Our man in S.F.

January 11, 2011 in General, News

dgodfrey_01Perceptive readers will have noticed that the report on Declan Deane’s funeral in California, USA, was from Donal Godfrey; they may wonder what this Cork-born Jesuit is doing in the land of the Lotus Eaters. It is a good moment to ask the question. For the last three years he has been Executive Director of University Ministry in the Jesuit Univesity of San Francisco. This has taken him to lobby politicians in Washington DC on behalf of a Human Rights Campaign; and it has brought him to Istanbul (pictured here) with an Interfaith delegation of church, civic and academic leaders. He has just stepped down from the director’s job to devote himself as the only full-time priest doing pastoral and sacramental work in the chaplaincy of the university. What does this entail? Take a deep breath and read more.Donal’s  new work  has him developing  Ignatian Spirituality on campus for students, faculty and staff; this includes putting on Ignatian Retreats,  including a silent one, giving workshops on Ignatian spirituaity, being spiritual director to faculty and students, being chaplain to the Law School, and working pastorally with graduates.

Among other things Donal recently welcomed Sr Helen Prejean of Dead Man Walking fame to the University. In his new role the University of San Francisco asked Donal  to continue his work  with the Catholic gay community, at the university, at the parish of Most Holy Redeemer,  and also nationally. In this regard  recently Donal gave workshops at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco as part of the Gay Pride Day celebrations and also at the Jesuit University of St Joseph’s in Philadelphia. For this work Donal was  featured in an interview in the Polish daily Gazeta and a Mexican Jesuit magazine, see: http://www.magis.iteso.mx/node/465