Alvin Anthony (Father) ILLIG

Aug. 17, 1926

Los Angeles

Los Angeles County

California, USADeath: Aug. 2, 1991

Washington

District of Columbia

District Of Columbia, USA

Born in Los Angeles on August 17, 1926, Alvin Illig was the son of a German immigrant building contractor. He graduated from the junior seminary of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles but entered the Paulists soon after hearing an inspiring homily given by Fr. Walter Burke, C.S.P. He made his first promises on September 16, 1946 and was ordained on May 1, 1953 with classmates Raymond Lorentz, James McNulty, Robert Quinn, Neil McEleney, Frederick Draeger, Maurice Chase, Gerard Aylward, Kevin Lynch, Joseph Hanly, Lawrence McDonnell, Edward Lyons and Wilfred Dewan.

While beginning his priesthood in parish work in New York, he took publishing and editing classes at Columbia and NYU and in 1955 became the editor of "Information Magazine." He also founded National Catholic Reading Distributors (NCRD) and in 1958 helped arrange the merger of Newman Press and its bookstores with Paulist Press.

In the early 1960's he worked in adult religious education, helping to found the American edition of Concilium. After 20 years in media he began giving missions and in 1973 founded a popular evangelical program in Mississippi called "Operation Share."

Impressed by this effort, the Archbishop of Washington, DC, Cardinal Baum, asked Fr. Illig to develop a national plan for evangelization. In response, he founded the Paulist National Catholic Evangelization Association (PNCEA) in 1977.

Never losing his interest in publishing, he introduced a popular Bible study program called "Share the Word" in 1980. From 1970 to 1982 he served as a member of the Paulist General Council, serving under Presidents Tom Stransky and Bill Dewan.

One of the most visible and nationally recognized Paulists in the 1970's and 80's, he was awarded a "Pro Ecclesiae et Pontifice" medal by Pope John Paul II in 1983 for his many accomplishments. He was 64 years of age when he died in Washington, D.C. and had been ordained over 38 years. He is buried in the Paulist plot at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, CA.

Burial:

Holy Cross Cemetery

Culver City

Los Angeles County

California, USA

Plot: Section A Lot 232 Grave 15

Edit Virtual Cemetery info [?]

Maintained by: Paulist Archives

Originally Created by: Esperer

Record added: Apr 12, 2010

Find A Grave Memorial# 51020495

Comments