Ordinations 2014
Pope Francis said that Jesuits always look toward the horizon with Christ at the center, which “pushes the Society to be searching, creative and generous.” This year, the Society of Jesus welcomes nineteen new priests to work creatively and generously in the vineyard of the Lord. At ordination ceremonies held in June and July at St. Aloysius Church in Spokane, Washington; Church of the Gesu in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Fordham University Church in the Bronx, New York; St. Francis Xavier College Church in St. Louis, Missouri; and Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in San Antonio, Texas, these men were ordained to priestly ministry as companions of Christ and stewards of the vision of St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus. The Society’s Superior General Fr. Adolfo Nicolás, S.J., said, “I am convinced that the key for determining the spiritual health of the Society depends on whether Jesuits continue to have the ability to give absolutely everything to the Lord, as Ignatius did and so many after him till the present day. We are still amazed at the great service and the daring courage of great Jesuits in the past, who did incredible things in the midst of almost impossible odds.” These nineteen men, who hail from around the world, are ready to do incredible things. Their call to priestly ministry is as varied as their hometowns and former occupations, PHOTO: HARISCH STUDIOS but they have one thing in common: a desire to dedicate themselves to the Jesuit mission of serving the Roman Catholic Church where the need is greatest. ON THE COVER: The candidates for ordination prostrate themselves on the floor while those assembled pray the Litany of the Saints.
COVER PHOTO: HARISCH STUDIOS PHOTO: HARISCH STUDIOS
Fr. Joseph Dao, S.J., 38, was born and raised in Vietnam. Even as a young child, Fr. Dao was drawn to the priesthood, pretending to celebrate Mass for his parents when he was only three years old. Before coming to the U.S. as an international student, Fr. Dao studied law, embarked on a journalism career and worked in private business. When he began to discern his vocation to the priesthood, Fr. Dao’s pastor helped inspire an early interest in the Jesuits. At the age of 22, he moved to Long Beach, California, to begin a new journey in the United States. At Santa Ana College, Fr. Dao studied English while
1
working in the school’s cafeteria and actively discerning his call to the Jesuits. In 2000, he entered the Society of Jesus at the Jesuit novitiate in Culver City, California. At Loyola University Chicago, Fr. Dao earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy before being missioned back to Vietnam for a three-year project on behalf of Loyola. In 2010, Fr. Dao served at Loyola High School of Los Angeles, where he worked for the school’s community service program and helped support campus ministry. Missioned next to the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University in Berkeley, California, Fr. Dao earned a Master of Divinity degree while serving as a deacon at Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church in San Jose and Christ the Light Cathedral in Oakland. For nearly two years, his work at Most Holy Trinity has been devoted to teaching a catechism program for autistic students, a life-affirming assignment that has helped him grow in his relationship with God. Following ordination, Fr. Dao will return to Vietnam for pastoral work. (California Province)
Jesuits.org
Fr. Vincent P. Duong, S.J., 38, spent the first 16 years of his life in his native Vietnam, one of six children. When his family immigrated to America in 1992, Fr. Duong didn’t know a word of English and had to quickly adapt after being enrolled in high school in San Diego. After attending community college, Fr. Duong enrolled at San Diego State University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in 2000. Although a vocation was on Fr. Duong’s mind even from an early age, he decided to embark on a career in web development, which he pursued while continuing graduate studies in computer science. When his mother introduced Fr. Duong to a Vietnamese Jesuit, he began several years of discernment and spiritual
The Society of Jesus in the United States
direction, which led to his decision to enter the Society of Jesus in 2003. After two years at the novitiate in Culver City, California, Fr. Duong was missioned to Loyola University Chicago to study philosophy and theology. For his threeyear regency assignment at Bellarmine College Preparatory in San Jose, California, Fr. Duong taught computer science, worked with the school’s campus ministry office and helped students prepare for confirmation. Because he was interested in exploring the global aspect of the Society of Jesus, Fr. Duong asked to be missioned to Regis College, the Jesuit School of Theology at the University of Toronto, for theology studies. There, he earned a Master of Divinity degree while serving as a deacon at a predominantly Vietnamese parish in Toronto and at the Newman Center at the University of Toronto. Among his many memorable formation experiences is a 2010 summer trip to Vietnam, his first visit since leaving his homeland, to provide retreats for Vietnamese nuns and to visit family and friends he had not seen in two decades. This fall, Fr. Duong will return to Regis College to complete a Licentiate in Sacred Theology and a master’s degree in theology. (California Province)
