Editor’s Note: Trish McGahan was invited to have lunch with Father Allen and tour the Jesuit Residence on campus during Jesuit Awareness Week.
In this week’s edition of Lifestyles of the Rich(in spirit) and the Famous(on campus), the often overlooked and somewhat hidden lives of the Jesuit priests of Fairfield University will be revealed.
If the gates to heaven are supposed to be pearly white, the gates to this heaven are a little different. Upon entering, visitors pass thorough wrought-iron gates leading to the Fairfield University Jesuit Community located on Barlow Road.
The exterior of the building is a cross between Loyola Hall, The Westport Inn and a retirement community in West Palm but it was what was behind the doors that interested me.
Prior to my tour of the Jesuit residence, I thought for sure I would come across one of two scenarios once inside. Either it would be dark and all the Jesuits would be dressed alike, chanting prayers, fasting for days and living like medieval monks or they would be as close to the boys floor in Jogues as you could get-complete with kegs in the shower, late night pizza delivery and of course, a big screen TV where they sit for hours playing the new Grand Theft Auto on Playstation.
Much to my dismay, neither of these situations was close to the truth. The Jesuits are just like ordinary people. I was lucky enough to be given a tour by Fr. Charles Allen and even he is just like us.
Our first stop on the tour was the cafeteria to have lunch, a far cry from Barone. The choices were roast beef and roasted red peppers on foccacia bread, vegetable lasagna, salad bar and Fr. Allen’s favorite, New England Clam Chowder.
The dining room was warm and elegant with dark mahogany tables and chair, blue placemats on all the tables with silverware already set out for you.
Floor to ceiling windows lined the back of the dining room, beautiful paintings by Fr. Joe Trinkell, deceased, lined the walls, and comfortable couches and chairs were set aside as a place for the Jesuits to sit and reflect and maybe read the paper with their morning coffee.
I was reminded that the Jesuits are, in fact, people and not superior spiritual beings. As Fr. Allen was enjoying his favorite chowder out of an oversized coffee mug that read, “Make it a Kahlua,” I couldn’t help but think that he might fit in quite well at dinner at my house.
As we toured the rest of the residence, it was filled with the warmth that it exuded while still remaining elegant and serene. Everyone I passed smiled and said hello and while I felt somewhat awkward at first being a guest there, everyone made me feel welcome.
The bottom floor is lined with offices and conference rooms complete with a bulletin board announcing happenings and news.
The Jesuits have a nightly mass and there is a chapel within the residence home. The other end of the bottom floor, as well as the top floor, are the living quarters of the priests, which Fr. Allen told me are the size of a typical dorm room with a small living area.
The Jesuits at Fairfield truly value the sense of community within the priesthood on campus. Although Fr. Jeffrey von Arx, university president, lives at the President’s house adjacent to the university, he still considers the St. Ignatius house his community and spends time at the residence during meals, masses and social events.
“Before dinner there is a mass and after dinner many Jesuits get together for a drink and socialize for a half hour or so,” said von Arx , who while at Fordham lived in a residence hall. “The Jesuit community is a place for meetings, social events and faith sharing groups among other things.”
When my lunch and tour were over, I realized that the Jesuit community is nothing mysterious.
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