A Good, Good, Good Legacy of Service and Presence: Revs. Ray Allender, S.J., and Greg Goethals, S.J.

At St. Ignatius College Prep, we celebrate the last Sunday of the liturgical year—the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe—by conferring the Christ the King Award. It is the highest honor the school can bestow upon an alum. The recipient is someone who has "distinguished themselves in their profession, demonstrated a commitment to the S.I. community, and best exemplifies the ideal of service to God and others. This year’s honoree, Rev. Ray Allender, S.J., is a man who has time and again “risen up to the best ideals of being an Ignatian.”

“It is the most important decision the St. Ignatius Alumni Board makes each year,” said S.I. Alumni Director Tom Hsieh ’83. After attending both the Mass and the reception that followed, I understand why. At the gathering, an alumni parent told me that she and her husband come to the Christ the King celebration every year because it’s important to honor a person during their lifetime. “Sadly, I go to many funerals where we remember someone after they’re gone,” she said. “But this event gives us a chance to say, ‘Thank you. I love you.’” Her wise words stayed with me—made all the more poignant when, on Monday morning, I learned that Rev. Greg Goethals, S.J., had died. Greg retired as President of Loyola High School in June; he was 70 years old.

Greg would not have received SI's Christ the King Award because he was a member of Loyola High's class of 1973. His leadership during his tenure at SI however, was quite distinguished. As written by SI President, Joe Vollert, "He served as a rector, teacher, campus minister, counselor, chair of the Board of Trustees, and as the Superior of SI's Jesuit community. His lasting gift to SI was to start and fund the Adult Spirituality Program, a gift to so many of us today."

I came to SI in the Fall of 2003. I immediately found a home in this large and vibrant community thanks to the work of Adult Spirituality. As written on our website, 

St. Ignatius’ Office of Adult Spirituality provides a spiritual formation program for faculty, staff and parents rooted in the Jesuit and Ignatian tradition and grounded in the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. 

The future fidelity and commitment to the Ignatian charism and the Mission and Identity of Jesuit Secondary Education depends on the formation of our Ignatian Partners. Those partners, “are willing to deepen their own Ignatian spirituality and assume greater responsibility for the institution’s Jesuit Identity. ” (Responding to the Call of Christ: Provincials Letter, 2008).

SI, like every Catholic school, has a mission. As an apostolate of the Society of Jesus, our mission is shared with Jesuit schools throughout the world. As an educator in a Jesuit secondary school, I am called to bring that mission to life—in the classroom, on the field, and as a Catholic witness. I firmly believe that if we do not abide by our mission, we should close our doors. Our lived mission is a gift to students, their families, and the community we serve.

The Office of Adult Spirituality seeks to form and inform educators in this mission. We do this through faculty retreats, ministry mornings, Ignatian evenings, Advent and Lenten lunches and in offering the Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola. New teachers attend formation sessions during their first five years in the community and  retreats with other Jesuit educators. All are invited to apply for grants to make a personal retreat. Truly, I am not only the teacher I am today but the person I am because of what Greg brought to SI. This office has been a spiritual home for me and my colleagues, enriching not only our lives but, by extension, the faith and spiritual experiences of our students.

I sent Father Greg a Christmas card every year for the past fifteen years. After three years at another school, I returned to SI to work in the Office of Adult Spirituality; I could NOT wait to share the good news in that seasonal greeting. I will admit, part of me enjoyed sending those cards because I just loved receiving a card from him. I would catch a glimpse of that Crane's paper, replete with the return address of 1901 Venice Boulevard, Los Angeles, California 90006 and await the beauty inside. Anyone that knew Greg is aware that he enjoyed the finer things in life—his stationery was just one example of that.

