Fairfield Jesuit Appointed By The Superior General

The Father General of the Society of Jesus, Adolfo Nicolas, S.J., has appointed the Rev. Paul Holland, S.J., to serve as the new rector of the Fairfield Jesuit Community. His appointment will take effect this summer. The appointment will follow the six-year term of the Rev. Walter J. Conlan, S.J. “Skipp,” as he is best known in the Fairfield community, who will com­plete his term as rector of the Fairfield community at the end of July. After a period of sabbatical, Fr. Conlan – who spent many years as a Jesuit serving in Brazil – is hoping to be sent to Africa to work in Mozambique.

During his years at Fairfield, Fr. Conlan has been a much-loved figure on the University campus, and guided the Jesuit Community through the process of designing and inhabiting the new Jesuit Community Center at the base of Bellarmine lawn, which was completed and occupied in December 2009.

“We will all miss Fr. Conlan,” said University President Jeffrey P. von Arx, S.J., “but of course, he has a lasting legacy in the new Jesuit Community Center. It was his vision that conceived the design process for this beautiful building and helped to realize it as the environmentally sustainable build­ing that it is.” “I’m very proud of the work that we did together as a community on the new Community Center,” Fr. Conlan said. “It is a wonderful asset for our campus that will help the Jesuits interact with our colleagues, students, and friends at the University, the Prep, and the surrounding region.”

Fr. Holland, has been rector of the Jesuit Community and director of the Campion Center in Weston, Mass., since January 2005. Prior to that, he served for eight years as pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas parish at the University of Connecticut in Storrs, where he reorganized campus ministry. From 1989 to 1996, he served as associate chap­lain and instructor of religious studies at Fairfield University.

Link (here) to the Fairfield website to read the full release.