He was a friend to our festival since its inception having honored us by accepting our invitation to be the first Magna cum Murder guest of honor. Mystery lovers the world over had been reading his crime novels for years, and loved the television series featuring his character, Father Dowling. I wonder if most of us had any idea, though, what an intellectual giant he was? You couldn’t meet him and not know him to be a gentleman – erudite, witty, charming, kind, generous – there was an old-world courtliness about him that most people remarked on immediately. But he was so much more, and we are indeed diminished by the loss of this man who was first and foremost, an independent thinker.

Professor McInerny was a professor of philosophy and the Michael P. Grace Professor of Medieval Studies at the University of Notre Dame and an acknowledged expert on the writings of St. Thomas Aquinas. In addition to his Father Dowling mysteries and other series in that genre, he authored more than two dozen scholarly books, countless scholarly essays and more than 80 novels. He founded Crisis magazine with Michael Novak (now known as Inside-Catholic) in 1982, and was director of the Jacques Maritain Center at Notre Dame, where he had taught since 1955, from 1979 – 2006.

Ralph McInerny was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Connie (the former Constance Terrill Kunert) who died in 2002. He is survived by four daughters and two sons, two sisters, five brothers and seventeen grandchildren.

— Kathryn Kennison

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On a panel Ralph was always himself: thoughtful and eloquent. And quick witted. Once, when we were paired at a library conference, I had occasion to quote Hemingway’s observation that a great writer never repeats himself. Snatching up his microphone, Ralph added, "And he said it over and over and over again."

I’ll miss him. I’ll miss sharing a quiet drink with him in the bar at the Hotel Roberts and elsewhere around the country, when Ralph would listen to me describe my latest career crisis and then assure me that the sun would rise tomorrow. I’ll miss him sharing his experiences from decades of dealing with editors, agents, and life in general. And I’ll try to emulate, as I have for years, his positive outlook about the writing life and his professional approach to it.

— Terence Faherty

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After I told him I’d written a mystery novel I was trying to sell, he asked informed questions and gave good advice. Ralph McInerny was a practicing realist who knew the mystery business. He’d written the Father Dowling mysteries that had made the leap to TV.

I, having been born blunt, asked with ill-disguised distaste what he thought of the show. "It put our eight kids through college, Sally, and I’d be ungrateful if I said a critical word. What we would’ve done without it, I don’t know."

He mentioned too that he wrote a Father Dowling book in two or three weeks each summer, enjoying the change of pace from his academic writing. I was shaken and astounded. It had taken me two whole years to write my first Ben Reese book.

Ralph read it, once I had a publisher, and wrote a very kind endorsement, which probably says more about his generosity than the elegance of my prose.

He was once a weekend guest at our house and got to know my husband, and I like to think we became real friends. We certainly picked-up wherever we’d left off whenever we spoke next.

Ralph was clearly a committed Catholic. I’m a serious Christian too, but of the intentionally non-denominational sort, for, as an aged hippy, I’m suspicious of human encrustations in bureaucracies and institutions. Those differences made talking to Ralph a pleasure and an inspiration, for we knew we shared the important parts, and loved the goading and teasing - much of which took place at many Magnas over the fast flying years.

The last time we met at Magna was in 2006 (I think), a year or so after his wife had died painfully of cancer. He was still Ralph, brilliant and funny, but cracks were visible too - the kind of cracks that make me hope my husband doesn’t die first.

Ralph told me about her, and how his life had changed, and you could see that though he was willing to do whatever might be required, he, personally, wasn’t looking forward to many more years without her.

I’m glad for his sake there weren’t many. But I wish I’d gotten to sit down with him one last time and thank him for being who he was, and what he’d meant to me.

—Sally Wright

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Ralph McInerny, Ph.D., professor of Philosophy at University of Notre Dame, m oral theologian, distinguished Thomist scholar, publisher, devoted family man, father, academician, and mystery writer, died on January 29, 2010, at the age of 80.

Best known for his Fr. Dowling character, pastor of St. Hilary of Fox River, Illinois, Ralph also wrote nine mysteries featuring Sister Mary Theresa, six starring Andrew Broom, and ten mysteries set at Notre Dame. The Dowling stories had a popular three-year run on television starring Tom Bosley.

He was awarded the Lifetime Achievement at Bouchercon International Mystery Conference in 1993, and was guest of honor at the inaugural Magna cum Murder Crime Writing Festival in 1994. In his memoirs, I Alone Have Escaped to Tell You: My Life and Pastimes, he wrote: "of the conferences put on for aspiring mystery writers, my favorites are Harriette Austin’s at the University of Georgia and Kathryn Kennison’s at Ball State University." I love this book for its beauty and honesty. His life takes us from the depression and World War II through Vatican Council II, and into our own new century. It is our history as glimpsed through Ralph’s life.

His last book was a mystery without one of his well known characters, but one that celebrated the mystery of, and his love of, Mater Dei, Mary the Mother of Jesus: Dante and the Blessed Virgin. Ralph’s expert knowledge of Mary’s role in both Dante’s The Devine Comedy and Thomas Aquinias’ Summa Theologica he explored her role in The Inferno.

We had much in common, Ralph and I – we were both seminarians, we studied and taught Latin, both of us were strong conservative Roman Catholics, and in different ways we were both lovers of Notre Dame du Lac, Our Lady of the Lake. My last real visit with him was an enjoyable lunch at Notre Dame, and I treasure the memory of it.

Deo gratias. Ralph McInerny is completely happy now as he enjoys the heavenly banquet with his beloved wife, Connie.

Requiescat in Pace.

—Fr. Phil Momberg

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