Father Lawrence J. Hunt, 81

BALTIMORE - A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered for Father Lawrence J. Hunt at St. Mark's Church, 30 Melvin Ave., Catonsville, on Friday at 11:30 a.m. His burial at the Jesuit Cemetery in Woodstock will be private.

Father Hunt, a Jesuit for more than 60 years and a priest for 50 years, ministered for two decades in India, and died Tuesday, May 20, 2008, at Colombiere Jesuit Residence, Baltimore. He was 81.

He was born to William J. and Louise Peach Hunt on Feb. 14, 1927, one of five children.

He entered the Society of Jesus at St. Isaac Jogues Novitiate in Wernersville, Pa., on Sept. 20, 1944. He was ordained by Archbishop Francis P. Keough of Baltimore at Woodstock Seminary on June 23, 1957.

In 1963, Father Hunt was sent as a missionary to India, where he would spend 21 years in various ministries, notably at several schools and at a hospital for patients with Hansen's disease (leprosy). These included service as principal of Loyola School in Jamshedpur (1963-68), associate dean of student activities at the Xavier Labor Relations Institute in Dhanbad, India (1968-69), superior of De Nobili School in Dhanbad and Dhanbad-Purulia District (1969-74), director of the Damien Leper Welfare Centre in Dhanbad (1970-81), pastor of St. Anthony's Church, Dhanbad (1974-75), superior of Dhanbad District and vice-superior of De Nobili School, Dhandab (1975-77) and assistant pastor at St. Anthony's Church and director of social apostolates and student welfare, Dhanbad (1977-1984).

Although Father Hunt never mastered the languages in India, he found a profound way to communicate.

In 1984, Father Hunt returned to America and served as dean of students at St. Joseph's University in Philadelphia for a year. He returned to parish ministry, serving as assistant at St. Aloysius Church in Washington, D.C. (1985-86), assistant pastor at Holy Cross in Dover, Del., (1986-89), parochial vicar at St. Mark's Church in Catonsville (1989-90), pastor at St. Benedict the Moor Church and Good Shepherd Mission in Winston-Salem, N.C. (1990-2004), and pastoral minister at St. Alphonsus Rodriguez Church in Woodstock (2006-08).He was also a pastoral care minister at St. Joseph's Medical Center, Towson (2004-06).

He took part in Radio Mass, which broadcast Sunday Masses from St. Ignatius Church in Baltimore for the homebound.

Father Hunt is survived by two brothers, John Hunt of Baltimore and Richard Hunt of Rockville; and his sister, Patricia Rowe of St. Michaels; as well as many nieces and nephews.

His brother, William J. Hunt, died in 2004.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations made payable to "Jesuit Missions" and sent to Maryland Province Jesuits Advancement Office, P.O. Box 64818, Baltimore, MD 21264.

Local arrangements by Bennie Smith Funeral Home.