2
Fr. Quentin G. Dupont, S.J., 34, is a native of Lille, in Northern France. Though he earned his undergraduate degree in economics and accounting in 2002 from the Catholic University of Lille, Fr. Dupont was always interested in other cultures and traveled extensively as an exchange student during high school and college. While studying in California at Santa Clara University during his senior year, he became acquainted with the Society of Jesus and was inspired by the Jesuits there to consider a vocation to the priesthood. Although initially interested in pursuing a career in accounting, Fr. Dupont realized that his desire to help others superseded everything else. In 2003, after receiving a master’s degree in finance and banking from the University
3
of Paris, he entered the Jesuit novitiate at Culver City, California. He earned a master’s degree in philosophy at Fordham University in the Bronx, New York, and was next missioned to Bellarmine College Preparatory in San Jose, California, where he taught French and religion for two years. At Seattle University, he served for one year teaching microeconomics and business ethics. In 2011, Fr. Dupont was missioned to the Boston College School of Theology and Ministry, where he earned a Master of Divinity degree and a master’s degree in theology with an emphasis on moral theology. At his request, his diaconate ordination was held in France so that his family could be present, and he was able to preach at his hometown parish the next day. While serving as a deacon at St. Ignatius of Loyola Parish in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, Fr. Dupont was also the chaplain of the Boston College baseball team. He considers his time working with campus ministry in Madagascar, as well as his work with Jesuit Refugee Service in Paris, among the most meaningful experiences of his formation. Following ordination, Fr. Dupont will be missioned to teach finance at Seattle University. (California Province)
Jesuits.org
Fr. Christopher P. Johnson, S.J., 50, was born in Minneapolis and raised in the St. Paul suburbs. Following high school, he studied politics and economics, earning a bachelor’s degree from American University in Washington, D.C., in 1986. Fr. Johnson entered the Jesuit novitiate in St. Paul in August 2004 after a 13-year career in the executive search industry and other professional experience that included service on the executive staff of the Boy Scouts of America and work for a national trade association. After completing the novitiate and taking vows in August 2006, Fr. Johnson studied philosophy, spiritual direction and theology at Fordham University in New York, earning a master’s degree in philosophy and an advanced certificate in spiritual direction in 2009. He was then missioned to teach The Society of Jesus in the United States
philosophy and religion at Creighton Preparatory School in Omaha, Nebraska, for the 2009-2010 school year, and in 2010 he was missioned for one year to teach religion—both Christian and Lakota sacred stories—at Red Cloud High School on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. In 2011, Fr. Johnson began studies at the Boston College School of Theology and Ministry. While completing a Master of Divinity degree, he helped lead retreats for people experiencing homelessness and supported the faith formation programs at St. Mary the Assumption Parish in Revere, Massachusetts. Following ordination as a deacon in the fall of 2013, Fr. Johnson served in preaching and sacramental ministries at St. Mary of the Assumption in Revere and also at Our Lady of Grace Parish in Chelsea-Everett, Massachusetts. Other experiences during his formation have included living as an assistant at L’Arche Daybreak, working in hospital chaplaincy, serving on a mission in northeast India, engaging in language studies in Ecuador, serving on the board of Gesu Housing and working in spiritual and retreat direction. Following ordination, Fr. Johnson will serve in pastoral ministry at St. Francis Mission on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota. (Wisconsin Province) 4
