Rev. William J. Elliott, SJ, was born in Arlington, MA, on March 17, 1928. He attended Belmont High School in Belmont, MA, and began studies at Boston College before entering the Novitiate of St. Isaac Jogues in Wernersville, Pa., in 1948. He received his bachelor’s degree in Philosophy and the Classics from Bellarmine College in Plattsburgh, NY, as well as a Master’s in Teaching. He also earned a Bachelor of Sacred Theology from Woodstock College in Woodstock, MD, and a Masters in Spanish from American University in Washington, D.C. He was ordained a priest on June 18, 1961, at Iglesia de San Ignacio in Mexico.
Following ordination and his tertianship, Fr. Elliott spent eight years at Gonzaga College High School in Washington, D.C., teaching Spanish, English and Religion. In 1971, he began what would become a 45-year tenure at Georgetown Prep, teaching Spanish and serving as a tutor. He was beloved by students and faculty alike and made an impact on so many lives over his four decades at the school.
Fr. Elliott moved to Campion Center in Weston, MA, in 2016, serving pastorally and praying for the Church and the Society of Jesus. He died peacefully on December 17, 2021, at the age of 93.