowski wrote essays and reviews on liturgy, biblical studies, and Catholic theology, published in First Things and Catholic World Report under the pseudonym "Diogenes."[3][2] His works include a 1994 satirical piece, The Tragedy of Macdeth, in The American Spectator.[2] A collection of his essays, Jesuit at Large: Essays and Reviews by Paul V. Mankowski, S.J., was published in 2021 by Ignatius Press.[4]
Restrictions on publishing
In 2007, Mankowski was restricted from publishing under his name by Jesuit superiors after criticizing a fellow Jesuit’s political activities.[5] He used the pseudonym "Diogenes" for columns in Catholic World Report.[2][6] In 2008, further restrictions limited him to speaking only on ancient Semitic languages.[5]
Death
Mankowski died on September 3, 2020, in Evanston, Illinois, from a cerebral hemorrhage caused by a ruptured brain aneurysm.[1][7]