Fr. Isidro Lépez, S.J., 54, grew up in central Mexico, the oldest of eight children in a devoutly Catholic family. At the age of 15, Fr. Lépez and his father moved to Oregon, hoping to create a better life for their family. Fr. Lépez went to work immediately, harvesting fruit as a migrant worker and sending money back to Mexico so the family could be reunited in the United States. Within three years, all 10 members of the family were together in Sunnyside, Washington, and Fr. Lépez was still working in the field during the day while taking English classes at night. When he was 20, Fr. Lépez married, and he and his wife became the proud parents of four sons. The
5
years flew by as Fr. Lépez earned a high school equivalency degree and started taking community college classes at night while working in school maintenance during the day. His job at the school led to a position working with high-risk young people, and he also worked for two years as an AmeriCorps volunteer. After 13 years, the marriage of Fr. Lépez and his wife was annulled. He became active in his parish, teaching CCD classes and directing a program for the Spiritual Exercises, and he began to discern a calling that he had first heard as a young man in Mexico: his dual desire to serve God while working for social justice. In 2004, he entered the Jesuit novitiate in Oregon and spent the next several years studying at Jesuit universities in the U.S. and working at St. Andrew Nativity School in Portland, Oregon. In 2010, he was missioned to the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogotá, Colombia, where he is earning a Licentiate in Sacred Theology and serving as a deacon at St. Alberto Hurtado Parish in Colombia. Following ordination, Fr. Lépez hopes to engage in pastoral work with the Latino community. (Oregon Province)
Jesuits.org
From left to right: Frs. Christopher Schroeder, Derek Vo, Nathan O’Halloran, John Shea, Eric Sundrup and Joseph Dao at the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University, Berkeley, California. The Society of Jesus in the United States
6
7
Jesuits.org
Fr. Robert E. Murphy, S.J., 37, was born and raised just outside of New Orleans. When he was a young boy serving Mass at St. Edward the Confessor Church in his hometown of Metairie, a priest asked Fr. Murphy and the other altar servers if they had ever considered a vocation to religious life. While Fr. Murphy didn’t raise his hand that day, the question was one he kept close to his heart—both at Jesuit High School of New Orleans and, later, as he earned a bachelor’s degree in physical therapy at the University of South Alabama in Mobile. Following his 1999 graduation, Fr. Murphy moved to Laurel, Mississippi, to pursue a career in physical therapy, while also studying at the University of Southern Mississippi to become a certified athletic trainer. Building
The Society of Jesus in the United States
on their experience of working T.E.C. (Teens Encounter Christ) retreats, Fr. Murphy and a close friend started a youth ministry group called FLANK (Forever Loving and Needing the King). Still feeling that something was missing in his life, he spent a year discerning his call to the priesthood before entering the Jesuits in 2003 at the novitiate in Grand Coteau, Louisiana. After taking vows, he was next missioned to Saint Louis University, where he earned a doctor of physical therapy degree while spending a semester at the Jesuit university in El Salvador, honing his Spanish skills and working in a medical clinic. For his regency assignment from 2008 to 2011, Fr. Murphy was missioned to Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas, where he was director of campus ministry, taught theology and Spanish, coached freshman soccer and assisted the athletic training staff. Missioned next to the Boston College School of Theology and Ministry, Fr. Murphy earned both a Master of Divinity degree and a Licentiate in Sacred Theology while working with Boston College athletes as a trainer and serving as a deacon at St. Raphael Church in Medford, Massachusetts. (New Orleans Province)
8
Fr. Nathan W. O’Halloran, S.J., 32, grew up on The Lord’s Ranch, a Catholic lay community founded in 1975 in a small, rural southern New Mexico border town. The son of Catholic missionaries who met and married at The Lord’s Ranch, Fr. O’Halloran and his seven siblings were home-schooled, which provided the opportunity for the children to help milk the cows, feed the livestock and cultivate the vegetables on the working ranch. Frequently, Fr. O’Halloran would cross the border into Mexico for prison ministry and to distribute produce from the ranch to the poor of Juarez. Profoundly influenced by the work of Jesuit Father Richard Thomas, founder of The Lord’s Ranch, Fr. O’Halloran began considering a vocation to the priesthood
9
