Jasper Jottings ————————— The daily achievement journal of my fellow Jaspers, the alumni of Manhattan College

To: The Manhattan College Community

From:      Brennan O’Donnell, President
    Brother Timothy Murphy, FSC, Director
                 Christian Brothers Community

It is with deep sadness that we write to inform you of the death of Brother Luke Salm, FSC, professor emeritus of religious studies, trustee emeritus, and a beloved member of the Manhattan College community for more than a half century. He died Monday evening, peacefully, at De La Salle Hall, Lincroft, New Jersey, where he had been in hospice care. Brother Luke was 88 years old.

A native of Albany, N.Y., Brother Luke graduated from Christian Brothers Academy in that city and received his bachelor’s, master’s and a licentiate in theology from the Catholic University of America. A member of Manhattan’s faculty since 1955, he served on the college’s Board of Trustees from 1991 through 2002. In addition to his work at Manhattan, he taught at Maryknoll Seminary, St. Mary’s College in California, and De La Salle College in Washington, D.C. He began his teaching career at La Salle Academy in New York City in 1945. He was a past president of the Catholic Theological Society and delegate to the 39th, 40th, 41st and 42nd General Chapters of the De La Salle Christian Brothers.

A prolific writer, Brother Luke served for ten years as the editor of Proceedings of the Catholic Theological Society of America and Proceedings of the Society of Catholic College Teachers of Sacred Doctrine. In addition to numerous articles on theology and religious life, he authored ten books, most of them dealing with the history of the De La Salle Christian Brothers, including the biography of the founder, St. John Baptist de La Salle, entitled The Work is Yours: The Life of Saint John Baptist de La Salle. In retirement, he served as the archivist for the De La Salle Christian Brothers archives of the New York District.

A wake will be held in the Chapel of the Holy Infancy, Memorial Hall, on Friday, September 4, from 3:00 to 9:00 p.m. His funeral Mass will be celebrated on Saturday at 9:30 a.m. in the Chapel of De La Salle and His Brothers.

Brother Luke was the oldest of eight children born to John and Elizabeth Salm. He is survived by his sisters, Teresa Austin, Alice Moore, Cecilia [Honey] O’Leary; a brother, Marcus Salm; and many nieces and nephews.   

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.

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