PL Co-Founder Passes Away

[DFW HOYA]

Rev. John Brooks, S.J. who passed on Holy Cross joining the Big East in 1979 and was among the founders of the Patriot League five years later, has died at the age of 88, according to the Worcester Telegram.

http://www.telegram.com/article/20120702/NEWS/120709927/1116

[Lehigh Football Nation]

RIP, Father Brooks. We didn't always see eye to eye, but your heart was in the exact right place.

[Go...gate]

Very sorry to learn of this. He loved Holy Cross.

[Tod]

Sad to hear.

[breezy]

The entire Holy Cross community does indeed mourn the passing of Fr. Brooks. During the almost 25 years that he served as President of Holy Cross, he did a great deal to strengthen the finances of the school. Despite making decisions that were unpopular with some, he was an avid fan of Holy Cross sports.

There is a wonderful story of Fr. Brooks and his role in recruiting African-American students to Holy Cross in the late 1960s told in a recently-published book by Diane Brady. The book is entitled "Fraternity." It tells of the lifelong friendship that Fr. Brooks had with students such as Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, noted attorney Ted Wells, Pulitzer prize winning author Edward P. Jones, football player (and member of the Miami Dolphins undefeated 1972 team) Eddie Jenkins, and basketball player (and investment banker) Stanley Grayson -- all of whom entered Holy Cross with assistance from Fr. Brooks in September 1968. On Thursday morning (July 5), the Today Show on NBC is scheduled to air a segment on the book during the 8:00 AM (Eastern) hour. It is scheduled to include an interview with Fr. Brooks recorded about two months ago. It is sad yet poignant that the scheduling of this piece coincides with the news of his death.

Thank you, Fr. Brooks. Rest in peace.

[RichH2]

A sad day. A good man.

[Fordham]

R.I.P.

[Bogus Megapardus]

“He who has gone, so we but cherish his memory, abides with us, more potent, nay, more present than the living man.”

Thank you, Fr. Brooks, for your enduring legacy. May God bless your eternal soul.

[crusader11]

I feel very fortunate to have met and gotten to know Father Brooks. With every decision he made, he always had: "Will this better Holy Cross?" at the forefront of his mind.

A giant of a man who shaped Holy Cross into the school we know today of high moral ground and values, and hopefully will know in the future.

[PAllen]

RIP

[breezy]

Due to a last-minute change, the Today Show segment featuring Fr. Brooks aired this morning.

You can watch it here:

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/#48070263