Father B. bids farewell to the Xavier community after more than 50 years of servitude
By Addison Burke and Briana Dunn, Staff Writers
Last week, it was announced that Father Al Bischoff, S.J. (Father B.) will be retiring from his duties at Xavier after 27 years.
Father B. started at Xavier in 1998, but he has been a part of the Xavier community for more than 50 years. Father B. is a Cincinnati native, having attended St. Xavier High School. He attended Xavier University and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and a master’s degree in education.
Father B. originally joined the Jesuits fresh out of high school but decided he was not ready for the commitment. He was ordained in 1956 and entered the Jesuit order in 1979. Before his permanent return to Xavier, he found himself coming back multiple times, working closely with campus ministry as a residence hall minister and being in close contact with students as a spiritual advisor.
Since 1998, Father B. has always been very popular with students, serving as a resident minister and presiding over weddings of students in Bellarmine Chapel.
In 2003, Xavier alumni from 1969 to 1974 created a scholarship in his honor as a gift for his 75th birthday.
In recent years, students could find Father B. sitting on the bench outside of Bellarmine Chapel or walking from his residence to Gallagher Student Center saying, “Hello, Saint” to anyone who conversed with him. He had also been a regular presider over daily masses and often attended the 4 p.m. student lead mass on Sundays.
“I am really going to miss Father B. He never fails to brighten everyone’s day,” Sophomore nursing major Pamela Olivas said. “I’ll never forget the first time I saw him during my first year and he said his famous ‘Hello, Saint.’ It made me feel so welcomed and happy to be included in the Xavier community.”
Junior marketing major Ander Wyatt reflected on an interaction he had with Father B.
“I was giving a tour once and saw Father B., so we stopped to say hello to him. He proceeded to talk to the family for 20 minutes, and he told the girl that he’ll pray for her no matter where she goes, but if she comes to Xavier, he’ll make her a saint,” Wyatt said. “I loved this interaction so much because it made me realize how much he means to everyone in the Xavier community, even those that weren’t here yet.”
“One time I saw Father B. while walking to the Caf, and there was an ambulance outside and he asked us if we knew what was going on,” Senior primary education major Maddie Mercado said. “Before we parted, he called me a saint, and this short interaction made me realize how much he cares for everyone and how precious he is to our community.”
Father Eric Sundrup shared his experience with Father B. as his student and again as a fellow pastor noting the legacy he has created.
“I’m just so amazed at someone who’s capacity to love is that great. And that’s a great inspiration for me,” Sundrup said.
This past weekend, Sundrup read Father B.’s mission letter and he described the experience as “very moving.”
“To read that to him, and then hold his hand — me and another Jesuit Jim McCann were there — and pray with him. (Father B.) talked about how he’s just so at peace and this is the right moment in time,” Sundrup said.
Matthew Zurcher S.J. reflected on Father B.’s presence at Xavier for decades.
“It’s rare for a Jesuit to be anywhere for more than a decade, so what a gift it is to have Father B. around for so long,” Zurcher said. “He didn’t only remind us of who we are individually, his extraordinary devotion to Xavier University reminds us of who we are as a community… that we are committed to one another, that we depend on one another, that we don’t live for ourselves alone.”
Rabbi Jennifer Lewis reflected on her interactions with Father B. related to Interfaith work.
“I especially appreciated when Father B. made it a point to attend a small interfaith prayer service that I led on campus on Holocaust Remembrance day a couple of years ago. He shared openly from his heart about why each person’s actions matter and why and how we can see God in one another and must protect one another from evil actors in the world,” Lewis said.
Lewis also attested to Father B.’s dedication to his work, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“He continued to have visits by parishioners and students seeking guidance and never missed a day of work, unless it was snowing,” Lewis said.
Father B. will now be on a new mission, joining a community of retired Jesuit priests and brothers in Clarkston, Mich.
“He has made such a big impact on the Xavier community in everything he has done. After all his time spent here, it will be hard to imagine campus without him, but Father B. will always be the greatest representation of what it means to be a musketeer,” Olivas said.
While campus may not be the same without Father B. around, faculty, staff and students of past and present will forever remember his lasting legacy.