at an early age, although his vocation to the Society of Jesus remained unclear until later on. After graduating from Franciscan University of Steubenville in Ohio, where Fr. O’Halloran earned bachelor’s degrees in philosophy and theology, he entered the Jesuits in 2003 at the Jesuit novitiate in Grand Coteau, Louisiana. Missioned next to Fordham University in the Bronx, New York, Fr. O’Halloran earned a master’s degree in philosophy in 2008. For his three-year regency assignment, Fr. O’Halloran taught Greek and theology at Jesuit High School of New Orleans while also coaching the school’s Ultimate Frisbee team to the state finals. Fr. O’Halloran was then missioned to the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University in Berkeley, California, where he earned a Master of Divinity degree and a Licentiate in Sacred Theology while also working as a chaplain at an AIDS hospice and serving as a deacon at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Oakland, California. Fr. O’Halloran credits the pro-life work of The Lord’s Ranch with saving the lives of many babies, including his two adopted siblings, Caleb and Rebekah. He hopes to continue this work in his future ministries. (New Orleans Province)
Jesuits.org
Fr. Mario M. Powell, S.J., 32, spent his early childhood in Hawaii before moving to Santa Monica, California, in grade school. Fr. Powell, a convert to Catholicism at age 13, attended St. Monica’s grammar school and first encountered the Jesuits at Loyola High School of Los Angeles. As an undergraduate at Boston College, Fr. Powell was active in leadership and service groups and also participated in speech and debate while earning a bachelor’s degree in history. Initially, he aspired to become a lawyer, but his service work with the poor helped
The Society of Jesus in the United States
to shift his focus away from his own desires to the question of what God was calling him to do. In 2003, he entered the Society of Jesus. After two years as a Jesuit novice, he was missioned to Saint Louis University where he earned a master’s degree in American studies. For his threeyear regency assignment, Fr. Powell taught history and theology at Cheverus High School in Portland, Maine, while founding the Model U.N. Club and coaching the downhill ski team. At the Boston College School of Theology and Ministry, Fr. Powell earned a Master of Divinity degree while serving as a deacon at St. Ignatius of Loyola Parish in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. Throughout his nine months at St. Ignatius Parish, Fr. Powell was challenged and confirmed in his priestly vocation. Following his assignment this summer at the Church of St. Charles Borromeo in Harlem, New York, Fr. Powell will return to the Boston College School of Theology and Ministry to complete a Licentiate in Sacred Theology. (New England Province)
10
Fr. Matthew T. Pyrc, S.J., 50, grew up in Flint, Michigan, one of eight siblings. He earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Franciscan University of Steubenville in Ohio in 1986 and entered the Franciscan order directly after graduation. For five years, Fr. Pyrc went through formation with the Franciscans, studying philosophy and earning a Master of Divinity degree from Regis College at the University of Toronto. In 1991, Fr. Pyrc left the Franciscans, although his desire to be engaged in spirituallyfulfilling work was as strong as ever. He returned to Michigan, where he took a job as a family services worker for four years with Boysville, a Catholic-run group home for troubled youth.
11
Seeking a change, Fr. Pyrc then moved to Washington State, where he worked for the next 10 years with the Spokane Public School System on a dropout prevention program for underserved youth. During this time, he joined St. Aloysius Church in Spokane, where he came to know the Jesuits and became involved in social justice ministry and Ignatian spirituality. During a life-changing trip to Africa in 2004, Fr. Pyrc realized that even though he was doing rewarding work with at-risk youth, he wanted to do something more with his life. Realizing that he was being called to the Society of Jesus, he entered the Jesuits in 2006. After two years at the novitiate in Portland, Oregon, he was next missioned to the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University in Berkeley, California, where he earned a Licentiate in Sacred Theology while also studying culture and Spanish for a year in Colombia at the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana. Missioned next to Seattle University for regency, Fr. Pyrc has worked in campus ministry for three years while serving as a deacon at the Seattle University chapel. (Oregon Province)
Jesuits.org
“Ite Inflammate Omnia” from “A Fire that Kindles Other Fires” —Decree 2 of the Society of Jesus’ General Congregation 35
PHOTO: DORIS YU
Legend has it that Saint Ignatius, when he sent Saint Francis Xavier to the East, told him: “go, set the world alight.” With the birth of the Society of Jesus, a new fire was lit in a changing world. A novel form of religious life came about, not through human enterprise but as a divine initiative. The fire that was set alight then continues to burn in our Jesuit life today, as was said about Saint Alberto Hurtado, “a fire that kindles other fires.” With it, we are called to set all things alight with the love of God.
