Fr. Jim Dressman, S.J.

By Fr. Jim Donnelly, S.J.
(From the Nepal Region’s 50th Anniversary Book, 2001)

“Jack of all trades and master of them all”‘ describes Jim Dressman’s forty-one productive years at Nepal. Availability to do whatever was asked of him, determination to get things done, and being a personable community man have been chief traits that others have seen at work in him.

He was born in 1930 in Covington, Kentucky. He was the fourth of five siblings: Fr. Bob, S.J., Dorothy, Ann, Jim, S.J., and Sue. In 1948 Jim entered the Society of Jesus. His appointment to Patna In 1955 came as he began regency at his alma mater, St. Xavier High School, Cincinnati. After his visa to India was refused in 1956, superiors missioned him to Godavari School where he arrived in December 1956 to complete his regency. He went to St. Mary’s Kurseong, for theology, 1958, and tertianship in 1962-63.

His priestly ministry back at Godavari School began quietly in 1963 with six months of Nepali language study privately. It was during those months that craft work as a hobby and counselling the boys as an avocation rounded out many hours of his days. The lovely school crest of both the St. Xavier’s Schools was one fine result of his craft work. From1964 he became teacher in moral science, speech, and crafts, assistant scout master, moderator of the student council and the newly formed newspaper. He also assisted Fr. Saubolle in wine making.

In 1967 he became Senior Cambridge Scripture teacher. All this time he was active in hostel activities dorm prefecting, study and compound duties, games and walks assignments, seasonal Debate and One-Act Play coaching, among others, all carried out in the spirit of wanting in the most to train our boys to become LEADERS of our country.

On August 22, 1968, he moved to Jawalakhel to replace Fr. Ed Niesen. Jim quite effortlessly stepped into Fr. Niesen’s role of minister, builder, and community treasurer. In 1970 he was sent to GAA, into the moderator’s post. Ecumenical prayer meetings on Wednesdays, monthly Dharan Camp army chaplain’s work, courses in counselling in Vellore, India, and in pastoral education in Cincinnati during 1974, a Life in the Spirit Seminar with Fr. Carl Krull, S.J., during 1975, the Adventures in Attitudes programme started from 1975, these were all apostolic activities of his In this period.

On Feb. 11, 1976, he became rector at St. Xavier’s Jawalakhel, and on July 24, 1976 through December 1981, he served as overall superior of the Nepal Mission of Patna Province, the first major superior in Nepal’s history. He served on the UMN Education Committee from May 15, 1977 onward for the next 20 years. He became the first Nepal superior to introduce lay volunteers into Nepal, by inviting Ms. Rita Anton who worked for the Nepal Jesuits for four years, 1978-82. He had one year as parish priest daring this time.

He spent full ten years of very draining and often very frustrating court work over our “Moonlight” property. Jim, by this time a Nepali citizen, doggedly stuck to his very difficult court apostoloate.

When it came time In 1985 to form a pre-novitiate community, Jim was the minister. In December 1986, the re-novitiate was moved to Pulchowk. Fr. Jim had to oversee the construction and development of the two buildings for Jesuit use there. From 1990-93 Fr. Jim served at Godavari as superior, treasurer, and director of the Ashram. After a sabbatical in USA in 1991-94, he returned to Nepal as director of the Apostleship of Prayer, the chaplain for the MC Sisters, director of construction, and director of directed and preached retreats. In 1997 he left Nepal for the New England Province.

There has not been a single apostolate in the Jesuits’ work of Nepal that Jim has not engaged in himself or that he could not have done, such Is the full range of talents and interests that he showed for his 41 years in Nepal.