Person DS/UK/470 Gits; Alexander Charles (1887-1982); Jesuit Priest Gits Alexander Charles 1887-1982 Jesuit Priest Male Born 26 February 1887 York. Entered the English Province of the Society of Jesus 1 February 1910. Ordained as a Roman Catholic priest 20 February 1921. Final Vows in the Society of Jesus 2 February 1929. Died 18 November 1982 Glasgow.

Fr Alexander Gits SJ was born in York on February 26, 1887, and died on November 18, 1982. He was one of four brothers in his family, and he grew up in a good catholic family and had holy pictures in every room in his family home. Gits’ father was originally from a Flemish background and his mother was of Italian origin but were both born in London. His family moved from York to Forest Hill to Scarborough. He later moved to Exeter where he had to join a protestant school with his brothers and had a taste of persecution because of his faith where he suffered from inferiority complex. His brother frank also seemed to begin his Jesuit career when they reached St Mary’s. Gits joined the novitiate at Roehampton on February 1, 1910, and followed the usual life of a Jesuit. He taught at Stonyhurst for a year and a half and then continued to teach for another year at St Michael’s college in Leeds and followed the usual course at St Beuno’s. He then became a priest later at a Parish in Sacred Heart in Leeds. Furthermore, entered his tertianship in 1926-1927 in Tullamore in Ireland. He was able to serve at St Helens from 1927-1932, St Aloysius’, Garnethill from 1932-1935, St Walburge’s, Preston from 1935-1937 and at Loyola Hall, Rainhill from 1937-1939. From 1939 to 1949, he was on a retreat mission at St Gabriel’s, Harborne, Birmingham. He returned to St Helen’s in 1944 to 1948 and then he worked at another retreat for a year in Sunderland. He went to Glasgow in 1949 where he remained for the rest of his life at St Aloysius’, Garnethill. From 1950 to 1965, he was a Spiritual Father at the college and for the parish men. As FR Gits was seen as a spiritual father, he privately encouraged his devotion to the Sacred Heart and to Our Blessed Lady as he issued holy pictures and pamphlets. He tried to take on the poorest district in the parish but eventually had to give up. He also moved to a parish in the West End in London but did not stay there either as he was seen to be too vocal. However, he was still seen as a saint by many. Member of the English Province of the Society of Jesus Catalogus Defunctorum 1970-1985 (Society of Jesus). Obituary in Letters and Notices Vol 85 Easter 1983 pp 237-242. National Council on Archives, Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997 Yes Archives 28/09/2010 CURIA\mallen 17/08/2023 c54f96c8-c10f-45bf-baa4-d3352cef1de5