Fr. Eric R. Ramirez, S.J., 34, grew up in the small west Texas town of San Angelo. Even back in high school, Fr. Ramirez considered a vocation to the priesthood, but it wasn’t until his college years at Angelo State University that he started discerning in earnest. While earning a bachelor’s degree in English and working with the school’s Newman Center, Fr. Ramirez began corresponding with a Jesuit vocation director, Fr. Marvin Kitten, who mailed packets of information about the Society of Jesus to the Ramirez home. Fr. Ramirez was intrigued, but so was his mail carrier, who recognized the return address and handwriting of his Uncle Marvin. Although a spectacular coincidence, it was just another way God seemed to be calling
13
Fr. Ramirez to the Jesuits; he entered the Society in 2002. After the novitiate, Fr. Ramirez was missioned to Loyola University Chicago, where he studied philosophy while earning a master’s degree in English and serving as the chaplain for the men’s volleyball team. For his regency assignment, Fr. Ramirez taught English and theology at Jesuit High School of Tampa while helping with the school’s retreat program and moderating the hockey team and the dad’s club. Always drawn to the global aspect of the Society of Jesus, Fr. Ramirez jumped at the chance to study theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. Arriving in Rome in 2011, not knowing a word of Italian, he quickly embraced the language and culture, earning a bachelor’s degree in sacred theology while also serving as a contributor to The Jesuit Post website. Ordained as a deacon at the Church of the Gesù in Rome, the mother church of the Society of Jesus, Fr. Ramirez has been honored to serve as the Gesù’s master of ceremonies for a number of memorable liturgies, including Pope Francis’ Masses celebrating St. Ignatius’ feast day and the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus. (New Orleans Province)
Jesuits.org
Fr. Michael D. Rozier, S.J., 32, grew up in Ste. Genevieve, Missouri, a town of 4,000 residents the Rozier family has called home for two centuries. As a college student at Saint Louis University, Fr. Rozier first met the Jesuits, and their example would have a tremendous impact on the priestly vocation he had considered as far back as high school. Active in campus liturgies, Fr. Rozier pursued his pre-med studies vigorously, contributing to public health research projects while also playing French horn in the pep band and serving in student government. After he graduated in 2003 with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, Fr. Rozier entered the Jesuit novitiate in St. Paul, Minnesota. Missioned next to Regis College at the University of Toronto, he earned a diploma in philosophical studies
The Society of Jesus in the United States
and spent a semester in El Salvador learning Spanish and engaging in Jesuit ministry. He received a Master of Public Health degree at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore in 2008 and then completed a fivemonth fellowship at the World Health Organization in Geneva. Fr. Rozier was next missioned back to Saint Louis University for two and a half years of regency, where he taught global health and public health ethics. He was instrumental in designing the school’s first undergraduate curriculum in public health. Studying since 2011 at the Boston College School of Theology and Ministry, he earned both a Master of Divinity degree and a Licentiate in Sacred Theology while serving as a deacon at St. Eulalia Parish in Winchester, Massachusetts. While in Boston, Fr. Rozier was a contributor to The Jesuit Post, a website founded by Jesuit scholastics, and completed a fellowship for the study of professional ethics. Following ordination, he will return to Saint Louis University for the summer to serve at St. Francis Xavier College Church before beginning doctoral studies this fall in Ann Arbor, Michigan, at the University of Michigan’s School of Public Health. (Missouri Province)
14
Fr. Samuel J. Sawyer, S.J., 35, spent his early years in Montana but, following the untimely death of his father, the family moved to Pennsylvania where his mother began work at the University of Scranton. From the time he was very young, Fr. Sawyer was surrounded by Jesuits—both at Scranton Preparatory School, where he attended high school, and at the University of Scranton campus. At Boston College, Fr. Sawyer started actively discerning a vocation to the Jesuits. While earning a bachelor’s degree in computer science, he worked with other Jesuit high school alumni to establish Boston College’s longstanding Kairos retreat. Following graduation in 2000, Fr. Sawyer spent a year teaching math and running the computer lab at Baltimore’s St. Ignatius Loyola Academy, a 15
