The Saint

Story by Opinion Editor Zoebelle Bean

His name is Father Jordan Deguire and he’s ready to rock the campus- spiritually, of course. If you haven’t met him yet, (which is frankly fairly unlikely at this point), Father Jordan is a bright-eyed, brown-haired fellow who walks around amiably in a white alb.

           Delaney Lovely, a freshman, and Allison Kaatz, a sophomore, agree that he has a “welcoming presence” and “he has something for everyone.”

           After finishing at the Central Dominican Province in St. Louis, Aquinas is Father Jordan’s first assignment as a fully ordained priest. His new office, located on the third floor of the Academic Building leading into the bell tower, is decked out in pins from various universities, a Friends pillow side-by-side with a The Office pillow, as well as more furniture than the room itself can bear.

           As Father Jordan once remarked, “You can tell this used to be a storage closet. I don’t know where to put all these chairs!”

           Though the room did indeed used to be considered a storage space, Father has settled in quite nicely. The room is open and cheery, and the door is always wide open for students to peek their heads into for a short talk. And boy, is Father ready to talk.

           He presided during Aquinas’ first mass of the year, the “Welcome Back” mass for all new freshmen, and his Homily was profound and thought-provoking. With a Father Mike Schmitz-like air of enthusiasm for the Word and a clear keen eye for details, Father Jordan presented the Chapel with an interpretation of Matthew 15:21-28.

He began by discussing how the reading felt uneasy since Jesus usually grants wishes, but instead he ignores a pleading woman. However, he related the reading to how he didn’t turn the woman away but instead was seeking her faith, how salvation can come only through making something new out of what came before. Since Jesus is traveling in this chapter, he is weary and uneasy, just as the incoming freshmen are. Thus, Father Jordan urged these newcomers to trust as Jesus did- to embrace the “Tyre and Sidon” journey and make way in this new territory, finding true faith in others just as Jesus did with the woman.

According to freshman Ava Koester, “The Homily made me and my friend cry. It was really touching!”

This year is bound to be a fantastic one for the entire campus with Father Jordan’s wise words and encouragement for each and every one of us.

Image Courtesy of Aquinas College