Director gives new energy to campus

By Bobby Philbrook

Though his introduction to the campus community was in the wake of a tragedy, Campus Ministry Director Jack Treacy, S.J., hopes to excite students about faith on campus.

Treacy's entry into campus wasn't easy. Within the first weeks of school, he had to comfort the community following the death of a student. "To be in a university community when a young person dies, it's out of the natural order of life," Treacy said. "It's hard, and there's no other way to put it."

Treacy said he has some new organizational emphasis for Campus Ministry. He hopes to focus on developing student leadership in a campus ministry intern program and to help students find a personal relationship with Campus Ministry.

"The heart of campus ministry is the relationships with individuals," Traecy said.

A Santa Clara graduate, Treacy switched jobs with former Campus Ministry Director Mario Prietto, S.J. Prietto is now the rector for the Jesuit community at University of San Francisco. Traecy was rector at USF for six years prior to coming to Santa Clara.

Traecy entered Santa Clara as a business major in 1973 expecting to "get some skills and go on to find a job," he said.

Treacy graduated in 1977 and after a brief stint living in London and working as an international flight attendant, joined the Jesuit Order the following year.

He credits his time at Santa Clara as playing a "huge role" in his vocational discernment.

"It was really during my time at Santa Clara that I grew into my faith. I think it was coming to get to know the Jesuits or just watching them," said Treacy. "Just sensing how they lived their lives, I experienced them as a group of men of great faith, great intelligence, who were living lives of purpose and meaning."

Treacy is the youngest of five children. His hometown is San Diego, but his father was a career naval officer and Treacy spent his childhood moving around, and at one point lived in Athens, Greece.

"I think I'm at ease moving among different groups because of my upbringing," Treacy said.

Treacy lives on the 11th floor of Swig.

"It's important for me to have a sense of the rhythm of campus. Because Swig is largely a first-year student residence hall it offers me the opportunity to get to know people in the beginning of their time at Santa Clara," Treacy said.

His room is on the same floor as the Sky Lounge and he says he meets a lot of students in elevators.

Treacy didn't work with students during his time at USF, but he still managed to make a connection.

"He was one of the favorite presiders at the student masses," said John Savard, S.J., the executive director of University Ministry at USF. Savard added that his former colleague "has a real way of preaching, that connects with lots of students."

Treacy keeps up his close ties with the Jesuit community, having lunch and going to mass at the Jesuit Residence.

His commitment to forming meaningful bonds with students has already impressed some of the interns in the Campus Ministry offices. John Michael Reyes, a sophomore intern, liked Treacy's light-hearted approach to building a ministry team.

"His collaboration with the professional and student ministers, resulting in hard-core teamwork, has been, in my eyes, a hallmark of who he is," said Reyes.

Savard said Treacy's character could be summed up by the fact that, even years after he served as a campus minister at Seattle University, former students will still ask about him when they see Savard.

"Not often does someone make such an impact in such a short time. He's a personality. He's bigger than life," Savard said.

"Even though his main focus here was the Jesuit community, he kept his ear to the ground and made an impression on students."

Treacy hopes to continue build community. "There are so many commitments and opportunities for students each day," Treacy said. "We must attend to them not just in frenzied action but coming from a place of prayer and bonding."

Contact Bobby Philbrook at (408) 554-4546 or rphilbrook@scu.edu.