Marianist Father John Francis Bolin, 82, who taught and served at Archbishop Riordan High School in San Francisco in the 1960s and 1970s, died on June 15 in Cupertino He had been a Marianist religious for 63 years.
Father Bolin was born in Brooklyn, N.Y, later moving with his family to Long Island.
He met the Marianists at their Chaminade High School in Mineola, N.Y.. "And so I was to spend four of the happiest years of my life in surroundings which stole my heart," the priest later wrote about the experience. "This was the beginning of my vocation to the Society of Mary."
Father Bolin entered the Marianist novitiate at Beacon, N.Y., after graduation in 1943. He professed first vows on Aug. 20, 1944, and perpetual vows four years later in Dayton, Ohio. He received a bachelor's degree in education from the Marianists's University of Dayton in 1947.
From 1946 until 1952, Father Bolin was a teacher at Marianist high schools in Pennsylvania and Ohio. He then attended the Marianist seminary in Fribourg, Switzerland, where he was ordained on July 17, 1955.
The Marianist held an undergraduate degree and a Licentiate in Sacred Theology ( STL ) .
When he returned to the U.S. in 1956, Father Bolin served as a teacher and chaplain at two California Marianist high schools, the first in Southern California and then San Francisco's Archbishop Riordan. During the 1960 - 61 school year, he taught religion and served as chaplain at Riordan.
From 1974 - 77, Father Bolin was chaplain at the school and director of the Riordan Marianist Community.
Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, he also held a number of other positions in leadership in the formation of young Marianists and in provincial administration.
Father Bolin served as chaplain/teacher for the Marianists in Honolulu, novice master at the their novitiate in Santa Cruz, rector at the Marianist seminary in St. Louis, novice master at the novitiate in Cupertino, and assistant rector and rector at the seminary in Toronto.
"He ran a tight ship at the novitiate, but it was never oppressive," said Marianist Brother Dennis Schmitz. "He was wise and had a strong sense of direction. He was always experimenting with new ways and had a gift for explaining things to our generation. He had a great sense of humor and loved telling jokes."
In 1981, the priest became provincial for the former Province of the Pacific in Cupertino, serving in that position until 1989.
He also was closely associated with Chaminade University of Honolulu, acting as a teacher, academic vice president, rector, member of the Board of Regents and senior advisor to the president for diocesan relations.
A funeral Mass was celebrated June 24 in Cupertino at the Marianist Center with interment at nearby Gate of Heaven Cemetery. Remembrances may be sent to the Marianist Province of the United States, 4425 West Pine Blvd., St. Louis MO 63108.