tuition-free, independent Jesuit school for underserved boys. He then returned to Boston as a software engineer for a defense contractor and later worked as an independent software consultant. As a parishioner at St. Ignatius of Loyola Parish in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, Fr. Sawyer’s involvement with the Liturgy Commission and the RCIA group helped convince him that his longtime discernment was coming to an end: He applied to the Jesuits in 2004 and entered the novitiate that summer. Missioned next to Loyola University Chicago, he earned a master’s degree in philosophy and was then assigned to teach philosophy for two years at Loyola University Maryland. Next missioned to the Boston College School of Theology and Ministry, Fr. Sawyer earned a Master of Divinity degree while serving as a deacon at Immaculate Conception Church in Everett, Massachusetts. During his years of formation, he has worked on the Hearts on Fire traveling retreats, accompanied pilgrims at World Youth Day gatherings in Spain and Brazil, served as a chaplain for Loyola University Chicago’s medical school immersion trips and co-founded The Jesuit Post, a popular website examining the intersection of faith and culture. (Maryland Province) Jesuits.org
Fr. Christopher J. Schroeder, S.J., 32, the nephew of a Jesuit brother and two diocesan priests, was born and raised in St. Louis. A product of Catholic education, he attended his local parish grammar school and De Smet Jesuit High School, where he came to know and appreciate Jesuits as teachers, mentors and friends. The Jesuits at De Smet were some of the happiest, most successful people he knew, so after graduating from high school in 2000, Fr. Schroeder headed to Saint Louis University, where he started actively discerning his call to the priesthood. Recognizing very early that his call to the Society of Jesus was so strong that he didn’t want to wait a moment longer, Fr. Schroeder left college after finishing his sophomore year and entered the
The Society of Jesus in the United States
Jesuits in 2002. After two years at the Jesuit novitiate in St. Paul, Minnesota, he returned to Saint Louis University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and humanities and, later, a master’s degree in philosophy. During this time, he also spent five months in El Salvador for intensive Spanish language study and to work for Fe y Alegría, a Jesuit network offering education, training programs and development services primarily in Latin America. It was an unforgettable and soulnourishing experience. For his three-year regency assignment, Fr. Schroeder taught theology at Arrupe Jesuit High School in Denver, where he also directed the school’s Kairos retreat program. Missioned next to the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University in Berkeley, California, Fr. Schroeder earned a Master of Divinity degree while serving as a deacon at San Quentin State Prison. The experience of providing spiritual direction to incarcerated men has been transformative, he says, and has helped fortify his own spiritual life. This summer Fr. Schroeder will serve at St. Martin de Porres Parish in Belize before returning in the fall to Berkeley to finish his Licentiate in Sacred Theology. (Missouri Province)
16
Fr. John F. Shea, S.J., 39, grew up just outside Cleveland in the suburb of Willowick. A product of Catholic education, Fr. Shea attended grammar school at St. Mary Magdalene, high school at Cleveland Benedictine and college at John Carroll University in University Heights, Ohio. Fr. Shea’s time at John Carroll was important not only because he was pursuing his passion for biology but because he was growing in his understanding of the Jesuits, particularly through an impactful eight-day silent retreat in his senior year. Armed with a bachelor’s degree in biology, he headed to The Ohio State University, where he earned a doctorate in evolutionary biology. Active in Ohio State’s Newman Center, Fr. Shea worked with the young adult group and began to discern a vocation to the Jesuits. Three 17
days after handing in his dissertation in 2003, he entered the Society of Jesus. As a novice, Fr. Shea worked with refugee families in San Jose, California, through Catholic Charities and was next missioned to Loyola University Chicago, where he earned a master’s degree in applied philosophy. For his three-year regency assignment, Fr. Shea taught biology and conducted parasitological research at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington. At the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University in Berkeley, California, Fr. Shea earned a Master of Divinity degree while serving as a deacon at the Newman Center at the University of California, Berkeley. As a good number of Berkeley students are studying science, Fr. Shea has enjoyed connecting with them on issues surrounding the intersection of faith and science. In addition to his work at Berkeley, Fr. Shea serves as part of the ministerial team at the Apostleship of the Sea, a Catholic ministry operated out of the Port of Oakland, California, one of the nation’s busiest ports. After ordination, Fr. Shea will spend the summer at St. Isaac Jogues Church in Rapid City, South Dakota, before heading to Omaha, Nebraska, to begin a teaching position this fall at Creighton University. (Chicago-Detroit Province) Jesuits.org
From left to right: (standing) Frs. Samuel Sawyer, Mario Powell, Robert Murphy, Nathan Wendt, Michael Rozier, (seated) Christopher Johnson, Quentin Dupont, Paul Shelton and Thomas Simisky at the Boston College School of Theology and Ministry, Boston. The Society of Jesus in the United States
18
19
