Ralph McInerny died he was 80

Ralph Matthew McInerny died he was 80. McInerny was an American Catholic religious scholar and fiction writer, including mysteries and science fiction. Some of his fiction has appeared under the pseudonyms of Harry Austin, Matthew FitzRalph, Ernan Mackey, Edward Mackin, and Monica Quill. As a mystery writer he is best known as the creator of Father Dowling. ^[1] He was Professor of Philosophy, Director of the Jacques Maritain Center, and Michael P. Grace Professor of Medieval Studies at the University of Notre Dame until his retirement in June, 2009.^{[2] [3]} He died of esophageal cancer on January 29, 2010.^[4]

(February 24, 1929 – January 29, 2010)

Ralph McInerny was born Michael P. Grace on February 24, 1929 in Minnesota. Now a distinguished professor at Notre Dame, where he heads the Jaques Maritain Center, he's taught for the last 40 years in addition to his copious writing output.

Mr. McInerny first attended St. Paul's seminary, where he recieved his Bachelor's degree and went on to study at the University of Minnesota and the Universite Laval in Quebec where he got his Masters and Doctorate, graduating summa cum laude.

Mr. McInerny served in the Marine Corps between 1946 and 1947. In 1955, Ralph McInerny received a Fulbright Scholarship to Belgium from Notre Dame. He's been a professor at a number of universities, including Cornell. Loving St. Thomas Aquinas, Mr. McInerny has based a number of his writings on that famous personage, and his philosophy teachings are naturally seen through that Saint's eyes. It's probably obvious that Ralph McInerny writes from a Catholic point of view, which does limit his effectiveness to the general public, since it's based on an organized religion not shared by all.

Ralph McInerny's writings include about 67 books as well as numerous articles in Catholic magazines, and he's received a number of honorary degrees from Catholic colleges as well as the St. Thomas Aquinas medal from the American Catholic Philosophical Foundation. His first book was published in 1967, and his fictional writings include the now famous Father Dowling series, as well as the Andrew Broome mysteries. Father Dowling was made into a series on TV. Ralph McInerny has received the Achievement Award for his work from Boucheron of America.


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