James O'Gara, Commonweal editor for 32 years, dies at 85

Published: 2003-10-27

CATONSVILLE, Md. (CNS) -- James O'Gara, managing editor and editor of Commonweal magazine for 32 years, died Oct. 22 of a heart attack in Catonsville. He was 85 years old. His funeral Mass was celebrated Oct. 27 at Our Lady of the Angels Catholic chapel at the Charlestown retirement community in Catonsville. Concelebrants were Sulpician Father Leo Larrivee, pastor of Our Lady of the Angels Catholic Community; Paulist Father James O'Gara of Old St. Mary's Church in Chicago, a nephew of the deceased; and Jesuit Father Raymond Schroth, formerly of Commonweal and now teaching at St. Peter's College in Jersey City, N.J. Born in Chicago in 1918, O'Gara also worked for the Chicago Catholic Worker newspaper; Today, a national Catholic student magazine which he co-founded; Voice of St. Jude magazine, later renamed U.S. Catholic; and The Long Island Catholic, diocesan newspaper in Rockville Centre, N.Y. He was nominated in 1998, 2000 and 2001 for the Catholic Press Association's highest honor, the St. Francis de Sales Award.

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