Fr. John T. Quinn, SJ, photographer, military chaplain and teacher at Loyola High School of Los Angeles, died May 20, 2026, at Sacred Heart Jesuit Center in Los Gatos, California, at the age of 73.
Fr. Quinn had a variety of ministries in his 40 years as a Jesuit. In addition to his teaching and campus ministry work at the high school level, he was a U.S. Army chaplain and publications manager for the American Jesuits. An accomplished professional photographer, his photographs appeared in America magazine and other publications. He won the Catholic Press Association Award for photography in 1990. Among his many assignments he covered Pope John Paul II’s visit to Los Angeles and Mother Teresa’s visit to Mexico.
John Thomas Quinn, Jr. was born in New Haven, Connecticut, on March 29, 1953, into a military family. His father, John Thomas Quinn Sr., was a career Army officer, attaining the rank of Brigadier General. His mother, Katherine Anne Fallon Quinn, was a homemaker. As the family moved to various assignments, Fr. Quinn attended schools in four different states, mostly in the South. He graduated from Fort Hunt High School in Alexandria, Virginia, in 1971. After three years in the Marine Corps and a year at Chaminade College in Honolulu, he entered the Jesuit novitiate in Santa Barbara, California, in 1976.
After studies at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles and Loyola University New Orleans, Fr. Quinn taught English and history at Bellarmine College Preparatory in San José, California (1982-1984). He then studied at the Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, earning a master’s degree in professional photography in 1987. He spent a year as photographer-in-residence at Franciscan Productions in Los Angeles before starting theological studies at the Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley, California. He was ordained a priest in Los Angeles on June 13, 1992.
After ordination, Fr. Quinn served as campus minister and communications coordinator at Jesuit High School in Carmichael, California (1992-1998). He then was the managing editor of the National Jesuit News and other publications for the Jesuit Conference of the United States in Washington, D.C. (1999-2002). In the aftermath of September 11, 2001, he bicycled to the Pentagon and volunteered as a chaplain, ministering to the survivors, the first responders, and the families of the wounded, missing and dead.
His experience of 9/11 remained with him, as did the desire to become a military chaplain. After a two-year stint as director of communications and director of photography and video production for the California Province development office in Los Gatos, he applied for chaplain service. From 2004 to 2008, Fr. Quinn served as a U.S. Army Chaplain. His father administered the oath of office as a reserve commissioned officer. Assigned to the 4th Infantry Division in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom, he was one of two Catholic chaplains for the division’s 28,000 troops. The “Flying Padre” spent hundreds of hours in UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters to bring the message and the body of Christ to the troops. They were men and women of all faiths; battle-tested veterans and homesick teenagers; all appreciated the connection to God and country that he represented.
Following his military service, Fr. Quinn returned to the high school classroom. He taught digital photography and video production at Loyola High School of Los Angeles (2008-2022) and then did administrative work for the school. Before failing health brought him to Sacred Heart Jesuit Center in December 2025, he was primary caregiver and trainer of Hope, Loyola’s therapy dog in training. Hope was at his bedside when he died.
Fr. Quinn is survived by his brothers Bill (Mary), Tom (Sheryl), Mike (Dodie) and Dan; sister Mary Quinn Shalz; nieces Christie Quinn and Katie Quinn; and nephew Jacob Quinn Shalz. He was preceded in death by his parents Brigadier General John T. Quinn and Katherine F. Quinn, his niece Jessica Mary Quinn and his brother-in-law Michael Shalz.
A Mass of Christian Burial will take place on Thursday, June 25, 2026, at 11:15 a.m. at the chapel of Sacred Heart Jesuit Center, 300 College Avenue, Los Gatos, California 95030; inurnment is at Santa Clara Mission Cemetery following the funeral Mass. The funeral will be available via livestream.
Donations in memory of Fr. Quinn may be made to the Jesuits West Province of the Society of Jesus, P.O. Box 68, Los Gatos, CA 95031, or to a charity of your choosing.
