Name: Fr. Gerry Olinger, C.S.C.
Hometown: Springfield, PA
Assignment at UP: Vice President for University Relations and pastoral resident in Schoenfeldt Hall
Years as a C.S.C.: 13 years (entered August 2004; Final Vows August 2009; Ordained to the Priesthood April 2010)
Favorite Scripture Passage: 1 Kings 19:11-13
The Lord said [to Elijah], “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave [to meet the Lord].
We often think of God speaking in grand and very clear ways. Certainly, God did so when He spoke to Moses on Mt. Horeb through the great wind, earthquake, and fire. But at other times, God speaks to us in more subtle ways, through the “gentle whisper” or still, small voice as God does when He speaks to Elijah on that same mountain. It is important that we remain open to both of these ways that God speaks to us. I have found in my own life and religious vocation that God often speaks to me in more subtle ways than I expect, but it is no less of a calling than those who hear God in the more expected ways.
Favorite Saint: St. Thomas More, patron saint of attorneys. I discovered that I was born on the feast day of St. Thomas (June 22) when I was in law school. Throughout his life, St. Thomas served in a number of prestigious positions, including Lord Chancellor of England. Despite these positions of great influence, he dedicated himself to courageous self-awareness and the conviction of the Holy Spirit so that he might serve God and others well—not himself. He recognized the temporality of his fame and position here on earth and instead committed to serving the Lord and fighting for the truth. Ultimately, he died as a martyr rather than swear an oath to the king that he did not believe in.
How did you know you wanted to be a priest? I first thought about being a priest in middle school. I was an altar server at my home parish and ended up by myself in the church after serving an early Mass. I was standing in front of a statue of the Blessed Mother, thinking about what God was calling me to. Out of nowhere, a woman appeared and told me, “You’ll make a wonderful priest.” I do not know where she came from or where she went to, but, from that moment, the priesthood was something that I thought about. I would like to say that I embraced this call, but I spent a good deal of high school and college trying to avoid a religious vocation and denying any interest in the priesthood if anyone asked. It wasn’t until law school that I realized this desire was not going away and that I needed to do something about it. That is when I read the passage above about the prophet Elijah. I began to realize that God had been calling me for a long time—in both clear and subtle ways—and that I needed to explore the question of a religious vocation more seriously. I decided to apply for the seminary during my last year of law school and have found a great deal of peace and joy in my life as a Holy Cross religious and priest.
What made you choose the Congregation of Holy Cross?
I was introduced to the Congregation of Holy Cross as a first-year student at the University of Notre Dame. While I had great relationships with the priests who served at my home parish and the religious at my Catholic high school, there was something different about the Holy Cross religious. I was drawn to the way that they lived, prayed, and ministered as a community. While there were differences among the various members, there was an intentionality about their community life that was very significant to me. I was also attracted to the way that Holy Cross served in higher education. I very much liked the fact that they lived among the students and were committed to the formation of minds and hearts.
What are your hobbies? Running (which I recently took up again), hiking, biking, reading, and golf.
What is your favorite thing about UP? There are too many to name, but one of my favorites is the tradition of weekday Masses in the halls. Each week, there is a rotation of Masses in each of the residence halls on campus. The Schoenfeldt Hall Mass is on Wednesday nights at 10:15 p.m., and we typically have 60+ students in attendance. The choir is all student-led, as are all the ministries for the Mass (readers, servers, eucharistic ministers, etc.). It is a beautiful time for the hall community to come together mid-week and give thanks to God for the blessings in our lives.
What is one way you see God’s light in everyday life? Through the community at the University of Portland. I am blessed to minister as a pastoral resident in Schoenfeldt Hall and to walk with our students through times of grace and blessings as well as times of the cross. I see so much hope and commitment to others in our students. I also experience God’s light through the faculty and staff at the University who are committed to UP's mission and encourage me to work with zeal in my own ministry each day. Finally, I see the light of God through the alumni, friends, and benefactors of the University. One of my favorite holiday traditions on The Bluff is the lighting of the Christmas tree in the Bauccio Commons hosted by ASUP. I love the symbolism of light in that ceremony and at this time of year. Light has a guiding power, showing us where we have been and where we are going. Light brings hope to darkness and illuminates the good around us, even when circumstances seem bleak. Light unifies us, as we are drawn to the light in each other’s lives and work together to spread light in the world with service and goodwill. In much the same way, the members of this community are a cherished light for UP.
