This article is one of a series of articles on vocational discernment at Notre Dame.  This week, the Rover interviewed Father Jim King, CSC, Religious Superior of Holy Cross Priests and Brothers at Notre Dame and Director of Campus Ministry.  He served as rector of Sorin College for seven years and has held a number of other roles at Notre Dame since his ordination in 1988.

 

Irish Rover: How would you describe vocation in a general sense?

Fr. King: There is a line in our Holy Cross Constitutions that says, “Wherever we work we assist others not only to recognize and develop their own gifts but to discover the deepest longing in their lives.”  Father John Dunne spoke of it as “the heart’s desire.”  I think St. Augustine would say it is union with God, but it all means the same.

What does your vocation entail here at Notre Dame?  How do you live out your vocation as the Director of Campus Ministry?

Helping people to find their deepest longing.

What is your personal vocation story?  What intermediary steps lead you to where you are now?

When I was a junior Father George Rozum [CSC] asked me if I would sing in the Alumni Hall Mass choir and I said, “But Father, I don’t sing well.”  He said, “Yes, but if you sing, everybody will sing.”  How’s that for a vote of confidence from your rector?!  But I started singing, and after twenty-six years of practice I usually manage to hit most of the right notes on “Through him, with him, and in him…”

I hadn’t served in church since I was an altar boy in seventh grade, which was also the last time I’d seriously thought about being a priest.  It got me thinking again.  I think Fr. George was being very sneaky, but it worked.

What lead you to Notre Dame specifically?

On my fourth birthday, my father took my nine-year old cousin to the Notre Dame-Navy game instead of me.  I never forgave him and resolved then to show him he’d made a mistake.

Did you ever seriously consider another vocation or career?

I wanted to be the third baseman for the White Sox until I was eight and had my first vocation crisis when I found out I couldn’t hit a beach ball with a bat.  Then I wanted to be mayor of Chicago but discovered in college that I didn’t want to spend a good chunk of the rest of my life going to lousy chicken dinners begging for money and votes—and found myself enjoying Mass a lot more.

What is the most fulfilling part of your vocation?

Dealing with other people.

What is the most challenging part of your vocation?

Dealing with other people.

Do you have any advice for young people discerning their vocation?

The year he was ordained, Father Tom Doyle [CSC] wrote the best advice I ever heard: “If I had to do it all over again, I’d replace every minute I spent worrying about it with prayer.”

You used to be the vocation director for Holy Cross.  What was your biggest success?

When I was his rector, I tried three times to get the current rector and deacon of Keough to come to our annual vocation night, and each time he made up some lame excuse and begged off.  But he didn’t get away.  He used to enjoy making fun of my homilies.  I guess the shoe is on the other foot now.

Michael Infantine is a sophomore and can be contacted at minfanti@nd.edu.