Anthony Joseph Parel (July 10, 1926 – November 28, 2025)

Anthony Joseph Parel passed away in Calgary on November 28, 2025, at the age of 99. He is profoundly missed by his family, including his daughters, Tara Wilson and Kamala Parel-Nuttall (Evan); his grandchildren, Aidan Wilson, Asher Wilson, Caleb Nuttall, Sasha Nuttall, Jacob Strickland, and Aaron Strickland; his surviving brothers, Matthew Parel (Leah) and Kuriakose Parel, and sister Elsy Jacob (Gerry); as well as colleagues, students, friends, and relatives in India, Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom. He was predeceased by his beloved wife of 53 years, Rolande. Anthony was born in Kerala, India in 1926 into the ancient St. Thomas Christian community. After graduating from Sacred Heart College, Thevara, he joined the Society of Jesus in 1947. This was followed by higher studies in the Humanities, Philosophy, and Theology. In 1963, he received a Doctorate in Political Science from Harvard University. From 1964-1966 he was posted in Rome and reported for the Vatican Radio on the proceedings of the Second Vatican Council. Concurrently, he was an adjunct professor of Modern Asian History at Universita Urbaniana. In 1966 he accepted a position in the Department of Political Science, University of Calgary, where he taught until retirement in 1994. He became a Canadian citizen in 1973. Anthony was also a visiting professor at the University of British Columbia, Liverpool Hope University, Concordia University, and a visiting lecturer in the Faculty of Divinity, University of Cambridge. A life member of Clare Hall, University of Cambridge, in retirement he continued to be active in academic research and publishing. Anthony devoted his active life to promoting the idea that universal human wellbeing depends upon peace among states and religions – a peace resulting ultimately from a working harmony between the pursuit of legitimate political and economic interests, the practice of universally valid ethical principles, the pursuit of pleasure, and spiritual transcendence. Among his political writings are The Political Calculus: Essays on Machiavelli’s Philosophy; The Calgary Aquinas Studies; The Machiavellian Cosmos; Gandhi: Hind Swaraj and other Writings; Gandhi’s Philosophy and the Quest for Harmony; The Cambridge Companion to Gandhi, co-edited with Judith Brown; and Pax Gandhiana. Anthony was a member of several academic organizations, including the Canadian Political Science Association, the American Political Science Association, and the Conference for the Study of Political Thought. An active member of the Evergreen hiking club of Calgary for several years, he was also the founding president of the Gandhi Society of Calgary.

A Memorial Service will be held at 1 pm. at St. Pius X Catholic Church, 2424 24 Ave NW, Calgary, AB T2M 2C6 on December 22, 2025.

The family wishes to express our deepest thanks to the doctors, nurses, and volunteers at the Agape Hospice, Calgary for their kind and compassionate care.
A tree will be planted at Fish Creek Park Provincial Park.