Jesuits.org
Fr. Paul J. Shelton, S.J., 33, is a native of Columbus, Ohio, where he attended St. Mary German Village Catholic grammar school and St. Charles Preparatory High School. The Shelton family, headed by Sandy, a single mother, went through periods of financial hardship, but there were many blessings along the way as friends and neighbors were quick to lend a hand. Growing up, Fr. Shelton saw God at work in the people who helped the family through the hard times, and the fatherless boy began to consider a vocation to the priesthood because of the tremendous example and support of the priests in his parish. At Marquette University in Milwaukee, Fr. Shelton studied history and classical languages and, importantly, met the Jesuits for the first time. He started attending daily Mass, was active The Society of Jesus in the United States
in community service and traveled to Haiti, where, like St. Ignatius, he had a cannonball moment regarding his call to the priesthood, though Fr. Shelton’s was brought on by malaria and not an actual cannonball. After graduating from Marquette in 2003 with a bachelor’s degree, he entered the Society of Jesus. Following the novitiate, Fr. Shelton was missioned to Loyola University Chicago, where he earned a master’s degree in social philosophy. For his three-year regency assignment, he taught theology and Latin at Marquette University High School while also coaching cross-country and basketball and working with student government. Missioned next to the Boston College School of Theology and Ministry, he earned both a Master of Divinity degree and a Licentiate in Sacred Theology while serving as a deacon at St. Katharine Drexel Parish in Roxbury, Massachusetts. Last summer, Fr. Shelton traveled to Bolivia for intensive Spanish language studies, and this summer he will continue his language instruction in Mexico. Starting this fall he will be missioned to St. Procopius Church, which serves a predominately Mexican-American congregation in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago. (Wisconsin Province)
20
Fr. Thomas M. Simisky, S.J., 43, grew up in Worcester, Massachusetts, where he attended Assumption College and received a bachelor’s degree in politics in 1992. Following graduation, he served for four years with the Marine Corps as an artillery officer, attaining the rank of captain while stationed at Camp Pendleton, California and deployed to the Persian Gulf. After his military service, Fr. Simisky earned a master’s degree in economics from Boston College while also working as a graduate assistant for the Latin American Studies Program. The experience was transformative because it was the first time Fr. Simisky met
21
the Jesuits and learned the story of a man who would greatly influence his vocation, the former soldier, St. Ignatius of Loyola. For two years while discerning his vocation, Fr. Simisky taught Spanish and coached football at Catholic Memorial High School in Boston before entering the Jesuits in 2003. After the novitiate, Fr. Simisky spent a semester in Bolivia and then two and a half years in Chile for philosophy studies at the university named for Jesuit Saint Alberto Hurtado. For his regency assignment, Fr. Simisky headed to Cheverus High School in Portland, Maine, where he taught theology. Missioned next to the Boston College School of Theology and Ministry, Fr. Simisky earned both a Master of Divinity degree as well as a master’s degree in theology while assisting as a deacon at St. Mary of the Assumption Parish in Brookline, Massachusetts. His 11 years as a Jesuit have included a host of diverse and inspiring experiences, including working with young people and the homeless in Russia, Kyrgyzstan and Jamaica. Following ordination, he will be missioned to Fairfield College Preparatory School in Connecticut. (New England Province)
Jesuits.org
Fr. Eric M. Sundrup, S.J., 33, is a native of Cincinnati. He first encountered the Jesuits as a student at Xavier University in his hometown, where his exposure to Ignatian contemplation and prayer during a sophomore retreat led to a strong desire to leave college and join the Society of Jesus before graduation. Instead, Fr. Sundrup continued his discernment at Xavier, where he was active in service groups and earned a bachelor’s degree in biology before entering the Jesuits in 2003. As a novice, Fr. Sundrup discovered a love of Spanish language and culture during a summer trip to Peru, a passion that has remained throughout his formation. At Loyola University Chicago, he earned a master’s degree in
The Society of Jesus in the United States
philosophy in 2008, and he was later missioned to the Instituto de Idiomas Maryknoll in Cochabamba, Bolivia, for four months of intensive Spanish study followed by a six-month teaching assignment at Colegio Miguel Pro in Tacna, Peru. Missioned next to Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in Chicago, Fr. Sundrup taught biology and also served as a college counselor, where his ability to communicate with students’ parents in their native Spanish was tremendously valuable. For the last three years, he has been studying at the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University in Berkeley, California, where he earned a Master of Divinity degree while serving as a deacon at St. Raymond’s, a bilingual parish in Dublin, California. One of the highlights of Fr. Sundrup’s Jesuit formation has been his work on The Jesuit Post, a website he co-founded in 2012 to discuss the intersection of faith and culture for a young adult audience. The Jesuit Post’s first book was published this year. Following ordination, Fr. Sundrup has been missioned to St. Mary Student Parish at the University of Michigan. (Chicago-Detroit Province)
