John Joseph Powell (September 22, 1925September 24, 2009) was a

Jesuit The Society of Jesus (; abbreviation: S.J. or SJ), also known as the Jesuit Order or the Jesuits ( ; ), is a religious order (Catholic), religious order of clerics regular of pontifical right for men in the Catholic Church headquartered in Rom ...

priest A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deity, deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in parti ...

and author, and brother of Rita Donlan and William Powell. He received elementary-school education at the John B. Murphy public school in Chicago. In June 1943, Powell graduated from the

Loyola Academy Loyola Academy is a private, co-educational college preparatory high school run by the USA Midwest Province of the Society of Jesus in Wilmette, Illinois, a northern suburb of Chicago, and in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago. It is a ...

in Chicago. In August 1943, he entered the

Society of Jesus The Society of Jesus (; abbreviation: S.J. or SJ), also known as the Jesuit Order or the Jesuits ( ; ), is a religious order of clerics regular of pontifical right for men in the Catholic Church headquartered in Rome. It was founded in 1540 ...

Milford, Ohio Milford is a city in Clermont and Hamilton counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. Milford is the westernmost city in Appalachian Ohio, and located along the Little Miami River and its East Fork in the southwestern part of the state, it is a part of ...

. In the fall of 1947, he began a three-year course in philosophy at West Baden College, and enrolled in Loyola University, where he took a Bachelor of Arts degree the following June. He began graduate work at Loyola in 1948 and was ordained to the priesthood in 1956. Powell worked at West Baden University (1961-1965), the Bellarmine School of Theology of Loyola University (1965-1968) and Loyola University (1968-2001), where he became an associate professor of

theology Theology is the study of religious belief from a Religion, religious perspective, with a focus on the nature of divinity. It is taught as an Discipline (academia), academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itse ...

and

psychology Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behavior. Its subject matter includes the behavior of humans and nonhumans, both consciousness, conscious and Unconscious mind, unconscious phenomena, and mental processes such as thoughts, feel ...

. Powell was a proponent of

humanistic Humanism is a philosophical stance that emphasizes the individual and social potential, and agency of human beings, whom it considers the starting point for serious moral and philosophical inquiry. The meaning of the term "humanism" ha ...

Catholicism and wrote many books mostly dealing with psychology and

Catholic theology Catholic theology is the understanding of Catholic doctrine or teachings, and results from the studies of theologians. It is based on canonical scripture, and sacred tradition, as interpreted authoritatively by the magisterium of the Catholi ...

, and conducted spiritual retreats along with his counseling work. He later retired in Michigan and died in Clarkston, allegedly with Alzheimer's disease. Powell was accused of abusing of at least seven female students in the 1960s and 1970s. He was first sued in 2003 and again in 2006. Six of his alleged victims settled their litigation with the Jesuits in 2005.Guitierez, Theresa
Gutierrez Settlement Reached
from ABC7

Publications

*''Why Am I Afraid to Tell You Who I Am?'' *''Why Am I Afraid to Love?'' *''The Secret of Staying in Love'' *''Unconditional love'' *''Fully human, fully alive: A new life through a new vision'' *''He Touched Me - My Pilgrimage of Prayer'' *''Will the Real Me Please Stand Up?: 25 Guidelines for Good Communication'' *''A Reason to Live! A Reason to Die!'' *''Abortion the Silent Holocaust'' (1981) *''Happiness Is an Inside Job'' (1989)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Powell, John 1925 births 2009 deaths 20th-century American Jesuits 21st-century American Jesuits American theologians 20th-century American psychologists Loyola Academy alumni Loyola University Chicago alumni