Fr. John Pungente, S.J.

Fr. John Pungente died December 6, 2023 in René Goupil Residence, Pickering, Ontario. He was in his 84th year and a Jesuit for 66 years. He was born Port Arthur, Ontario, but grew up in Brandon, Manitoba. He was the son of John Pungente and Mary Wikien. John entered the Jesuits in 1957 and was ordained in 1971. He was then missioned to St Paul’s High School, Winnipeg, as a teacher and film guide, all the while serving as Chair of the Manitoba Film Board from 1972 to 1976. He was appointed Principal of St. Paul’s High School in 1976, a post he held for seven years. In 1985 he moved to Toronto to become Director of the Jesuit Communication Project, a role he fulfilled for thirty-four years. While holding that position he co-authored Media Literacy: A Resource Guide (1989), Meet the Media (1990), the award winning teaching kit, Scanning Television (1996), More than Meets the Eye: Watching TV Watching Us (1999) and Finding God in the Dark: The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Go To The Movies (2004).

In 1997, John created and hosted the award-winning television show: Scanning the Movies, and produced the video: A Heart to Understand. He was also president of the Canadian Association of Media Education Organizations. In 2018 he moved to Lourdes Parish, Toronto, doing pastoral ministry and editing the online Jesuit blog, IgNation. In early 2022, in diminishing health, he moved to La Storta Jesuit Community and subsequently to René Goupil Residence in Pickering.

Visitation: Manresa Chapel, Pickering, Monday, December 18 from 7 to 9 p.m., with Vigil Prayers at 8 p.m. Funeral: Manresa Chapel, Tuesday, December 19 at 10 a.m.; followed by burial at 2 p.m. in the Jesuit Cemetery, Guelph. . Family and friends may also join the mass via live webcasting at: https://pickartphoto.com/stream/FrJohnPungente/

Donations to the Jesuit Advancement Office, 43 Queen’s Park Cres. E., Toronto, ON M5S 2C3, (416-962-4500) would be appreciated as your expression of sympathy.