Fr. Richard M. Mackowski, SJ, died Sept. 10 at Colombiere Center in Clarkston. He is survived by numerous siblings, nieces, and nephews.

A native to the Midwest, Fr. Mackowski was born May 19, 1929, in Detroit to Martin and Helen (Borowski) Mackowski. After graduating from the University of Detroit High School, he entered the Society of Jesus on July 24, 1948, at Milford, Ohio. He was ordained a priest June 15, 1961 at Colombiere College, Clarkston, and made final vows June 30, 1977.

He spent many years of his life teaching, including as professor of Greek and Biblical Archaeology at the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Jerusalem (1968-73). While in Jerusalem, he spent time as a tour guide. Fr. Mackowski treasured dearly his role as a director of tours of biblical lands. Beginning while he was a doctoral student in Jerusalem, and continuing during vacation periods during his long satay in Rome, Fr. Mackowski led over 325 tours of biblical locations. His secret was not only the meticulous care with his he planned each trip, but also his efforts to make each stop along the way meaningful and explain scriptural texts referring to each stop on the tours. It was hard work because he did not take a tour group to a site he had not previously researched and visited himself.

Following a time in Rome, Fr. Mackowski continued his service in teaching as professor of theology at Loyola University Chicago (1975-78); professor of Greek, Latin, Hebrew, and Archaeology at the Gregorian in Rome (1980-87); adjunct professor at the Gregorian (1988-99); emeritus professor at the Gregorian (1999-2002); and a visiting professor at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit (2007-10). Fr. Mackowski was also a writer, and for a year, was director of the Loyola University Chicago Rome Center.