Fr. Kitten taught me so much about life, love, and mercy. This story is by David Thies. Here are 3 short stories of his fatherly love that come to mind.

1. I remember meeting him at 9pm at Loyola University New Orleans my freshman year. He consistently said the Monday 9PM mass. I often attended this mass because I had no where else to go or friends to be with. Fr. Kitten always welcomed me and made me feel special. His simple straight forward preaching was always beautiful. It was such a great way to end the day.

2. On a few occasions Fr. Kitten brought me with him in to a New Orleans women’s prison to play music while he said mass. He had me dress up as a priest so I could get through security without the back ground check. It was beautiful to watch him say mass in the prison and then stay for hours to hear confessions and just be present to the women. He was not in a rush while at the prison. He faithfully said the mass and met with those that wanted to talk if they were catholic or not.

3. Fr. Kitten would often say mass at Our Lady of Prompt Succor on State St. on Saturday mornings. He often would invite me to come and serve as an altar server. (See attached picture). The mass was always beautiful and a great way to start the weekend. Fr. Kitten always invited me to lunch after the mass. I looked forward to those Saturday mornings so much because I was very home sick and being around Fr. Kitten was like being around family. I also looked forward to the lunch afterward because I was literally quite poor and hungry and the meals with the Jesuits were always nice.

Fr. Kitten is one of the best priests I have ever known. Though he was a vocation director he never pressured me to consider the priesthood. His life style and ministry was enough to make the vocation of priest so inspiring and a desire of my heart worth pursuing.

Fr. Kitten loved me as a son.

I called him Father not because that was his title. He was my spiritual father. He loved with the heart of a father. I am honored to have been his son.
Sent from my iPhone

Here are the memorial letter and funeral arrangements for Marvin Kitten:

Jesuits USA Central and Southern Province
PLEASE POST
January 14, 2016
Dear Brothers:
Father Marvin C. Kitten, S.J. was called to eternal life on January 12, 2016, at Opelousas General Hospital in Opelousas, LA. He was 84 years old, a Jesuit for 62 years and a priest for 50 years.
The son and grandson of cotton farmers, he was born in Slaton, TX on March 13, 1931. He attended St. Joseph’s grade school in Slaton and Cooper Rural High in Lubbock, TX, where he was one of three Catholics, graduating in 1948. He earned a B.S. in Mathematics (1952) at Texas Technological College in Lubbock. He entered the Society on July 30, 1953 at St. Charles College in Grand Coteau, LA. Following First Vows he studied humanities in Grand Coteau and philosophy at Spring Hill College in Mobile, AL, earning his M.A. in philosophy in 1959. His regency was at Jesuit High in New Orleans (1959-62) and his theology studies were at St. Mary’s College in St. Marys, KS (1962-66) from which he received the S.T.B. in 1967. He was ordained to the priesthood on June 7, 1965 at St. Joseph’s Church in Mobile, AL. He made Tertianship at the Jesuit Martyrs Shrine in Auriesville, NY and pronounced his final vows on February 2, 1971 at Jesuit College Preparatory in Dallas, TX.
Following Tertianship, Marvin spent the next 12 years at Jesuit College Preparatory in Dallas (1967-79) first as a teacher of theology, then as counselor. He then was missioned to Strake Jesuit College Prep in Houston as a counselor (1979-85). In both high schools, he was tremendously effective in his work with the students. When the New Orleans Provincial, Edmundo Rodríguez, S.J., received a request from St. Mary’s Parish Student Center in College Station, TX for a Jesuit who could assist with their campus ministry at Texas A&M, he made what he later called “probably one of the best long-range decisions that I have made as provincial” and sent Marvin to College Station. Marvin’s ministry there (1986-91) was hugely successful. He was beloved by the students, many of whom stayed in touch with him for the remainder of his life. Not incidentally, there are a number of Jesuits in this province today who trace their vocations back to his influence there.
Marvin was a natural as vocation director and served in that capacity for the New Orleans Province for 16 years (1991-2007). He became a legend for his quick responses to inquiries, his immediate sending of material, and his attentive follow up. He always enjoyed surprising inquirers when they learned that he was in his 70s but still as enthusiastic and energetic as he had ever been. While he was always eager and happy to invite men to Jesuit life, he saw his role as one not of recruiting but of helping with discernment. When his time as vocation director came to an end, after a sabbatical, he became part of the campus ministry team at Spring Hill College in Mobile in 2008. Once again, he connected easily with students and staff, even as he moved into his 80s. This fall, after celebrating his Golden Jubilee as a priest, due to
fragile health following surgery, he was missioned to the St. Alphonsus Rodríguez Pavilion in Grand Coteau.
There is no way that a letter such as this can do justice or attempt to describe the many and varied ways that Marvin’s ministry touched people over the years. As an extrovert standing 6’3”, he was truly larger than life. He had the gift of making each person feel special and, given his remarkable memory, he was able to retain and recall many details about people even after many years. He had prodigious energy; when he began working at St. Mary’s and was told that the average working day went from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m., he did not even blink and often was available at other times as well. No one can recall ever finding him too busy to pay attention. He was a gifted teacher, one who could make things easily understandable and interesting. The heart of his approach might be summed up in his own words: “You don’t sit in a closed environment and ring the bell and think that they’re going to come to you. You meet them where they are. And if you have a vision that’s attractive, chances are they’ll notice it.” And notice it they did.
Marvin is preceded in death by his parents, August A. Kitten and Helen Strube Kitten; his brothers, Wilfred, A.J., and Calvin Kitten. He is survived by his brother Clarence H. Kitten, as well as by nieces and nephews. Letters of condolence can be sent to
Clarence H. Kitten
19426 F.M. 41
Slaton, TX 79364.
Arrangements are as follows:
Visitation: Saturday, January 23, 2016
10:00 a.m., St. Charles College Chapel
Funeral Mass: Saturday, January 23, 2016
11:00 a.m.
St. Charles College Chapel
Grand Coteau, Louisiana
Burial: Jesuit Cemetery, St. Charles College
Following the Funeral Mass
We remember with gratitude all that God has done through Marvin’s life of service to God and God’s people. All members of the USA Central and Southern Province are to offer a Mass for him. Members of the St. Charles College community are to offer an additional Mass.
Sincerely in Christ,
John F. Armstrong, S.J.
Socius