▁In ▁ 1 9 3 3 , ▁L on er gan ▁was ▁sent ▁for ▁the ological ▁studies ▁at ▁the ▁Pont ific al ▁Greg or ian ▁University ▁in ▁Rome . ▁He ▁was ▁ord ained ▁to ▁the ▁Catholic ▁priest hood ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 6 . ▁After ▁a ▁year ▁of ▁Jes uit ▁formation ▁(" ter ti ans hip ") ▁in ▁Am iens , ▁France , ▁L on er gan ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁Greg or ian ▁University ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 7 ▁to ▁purs ue ▁doctor al ▁studies ▁in ▁the ology . ▁Due ▁to ▁the ▁Second ▁World ▁War , ▁he ▁was ▁wh isk ed ▁out ▁of ▁Italy ▁and ▁back ▁to ▁Canada ▁in ▁May , ▁ 1 9 4 0 , ▁just ▁two ▁days ▁before ▁the ▁scheduled ▁defence ▁of ▁his ▁doctor al ▁dis sert ation . ▁He ▁began ▁teaching ▁the ology ▁at ▁College ▁de ▁l ' Im mac ule e ▁Con ception , ▁the ▁Jes uit ▁the ology ▁fac ulty ▁in ▁Montreal ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 0 , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁Thomas ▁More ▁Institute ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 5 - 4 6 . ▁In ▁the ▁event , ▁he ▁would ▁not ▁formally ▁defend ▁his ▁dis sert ation ▁and ▁receive ▁his ▁doctor ate ▁until ▁a ▁special ▁board ▁of ▁exam in ers ▁from ▁the ▁Im mac ule e ▁Con ception ▁was ▁conven ed ▁in ▁Montreal ▁on ▁December ▁ 2 3 , ▁ 1 9 4 6 . ▁ ▁L on er gan ▁taught ▁the ology ▁at ▁Reg is ▁College ▁from ▁ 1 9 4 7