Newest Jesuit Chaplain Reflects on Life at Holy Cross and His Work With Students

Even after two years at Holy Cross, Rev. Gregory Lynch, S.J., assistant chaplain, is still talking about his  “new” job as exciting.

It’s a graduation of sorts for him. Before arriving at Mount St. James, Fr. Lynch was a high school history teacher and assistant swim coach at Creighton Preparatory in Omaha, and says he was looking forward to working with older students.

“I enjoy working with college students,” he says. “I’m able to laugh with them and walk on their journey with them at the same time, whereas that is more difficult to do as a high school teacher.”

BACKGROUND Fr. Lynch graduated Creighton University in 1991, and was ordained as a Jesuit priest in 2003. A member of the Wisconsin Province, he also holds degrees from Gonzaga University and Weston Jesuit School of Theology.

HIS ROLES AT HOLY CROSS Fr. Lynch serves as the moderator of Pax Christi, the H.A.Y.E.S. Retreat, and the Religious Education program, in which Holy Cross students facilitate CCD (religious instruction) classes in local parishes for grade school through high school students. He helps with the Spiritual Exercises retreat program and helps serve the sacramental and liturgical needs of the College community. Fr. Lynch is also a support person for the teaching fellows at Nativity School of Worcester, a group which includes several Holy Cross graduates.

IMPRESSION OF HOLY CROSS STUDENTS “By engaging in rigorous academic studies, Holy Cross students have demonstrated their willingness to gain a better understanding of the world. Their passions and desires move them to respond effectively to the challenges facing our society. They are a joy to be around.”

FAVORITE PART OF THE JOB “What’s nice about Holy Cross is that there are only 2,800 students and you really get to know the students well, and see how committed they are. I’ve seen how they want to move out of themselves and contribute back responsibly to society. In our office, the students take leadership positions by facilitating many of our groups and programs. You can see the fire in their eyes as they lead the groups.”

HOLY CROSS’ SPECIAL MISSION “I don’t think I can be at an institution that couldn’t talk about God, and I don’t think our students could either. It’s such a beautiful thing for them to be able to explore the question of God — who God is to them, what God is for them — and to see them take that seriously. We got back from Spiritual Exercises recently. We had 35 students in silence for five days, exploring their relationship with God. That’s incredible.”

Related Information:

* Chaplains' Office

March 11, 2010|nm