Falk, Charles

1971, February 25

Date of Birth: 1899, December 29

Charles Falk was born on December 29, 1899, in Evansville, Indiana. His early education, from 1904 to 1912, was in the public and parochial schools of Evansville. In 1912 he entered Evansville High School. He graduated in 1916. In March 1918, he enrolled in the college department of St. Patrick’s Seminary in San Francisco, California. He entered the major seminary department of St. Patrick’s in 1920. He was there for his Philosophy and for his first year of Theology. In 1923 he was assigned to the North American College in Rome. He received his S.T.B. there in 1924 and his S.T.L. in 1925. Ordained to the priesthood on December 19, 1925, he remained in Rome until June 1926, when he received his D.D.

On his return to the United States, Father Falk was ill in St. Agnes Hospital in Baltimore from September 1926 to January 1927. He then taught at St. Charles College in Catonsville, Maryland. He remained in Catonsville the next year, 1927-1928, to make his Solitude. In 1928 he went to St. Patrick’s Seminary to teach Philosophy and Theology.

His illness, identified as tuberculosis, recurred in 1930 and again put him in the hospital in San Diego, California. In 1931, with problems of faith, he resigned from the Society of St. Sulpice and attempted marriage. He taught Education at San Diego State College for some years. Some weeks before his death he returned to the Church. He died on February 25, 1971.

Adapted from Father Falk’s “Personal Data” sheet and from other data supplied by Father John Bowen.