Commemorating the Legacy of Fr. James J. Mertz, S.J.

Loyola University Chicago’s 1970 Centenary: A Luminous Celebration

Completed in 1969, Mertz Hall is named for Fr. James J. Mertz, S.J. (1882-1979), professor of classics for a halfcentury (1922-1972), and the driving force behind the construction of Madonna Della Strada Chapel. In 1973, a local Chicago television interviewer concluded: “Fr. James Mertz is the most familiar and most permanent fixture at Loyola. Wherever he walks there are friends.” Both Mertz Hall and the adjacent Centennial Forum were built to celebrate Loyola’s 100th anniversary in 1970. The university’s luster was brightened by luminaries invited to campus including Hannah Arendt, Gwendolyn Brooks, and Viktor Frankl.