Larry Madden

BEATI MORTUI QUI IN DOMINO MORIUNTUR
29 May 2011

It is my sad duty to inform you that Fr. Lawrence J. Madden, SJ, was found dead in his room. Apparently he died over night.
. . .
May he soon assist at the Liturgy of the Lamb in the heavenly Jerusalem.

Saints of God, come to his aid!
Hasten to meet him angels of the Lord!
Receive his soul and present him to God the Most High.

PrayTell - Worship, Wit & Wisdom

I didn't know Fr. Madden well, but I did like him and I admired what I took to be his leadership at Holy Trinity. Most of my (quite limited) contact with him was at the Georgetown Crypt where he occasionally substituted for Paul Cioffi; after Paul's death, he became one of the regular presiders. Once in a homily he said that St. Ignatius is often quoted as having said "Pray as if everything depends on God. Work as if everything depends on you." But, Madden continued, there's reason to believe that Ignatius actually said it the other way 'round: "Pray as if everything depends on you. Work as if everything depends on God." I very much prefer this formulation. (Mark Stengel, OSB explains the genesis of both formulations here.)