Fr. Udick: Denver Jesuit and Psychologist Dies

Fr. Udick (left) and Father General Nicolás in October 2013

I took psychology courses from Fr. Udick as an undergraduate at Regis College in the early 70s. Many people touch our lives and we will know them more fully in the Resurrection of Christ.

Fr. William “Bill” Udick died Sunday (Feb. 16, 2014) at Fusz Pavilion, the Missouri Jesuits’ nursing care center in St. Louis. He was 89 and had been a Jesuit for 71 years.
A Denver native, he graduated from Regis Jesuit High School and attended Regis University for one year before entering the Society of Jesus at the former St. Stanislaus Seminary in Florissant, Mo., in 1943.
He studied Latin, Greek philosophy and theology at Saint Louis University.
From 1949 to 1952, he taught Latin, English and religion at Rockhurst High School in Kansas City, Mo.
He studied theology at St. Mary's College in St. Mary's, Kan., where he was ordained to the priesthood in June 1955. He served as assistant to the novice master at St. Stanislaus Seminary from 1957 to 1962 where he encouraged novices to live their Jesuit vocation conscientiously.
Fr. Udick returned to Rockhurst in 1962 and taught religion for eight years while earning a master’s degree in religious education from Fordham University in New York.
In the early 1970s, he completed a doctorate in psychology from Boston College and then joined the psychology faculty at Regis University where he taught for 18 years. He also had a clinical practice.
After retiring from teaching, Fr. Udick devoted many years to pastoral and sacramental ministry at parishes in the Denver area.
In 2006, he joined the community of Fusz Pavilion, where he prayed for the church and Society of Jesus. Despite his declining health, he remained gracious and friendly.
He is survived by his brother, Charles Udick, and several nieces and nephews.