Fr. Dominic Francis Hoffman, OP

When I first met Fr. Hoffman in 1948, he stood out as the lone white habit in a sea of Benedictine black.  I was one of several students at Mt. Angel Abbey in Oregon who were preparing to enter the Western Dominican Province.  Fr. Hoffman was at Mt. Angel to make his annual retreat.  He came to visit us students, and we were impressed by his introspective and prayerful nature.

Ten years later, after ordination, my first assignment was to St. John Vianney High School in Los Angeles, later known as Daniel Murphy.  Fr. Hoffman and I worked there together for fourteen years.  He taught Physics, Mathematics, and Moral Theology, and the clarity and compassion of his presentations were such that his courses were very received, and many students spoke of how inspiring and edifying he was.  He, for his part, would often remark to us about some extraordinary activity of his students.

During his years as teacher, Dominic found time to write three of his four volumes on the spiritual life.  He published the fourth volume in 1981, and all four were favorably reviewed and well received in Catholic circles and praised by scholars, including our own Fr. Kevin Meagher.

Dominic was passionate in his defense of the Church and the Papacy.  He adjusted to Vatican II by simply reading the documents carefully and thoroughly: he was often frustrated by the cavalier manner in which those documents were implemented, for instance in the neglect of Gregorian chant, which the Council had placed on the highest plane.

Those fourteen years we had together were Dominic's longest assignment in his life as a Dominican, and his favorite; on eight other occasions he had obediently accepted assignments of one year or less, something most of us would find very frustrating.   In 1971 or 1972, toward the end of our time together, Dominic confided in me and told me a little of his health problems particularly the after-effects of the tuberculosis he had contracted as a young man during the Great Depression.  He bore many different kinds of illness patiently for long years toward the end of his life.

We give thanks to God that he has given us this prayerful and creative priest and Dominican, so gentle, so humble.  We ask Dominic in Heaven to keep praying for us and our ongoing work and privilege of helping to bring God's people to their heavenly home.

- Fr. Vincent Lopez, OP

Degrees: B.A., M.Div.

Obituary Card

The crown of the aged is experience; their glory, the fear of the Lord. - Sirach 25:6

O God, grant that your servant Dominic Francis, whom You called to the religious life and raised to the priesthood, may now be with You, in whom he placed his faith, his hope, and his love.  Amen.

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