We taught together in the Religious Studies Department. After he left S.I., the next time I saw him was at the Ignatian Family Teach-In in Fort Benning, Georgia. We stood for a few hours at an outdoor prayer vigil, reciting the names of the Jesuit martyrs, their housekeeper, and her daughter in a solemn call and response. It was freezing cold, and the mood was appropriately somber. Greg made his way over to our group to say hello, and that’s when I noticed his Burberry plaid wool scarf. I won’t mince words—a high-end designer scarf wasn’t exactly typical for that gathering and yet, I had to comment on it. We laughed. He loved it as much as I did. That memory is a great snapshot of Greg. He was present—he showed up and did so with style—his style.

But my most meaningful encounter—and memory—of Greg occurred in June 2010. My mom and I took a mother/daughter road trip down Highway One to visit Hearst Castle and two Presidential museums. Along the way, we stopped in Santa Barbara for the night. We decided to go to the Ritz Carlton for an afternoon cocktail and snack. Who did we run into at the bar  but Greg and his lovely cousin. Our time together was so spirited, I can recall our conversation fifteen years later and the photo here reminds me of that.

If you go on Greg's Facebook page, all you will see are photos of him with family, friends, colleagues, former students, other Jesuits...oh and Barbara Streisand.

This is an important memory for me because what I didn't know at the time is that two short weeks later, my life would change dramatically. I was running and my heart underwent an extensive episode of ventricular tachycardia. Call my lucky or call me blessed, but, the fact that I survived is still difficult to think about today. I spent a week in the hospital and was implanted with an ICD. Somehow, Greg caught word and reached out with prayers and warm wishes. He didn't forget. Six months later he added a personal note on his Christmas card, recalling our time together and inquiring about my health.

Greg was energetic and enthusiastic. Forever on the go, he gave you his undivided attention— even if was for just a minute. He listened intently and would bring the conversation to a close with the words "good, good good." The last time I saw him was at the funeral of Tony Sauer, SJ. I had hoped to see him in August at the mass of remembrance for Eddie Reese, SJ but he may have been traveling as part of his sabbatical. I always thought we would have more time to connect and catch up, laugh, reminisce and remember. This is where death has its sting. It also reminds us to celebrate each other when we can and where we can with our presence, time and our talents.

RS Dept circa 2005

For some reason, I have never been to the Christ the King celebration. I attended on Sunday as the representative from the Office of Adult Spirituality. I was happy to do so because I got to know Father Ray when I was a parishioner at St. Agnes in the Haight. I knew he was beloved and I have always thought he has a wonderful voice—a gift for a preacher. I left that gathering believing what the alumni association pitched was true: Fr. Ray Allender ’62 – "a Jesuit who has facilitated spiritual curiosity, connected parishes across San Francisco to the Ignatian tradition, and fundamentally changed our school forever." 

What might have made the greatest impression on me was what I saw transpire during the Mass. Yes, the homily—given by Mario Prietto, SJ was tremendous, the music was remarkable, and I loved the procession of past honorees. The CTK medal is just regal, accented by red and blue ribbon. SI's communications department put together and outstanding video that chronicled the life of Ray past and present. But it was the nearly 400 people in the church—attentive, smiling, clapping and standing time and again in support, gratitude and love for this  Jesuit priest, pastor, educator and spiritual director that expanded my heart and left me truly inspired.  Indeed, the gathering was what an alumni parent said, "a true tonic for the times."

Furthermore, I served as a eucharistic minister. I finished from my post on the side of the church and moved to the center aisle; Ray was sitting in the front row, right side. The line should have been double—but it became a singular affair as the congregation wanted to touch, hug and reach out to Father Ray before communion. I've never seen anything quite like it and yet I understood it completely. 

Whether it be in life or in death, it is a gift for US to celebrate those men and women who lead by service to others, who show up time and again in places likely and in places unexpected. Greg's death was sudden, and still— I have a feeling that when Saint Peter saw him, there's only one thing he could have said, "good, good, good!" Eternal rest, grant unto Him, O Lord and may perpetual light shine upon him! And continued blessings to you, Father Ray. We are so grateful for your presence.

Photo Credits
CTK photos
Greg Goethals Loyola