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Meet some of the women and men who benefit from the Retirement Fund for Religious collection.
Father Albert Judy, OP, 90
“Gratitude is a religious expression. It is a thanksgiving to God for the service of so many religious individuals who have dedicated their lives not for profit, but for the benefit of others. We are most grateful to the donors who give,” shares Father Albert Judy, OP, who recently celebrated his 90th birthday and more than six decades of Dominican life.
Born in 1935 in Cicero, Illinois, Father Albert is the oldest of four children in a devout Catholic family. His parents modeled perseverance and faith, shaping his earliest years at St. Francis of Rome Parish School, where he served as an altar boy under the guidance of the Incarnate Word Sisters.
At Fenwick High School, he encountered the Dominicans, men of both deep faith and learning. Inspired by their witness, he graduated as valedictorian in 1953 and entered the Dominican Order. Ordained in 1962, he began a vocation defined by scholarship, service, and adaptability.
His early ministry at the University of Dallas placed him in the city during the Kennedy assassination, a moment that underscored the priest’s role in times of crisis. Advanced studies led him to Toronto, Canada, where he earned a PhD in medieval studies before dedicating several years to editing the works of St. Thomas Aquinas in New Haven, Connecticut.
Yet his calling shifted again when parish ministry in Minneapolis and Denver renewed his pastoral spirit, guiding communities with warmth and wisdom.
In the 1990s, Father Albert adopted a new technology by establishing the Dominican Province’s first internet presence, setting up the province’s web server and digitally publishing more than 25 books. Even in his retirement, he continued parish service until the age of 85 and remains engaged today through editorial work and prayer.
Father Albert draws strength from Psalm 116, a reminder always to give thanks, and finds joy in fishing and birdwatching, where nature humbles and renews him. With a gentle smile, he adds, “Life is best lived when we give thanks to the Lord for everything he has given us.”