A FAREWELL SONG FOR FR. JIM GOEKE, SJ

By Charisse Broderick King DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

Fr. Jim Goeke, SJ has a lot of wonderful memories of his six years at Regis Jesuit, but the one that stands out is when he decided to sing Unwritten, a song by Natasha Bedingfield about releasing fear and being open to the life unfolding in front of you, during his homily for the Class of 2019 Girls Division Baccalaureate Mass. “I had first heard the song when waiting out a lightning delay with the Girls Soccer team earlier that spring,” he recalls, “and the words stuck with me as I was preparing my homily for that Mass. I was debating whether to sing but decided to take the chance.” The gamble paid off as an impromptu, and very moving, singalong broke out with all the girls joining Fr. Goeke in singing the refrain.

Being willing to be vulnerable is one of the reasons Fr. Goeke is so beloved—he seeks authentic relationship with everyone he encounters. And his openness has endeared him to our community, especially to the students. When Fr. Goeke joined our community in 2017, it had been 24 years since he had been in a high school classroom. “I thought I would be a ‘high school Jesuit,’” he recalls. He taught math at St. Louis University High School, his alma mater, during his formation as a Jesuit and for five years following his ordination, but then was missioned to serve in a variety of other works including at a parish, as a hospital chaplain and as assistant novice director.

Returning to the classroom after such a long hiatus wasn’t without its challenges. “Previously, I had taught honors level math courses to upperclassmen, so in those first weeks, my expectations of what freshmen in Algebra I were capable of were not realistic,” he recalls. In response, Goeke did what comes naturally to him—made himself vulnerable, first to his colleagues in the Math Department from whom he sought counsel, then to his students. At the advice of his mentor teacher, Spencer Wagner, Goeke asked his students to complete a non-anonymous survey of how the class was going and what they needed from him, which he committed to use to adjust his approach and recast his expectations. He recalls, “They were brutally honest, and it was the beginning of a much better relationship.”

That kind of relationship-building is what we will miss most about Fr. Goeke, who has also served as the superior of our Jesuit Community and a member of the Board of Trustees. Well, that and his incredible fandom of all things Raider athletics and activities. Fr. Jim will continue to serve on the RJ Board as he moves west to his new role as minister of the community at the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley. He will manage the practical aspects of that community of about 50 Jesuits, helping to mentor them in their final stage of formation prior to ordination, a role he is very well-suited to play. So, we send him forth with love and this reminder: “Live your life with arms wide open. Today is where your book begins.The rest is still unwritten.”

Fr. Goeke shares his talents and passions as a faith leader, educator and Raider fan.

Four years ago, MaryKate Berg '23 had never even heard of field hockey. She was about to begin her freshman year at Regis Jesuit and her mom signed her up for a field hockey beginners' camp hosted by RJ. MaryKate recalls thinking, “How can you play hockey on a field? Don't you need ice?”

Now she has two State Championship rings and has signed to play field hockey at Davidson College in North Carolina. From freshman year to senior, she went from not knowing a single rule of the game to becoming one of the most talented goalies in the state. But when she describes her tenure as a Raider, she notes the true value of her experience is not defined by victories or accolades.

“The whole foundation of our sports teams is to grow and be better women,” MaryKate says.

Winning two state titles in four years is not the story of every Raider athlete, but the formation provided in practice, competition and service is the leading narrative on every RJ team.

Zion Taylor ’23, a runner on the Boys Track & Field and Boys Cross Country teams shares how the positive team atmosphere made him grow as a person. “I learned how to be myself and how to find God in everything,” he says.

These themes are evident on every field and court the Raiders play or practice on, and that is by design. As one of our four Bold Moves in the Inspire & Ignite 2025 Strategic Plan, Regis Jesuit is committed to growing our athletics programs as conduits for mission and leadership. This means reorienting athletic programs around mission and leadership, establishing principles to guide athletic participation as well as expanding, upgrading and making more equitable athletic facilities. About two-thirds of all our students participate in one or more sports, and their experiences are a top priority for the school.

“Our athletic programs serve to animate our mission,” says Todd Schuler, Athletic Director. “We continue to build a more positive culture and focus on formation.”

The foundation for personal and faith formation on our sports teams is built into the infrastructure of our athletic programming, but the coaches are where the rubber meets the road, or maybe where the cleat hits the turf. Raider coaches are out there with our athletes before and after school, on weekend away games and on service opportunities.

“We hope to instill the values of integrity, character, compassion, sportsmanship, servant leadership, and teamwork,” says Boys Soccer Coach and Theology teacher Rick Wolf. “From classroom behavior, to grades, to participation in leadership roles, the soccer boys are impressive. We demand excellence and they respond in spades.”