Howitt, James

James Howitt, S.J. was born December 5, 1890 in Guelph, Ontario. In August of 1911, he entered the Society of Jesus at Sault-au-Récollet in Montreal and proceeded to study in Poughkeepsie, New York and teach at Loyola High School in Montreal from 1918 to 1922. He was ordained in August of 1925.

Father Howitt spent all of his spiritual career in Northern Ontario, beginning at Wikwemikong in 1926 where he learned Ojibway before proceeding to Thunder Bay. In 1929 he became pastor at St. Sebastian’s Parish in Spanish, Ontario and at St. Raphael’s in Sagamok; he then proceeded on to work briefly as Superior and principal of the residential school in Spanish, Ontario from 1931 to 1932. Later that year, he was transferred to Nipigon on Lake Superior, from which he travelled to other mission stations; five years later, he returned to Spanish to work as Superior, principal, and parish priest.

In 1942, he relocated to Saint Mary’s Parish at Cape Croker where he was responsible for a number of neighbouring parishes. His last assignment, beginning in 1945, was at West Bay on Manitoulin Island where he was responsible for six stations. In 1951, a brain tumour cut short his assignment, and he returned to the infirmary at the Jesuit novitiate in Guelph where he passed away.