Radloff, Thomas H. (Father)

Jesuit Father Thomas H. Radloff died on Dec. 15, 2018, at Colombiere Center in Clarkston, Michigan. He was 88 years old.

Fr. Radloff was born on Feb. 11, 1930, in Cleveland. He entered the Society of Jesus on August 19, 1948, at Milford Novitiate in Milford, Ohio. He was ordained on July 15, 1961, at Colombiere College in Clarkston. He took final vows on August 22, 1977, in Detroit.

Fr. Radloff graduated from St. Ignatius High School in Cleveland before he entered the Society.

While in the Society, he earned a bachelor’s degree in arts and sciences (1953) and a master’s degree in English (1958) from Loyola University Chicago. He also earned a master’s degree in psychology from the University of Detroit (1976). In addition to these degrees and through coursework at Michigan State University, Fr. Radloff became a CMC Certified Marriage Counselor, a CSW Certified Social Worker, and a CLP Certified Limited Psychologist.

During regency, Fr. Radloff taught Latin and English at the University of Detroit Jesuit High School (UDJHS). After completing his studies, he returned to UDJHS and spent 22 years there. At UDJHS, Fr. Radloff taught religion, was a student counselor and did many other jobs: director of alumni relations (1963-1965), campus minister (1965-1967), president (1967-1968), director of campus ministry (1968-1969), and director of student counseling (1969-1971).

After a well-earned sabbatical, in 1988 Fr. Radloff moved to Ohio and was a retreat director at Jesuit Retreat House in Parma, Ohio (1988-1993). Fr. Radloff then spent two years as an assistant campus minister at UDJHS before, at the age of 65, moving to Rome where he was director of spiritual formation at the North American College in Rome (1995-2002). Fr. Radloff moved back to the States and was superior of the St. John’s Jesuit High School Jesuit Community while he was the assistant to the vicar for priests for internal forum and spiritual director for priests in Diocese of Toledo (Ohio). Fr. Radloff moved to Colombiere Center in 2013, missioned to pray for the Church and the Society.