Bazinet, Father John
1963, January 31
Date of Birth: 1900, August 22
John L. Bazinet was born in Glens Falls, New York, on August 22, 1900. His early education was in Glens Falls from 1906 to 1915. In 1915-1916 he attended St. Joseph’s Seminary in Three Rivers, Canada. In 1918 he became an undergraduate student at Columbia University in New York City. In the R.O.T.C. there he attained the rank of sergeant major. After two years at Columbia he entered St. Charles College in Catonsville, Maryland in 1920. He remained there until 1923 when he went to St. Joseph’s Seminary, Dunwoodie, in the Archdiocese of New York, to study for the Diocese of Albany. He earned his B.A. there; but, attracted to St. Sulpice, for his Theology he went to the Sulpician Seminary (now Theological College) at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. In 1928 he achieved his S.T.B. He was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Albany on May 25, 1929, with an M.A. from The Catholic University of America.
In 1929-1930 Father Bazinet was in the Solitude in Catonsville, Maryland. After Solitude, for the year 1930-1931 he taught at St. Charles College in Catonsville. The following two years he taught Apologetics at St. Mary’s Seminary, Paca Street. He earned his S.T.L. there in 1933.
Father Bazinet’s next two years were spent at the Angelicum in Rome in higher studies. On his return to the United States he taught apologetics, Scripture, and Patrology at the Sulpician Seminary in Washington, D.C. from 1935 to 1937. In the latter year he came to St. Mary’s Seminary, Roland Park, to teach Apologetics and Dogma. In 1944 he became Vice-rector of St. Mary’s Seminary, Roland Park.
Father Bazinet’s zeal for applied apologetics – without lessening his involvement in seminary activity – led him to certain activities outside the seminary. He was very active in combatting Communism and promoting interfaith exploration. He was also concerned with justice and was delegated by Archbishop Keough of Baltimore to institute labor-discussion groups in the parishes of the archdiocese. Failing health required his giving up his activities both in and out of the seminary. He died on January 31, 1963.
Adapted from The Voice and from Father Bazinet’s “Personal Data” sheet.