22
Fr. Derek Vo, S.J., 49, one of 10 siblings, grew up in Vietnam. At 21, seeking to flee the hopelessness of his war-ravaged homeland, he left Vietnam in search of economic opportunity. His quest for a new life took a detour when the boat he was on broke down and he wound up in a refugee camp in Thailand, where he spent the next three years. Arriving in America in 1988, Fr. Vo joined family in Oklahoma and enrolled in college, earning a bachelor’s degree in computer science from the University of Oklahoma in 1994. After several years working in computer science, he took a new job just outside Dallas, where he joined a Christian Life Community and was exposed for the first time to Ignatian spirituality. Although Fr. Vo had considered a vocation to the priesthood when he was
23
young, the events of September 11, 2001, had a profound effect on him. As he watched the Twin Towers fall and feared a similar attack against his hometown, Fr. Vo resolved to live a more meaningful life by serving God. After several years of spiritual direction, he joined the Jesuits in 2003. Following the novitiate, Fr. Vo was missioned to Saint Louis University for philosophy studies. For his three-year regency assignment, he taught math and computer science at Regis Jesuit High School in Aurora, Colorado, while also supervising the school’s photography club. His formation has included three trips back to Vietnam to teach English and philosophy, work with the poor and offer retreats. For the last three years, Fr. Vo has been studying at the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University in Berkeley, California, where he earned a Master of Divinity degree while also serving as a chaplain at San Quentin State Prison. The work at San Quentin was particularly gratifying because it allowed him to encounter “Christ the prisoner” in the men who help him strip away judgment, prejudice and fear to discover gentle forgiveness. Following ordination, he hopes to work in pastoral ministries. (Missouri Province)
Jesuits.org
Fr. Nathan C. Wendt, S.J., 35, is a native of Cleveland, where he attended St. Ignatius High School and first came to know the Jesuits. At Marquette University in Milwaukee, he studied communications with a focus on public relations and marketing, earning a bachelor’s degree in 2001. During his years at Marquette, Fr. Wendt worked with the MU Justice program to promote Ignatian spirituality and social justice issues across Jesuit universities, later serving as the organization’s president. After graduation, he moved to Omaha, Nebraska, to work as a promotions director for a group of radio stations and then moved back to Milwaukee to work in marketing for a manufacturing company. Growing up in a devoutly Catholic PolishAmerican family, Fr. Wendt had considered the priesthood The Society of Jesus in the United States
at various times in his life, but when he began meeting with a spiritual director after college, he discerned that God was calling him to the Jesuits. He entered the novitiate in 2003 and, after two years, was missioned to Loyola University Chicago, where he earned a master’s degree in social philosophy. For his regency assignment, Fr. Wendt worked at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School –Twin Cities in Minneapolis, which provides a Catholic, college preparatory education to underserved urban youth. Fr. Wendt coordinated the school’s workstudy program and helped with client recruitment, retention, assessments and coaching of students. In 2011, Fr. Wendt was missioned to the Boston College School of Theology and Ministry, where he earned both a Master of Divinity degree and a Licentiate in Sacred Theology while serving in the prison chaplaincy program at MCI Cedar Junction, a maximum security prison in Walpole, Massachusetts. During his 11 years of Jesuit formation, Fr. Wendt has had a number of diverse and enriching experiences, including working for a juvenile detention center in Minneapolis and for a federal corrections center in Chicago. Following ordination, Fr. Wendt has been missioned to a pastoral year of ministry at Gesu Catholic Church in Detroit. (Wisconsin Province) 24
From Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel), Pope Francis’ apostolic exhortation
PHOTO: HARISCH STUDIOS
“Being a disciple means being constantly ready to bring the love of Jesus to others, and this can happen unexpectedly and in any place: on the street, in a city square, during work, on a journey.”
Ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam
PHOTO: WENDELL J. LAURENT CHURCH OF THE GESĂ™, ROME
1016 16th Street, NW Washington, DC 20036 The Society of Jesus in the United States
202.462.0400 v 202.328.9212 f www.Jesuits.org