After 62 years of teaching, the Rev. Norbert Burns has decided to formally retire from UD.

Burns, 82, who had been suffering from physical ailments for the last two years, made his decision after cancelling his Christian Marriage class for the first time ever due to illness.

'I decided that I would rather walk out on a high than have them carry me out,' he said. 'When I walk into a classroom, I need to be at my best.'

Burns says he is still feeling weak after recovering from the illness, but intends to finish the semester strong. His current section of Christian Marriage, which has a record-breaking number of students at 112, will officially end April 24. It has consistently been one of the most popular elective classes. Burns has taught more than 27,000 students, about one-third of all UD alumni.

Although he officially retired 11 years ago, Burns has continued to teach the popular class at the request of the administration.

'They threw me a nice party and said, 'Don't you want to keep teaching''? Burns recalled. 'And I said, 'Yes, I do.''

Burns is retiring from the classroom, but not from life. After his career ends as a professor, he intends to stay on campus to work with A.J. and Joan Wagner, who work with active students looking to get a deeper involvement with their spirituality in the Marianist mission.

'The Wagners are focusing on bringing people together and having a deeper understanding of their faith and relationship with God,' Burns said. 'I told them I was at their disposal.'

Burns was ordained a Marianist priest in 1953 after obtaining a Bachelor of Arts degree from UD in 1945. After traveling abroad and doing post-graduate, doctoral and post-doctoral work on counseling and marriage counseling in Rome and Switzerland, Burns returned to UD in 1964. In between classes, he hosted a call-in radio show, 'Challenge of Modern Day Marriage,' for 25 years.

'From my experience, I encourage everyone to do two things,' Burns said. 'Identify under the grace of God who you are, and do the best you can with that grace to be everything you can. The bottom line: in God, friendship.'

Burns said that teaching so many students has broadened his horizons and challenged his fixed ideas.

'Thirty years ago, half of the students in my class were engaged,' he said. 'People got much more serious and deeper sooner than they seem to now. There is a focus now on self and self-identity, and I have tried to cater my class to that.'

Although he will be dearly missed by the UD community, Burns says he has no regrets about retiring and is ready to move on.

'I always wanted to spend my life in the classroom, and by the grace of God I've been able to do so,' he said. 'It's been a great life.'

The university will host a public reception for Burns April 15 to celebrate his years at UD. Burns would like to invite anyone who is interested to attend the reception.