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Five priests begin chaplaincy at diocesan high schools
By Ambria Hammel, ahammel@catholicsun.org
August 21, 2008
After years spent studying in seminaries, five priests found themselves back in high school this month.
These five priests are the first batch of chaplains officially assigned to each of the diocesan high schools.
“I try to focus on helping young people understand who they are as young Catholic men and women,” said Fr. Michael Goodyear, who also served as Notre Dame Preparatory’s chaplain last year.
Last school year, Fr. Goodyear led a regular discussion group on vocations and building the virtues needed to carry them out.
“Hopefully, the end result is that their Catholic faith is not something that they ‘do,’ but something that they ‘are’ and that gives them meaning,” Fr. Goodyear said. He’ll be around three days a week.
Each chaplain ensures the campus’ spiritual mission and Catholic identity. The priest will also plan and celebrate liturgies, reconciliation and retreats for the students in addition to his regular priestly duties.
Fr. Paul Sullivan, assistant director of vocations for the diocese and the new chaplain at St. Mary’s High School, will gladly stick around after daily Mass as long as his schedule permits. He hopes to be there up to four mornings per week talking with the students.
“That’s the big thing: building those relationships,” Fr. Sullivan said. “Like any ministry, it has to happen in relationships.”
He knows it takes time for young people to build trust. Fr. Sullivan often visited classrooms when he was parochial vicar at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Glendale last year.
The St. Mary’s chaplain plans to build relationships by regularly visiting theology and other classes. He also looks forward to interacting with the students in the stands during sporting events.
“It will be nice to have a team of my own to cheer for,” said Fr. Sullivan, who likes watching football and basketball.
Fr. Eugene Florea and Fr. John Muir also plan to get to know their students at sporting events.
“I’m really looking forward to praying before games, to drawing out the spiritual side of sports,” Fr. Muir said. The Xavier College Preparatory chaplain wants the students to give the best of themselves before every meet or game as a way of glorifying God through physical sacrifice.
Fr. Florea hopes to do the same for Bourgade Catholic High School students. He’ll offer an early morning Mass for various sports teams in addition to weekly liturgies.
Outside of the sacraments, Fr. Florea expects to unlock the religious vocation he suspects many young men have but don’t realize. The Lord will outline the rest of his job duties, Fr. Florea said, but basically the chaplain is “to be around and available and visible.”
Having a chaplain available helped Eric Francisco when he was a student. The campus minister for Seton Catholic High School in Chandler looks forward to working with Fr. Kilian McCaffrey, who will offer daily Mass for the Sentinels.
“He reminds me of my chaplain in college and how I was able to approach him on vocation and spiritual matters,” Francisco said.
He hopes the students are able to do the same with Fr. McCaffrey.
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