Fr. Rick Malloy, SJ

Fr. Rick "Mugs" Malloy, S.J., Ph.D. is currently the Vice President for University Ministries at The University of Scranton.

A beautiful Labor Day at Chapman Lake outside of Scranton, PA. The picnic for University employees is in full swing. I notice Pat Leahy, the University of Scranton’s executive vice president, with his two small boys, Jack age six and Brian, four, coming over to where I’m casting a lure in hopes of hooking a Bass.  The kids are all excited, expecting me to catch one on every cast.  President Scott Pilarz, S.J., had jokingly told me these kids are wild men, wanted by law enforcement in more than two states. But as many kids do, they are calm and attentive as I fish.  Soon I’m letting them reel in the lure, but the fish aren’t biting.

Pat tells me he’s taken the boys fishing several times, but they have never caught a fish. I tell Pat I know a place that is magic, where the kids are guaranteed to get dozens of big bluegills.

The next Saturday, it’s 72 degrees, sunny powder blue sky with a few puffy white clouds, sheer perfection in Northeast Pennsylvania. Pat and the boys meet me and we drive out to the small house of an alum of the University of Scranton, a doctor who has spent years treating patients in the area. Near his house is a “fire pond,” a small body of water that the firemen can pump water from if needed. The Doc has always generously allowed me to fish the pond.  He’s more than happy to allow Pat and his mighty midgets a crack at the fish.

Jack’s Zebco 202 Spiderman rod has hook and worm on in seconds. He makes his first cast and a blue gill as big as a softball smacks it, dragging the bobber underwater and almost yanking Jack off the dock.  Jack yells with delight as he reels in his first fish. For the next two hours the kid keeps pulling in the squirming fish, and releasing them back into the pond. The highlight is when a 14 inch Bass latches on to Jack’s line. Pat and I watch to make sure he doesn’t fall in the water while fighting the fish. Brian has caught a dozen fish, but is now more interested in digging in the big pile of dirt next to the water. Pat himself takes a try at fishing with a rubber worm, a slightly more difficult fishing feat, and soon has gotten several big Bass. Next week, Jack takes a picture of his big Bass to “show and tell” in kindergarten. He tells his school buddies it was “the best day of his life.”

I’ve had many good times in my life as a Jesuit, and fishing with Pat and his boys was one of those unpredictable great days that constantly occur in Jesuit life. Before I entered the Society, I had no idea how many people come into a Jesuit’s life to support and sustain one in this vocation. Pat is in the Ignatian Colleagues Program, a demanding set of academic, spiritual and service oriented exercises that introduce laymen and laywomen into the joys and challenges of Ignatian Spirituality. Colleagues in ministry are what make Jesuit works so full of life and energy and hope. People like Pat support and sustain me in my labors for the Lord. As a Jesuit, I’ve always found people willing to share their lives with me as we together work for God’s kingdom. My biggest frustration in life is not having time to keep up with all the wonderful people and families who have welcomed me into their lives and homes in my years as a Jesuit. It is such friends in the Lord both within and beyond the Society who make me the Jesuit I am. I hope guys thinking of entering hear often about all the people who love and support us as Jesuits.  Some even take a Jesuit fishing!

The last time Jesus was here he appeared to a bunch of guys on a fishing trip. John 21: You can look it up.  Whenever I’m fishing, I’m just looking for Jesus.  As Collin Quinn used to say on Saturday Night Live, “That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.”