 Fr. Andrew James Hunt, OP
Fr. Andrew, a convert, was born in Cheyenne, Wyoming to James Shelly Hunt and Mary
Leverich and would head farther West to attend college at St. Ignatius in San Francisco.
He entered the seminary where he studied philosophy and theology. After his
ordination to the priesthood he was assigned to Benicia, California. His second
assignment landed him in Portland, Oregon, but within a year he returned to study at the
Priory of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. Within two years and by the
year 1910, he received the Lectorate in Sacred Theology. During the academic months
of these two years he also studied Sociology, English, and French at the Catholic
University of America that is located across the street from the Dominican House of
Studies. In the summers, he went to Columbia University to study more Sociology and
English.
Fr. Andrew returned to Benicia, California, and there he was given the office
of Novice Master. He also taught Humane Letters, History, and Mathematics to the
postulants until 1915, when St. Dominic’s in Benicia ceased as postulancy, novitiate,
and house of studies for the seminarians. He became the Librarian in 1911 and was
re-appointed on March 18, 1914. He also became Sacristan in 1911 and was
re-appointed in October 8, 1915. That same year he added to his responsibilities
when became Procurator of the convent and was appointed a member of the conventual council
on October 6.
On April 16, 1917, Fr. Hunt transferred to St. Dominic Priory in San Francisco, where
he then became Sacristan and Procurator. In 1921, he was assigned to St. Thomas
Priory in Ross (Kentfield), California and became Procurator there. In 1924, he took
on even greater responsibility as he moved to Portland. There he became Sub-Prior
and Assistant Pastor. This assignment did not last very long, because in August of
the same year he was made Vicar and Pastor of St. Dominic’s in Eagle Rock, Los
Angeles. In September, a month after arriving, he was given permission to purchase a
Ford, the first automobile for parish use. Fr. E. G. McMullan had begun the plans
for the parish school which Fr. Andrew completed in September 1925. Additionally, he
planned and built a parish convent for the Dominican Sisters of San Rafael, who came to
teach in the parish school. The convent was blessed by Bishop John Joseph Cantwell, of Los
Angeles and San Diego. Fr. Andrew died in Los Angeles on January 13, 1929 just
before his 53rd birthday.
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