By TARA CONNOLLY Staff writer
Father James Greenfield made his way through a thick blanket of fog obscuring DeSales University, Center Valley April 4 for his inauguration and brought along his father, an unwavering devotion to his alma mater and stirring words from Martin Luther King (MLK) Jr.
Father Greenfield, who is the first alumnus of the university to serve as president, began his inauguration day by concelebrating a Mass of Missioning in the University Center with more than 600 brother priests, faithful and supporters.
Bishop of Allentown Alfred Schlert and Bishop William Francis Malooly of Wilmington, Delaware were principal celebrants at the Mass that entrusted Father Greenfield with the mission of DeSales, which was established in 1961 as Allentown College of St. Francis de Sales.
“At DeSales, our educational enterprise is at the nexus of faith and reason. And, like the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, we need to invite Jesus into our lives to get the full picture,” said Father Greenfield in his homily.
He then called to mind MLK on the 50th anniversary of his assassination and reiterated the civil rights leader’s contention that the function of education is to teach one to think intensively and critically.
“Martin Luther King believed intelligence plus character – is the goal of true education,’” said Father Greenfield.
Being inaugurated during the Easter Octave, he reflected on the Easter Gospels and noted that they do not start out very happily with the women going to the tomb to anoint the dead body of Jesus, the Apostles cowering behind locked doors in fear, Mary Magdalene weeping at the tomb, and Thomas clinging to his doubts.
“But the rest of the Gospels are about looking for God right in front of you … like the two on the Emmaus road who did not recognize him,” he said.
“Easter joy is an indescribable thing. As are love, peace, and hope. As are fear and death. As is heaven. Easter is always bad news before it is good news,” stressed Father Greenfield.
After the homily, Father Kenneth McKenna, Provincial of the Toledo-Detroit Province of the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales, led the ceremonial Missioning of the President and placed the mission of DeSales – to provide men and women with quality higher education according to the philosophy of Christian humanism – in the hands of Father Greenfield.
Before the faithful and supporters departed and the fog lifted, the new president offered gratitude and proudly introduced his father, Thomas Greenfield, with his well-known sense of humor.
“This is my father, ‘Bud,’ and since that’s his name – that makes me ‘Bud Light,’” joked Father Greenfield.
Father Greenfield Calls for Pursuit of Beauty and Truth at Inauguration Ceremony
His sense of humor followed him to the afternoon inauguration ceremony in Billera Hall, where he spoke about his deep honor to be presented for service and ministry as the fourth president of DeSales University.
“Today is a momentous occasion for all of us here in Center Valley … our local Giant will start selling beer and wine,” Father Greenfield said to the crowd exceeding 1,000.
He then went on to share personal memories of his alma mater, which he graduated from in 1984 and was then called Allentown College of St. Francis de Sales.
“Commencing my first weeks as president in early January, I came here early morning to work out. I realized this is a different place from the 15-year-old undergraduate school named Allentown College of St. Francis de Sales that I remembered as a student,” he said.
“Back then, Billera Hall was not even open that early – and there was no such thing as a fitness center – just a room with free weights. And from the looks of me I was not using them.”
In the school’s 54-year history, he pointed out that the school has changed dramatically, as has the world and higher education.
Along with the cost of college in the United States skyrocketing from an average of $18,500 in 2000 to almost $39,000 in 2015, Father Greenfield said it is morally imperative that he and faculty make sure every dollar parents and their young adult children spend on an education here at DeSales is worth their investment.
Part of their investment will also yield the Salesian mission that is the centerpiece of DeSales.
“Our hope for all of our students is that they fall in love with the ultimate beauty who is God … we need to give beauty back. This is the beauty of social justice – loving and serving others, especially those in need,” said Father Greenfield.
“Higher education in the Salesian tradition connects the pursuit of truth and a commitment to the teachings of the Catholic Church. It is especially committed to a Christian humanism that reverences every aspect of human experience as being capable of enlightenment by the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
Urging students, faithful and supporters to honor MLK, Father Greenfield asked them to continue to forward his legacy by boldly asking God to deepen their commitment to follow his will wherever it leads in the cause of promoting justice.
“This is why we cannot be silent to the social issues of our time on this campus. A primary skill we at DeSales teach each other is the discipline of dialogue,” he maintained.
Facing a future shrouded in cynicism, Father Greenfield spoke directly to the students.
“The education you receive here at DeSales University provides you with an extraordinary opportunity to reimagine the right road to take into your future. You can be the change our world needs at this present moment,” he stressed.
Closing his speech by calling DeSales a “home” that holds students, faculty, staff and alumni together, he repeated these words from the Book of Solomon that inspired St. Francis de Sales: “I have taken hold, and I will not let go.”
“He believed that our God grasps our hearts and souls in love and will never abandon us. My prayer is that we never forget we are held in such a divine embrace – and may we never let go of the ultimate beauty who is God, the master craftsman, in whose image we are fashioned, and who invites us each day to be who we are and be that well,” said Father Greenfield.
Who is Father Greenfield?
Father James Greenfield previously served as provincial of the Wilmington-Philadelphia Province of the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales for 10 years, leading 145 priests, brothers and seminarians who serve along the east coast.
He has been a member of the board at DeSales for nearly 15 years. He is the first alumnus of the university to serve as president.
Previously Father Greenfield was an adjunct lecturer at George Washington University, The Catholic University of America and the former Washington Theological Union, all in Washington, D.C., where he taught required courses in human development.
Father Greenfield serves on the board at Salesianum School, where he is chair, and Nativity Preparatory School, both in Wilmington, Delaware. He is also a trustee on the board of Father Judge High School and Cristo Rey Philadelphia High School, both in Philadelphia.
In 2013 he was elected to serve a three-year term as president of the Conference of Major Superiors of Men (CMSM), representing the nation’s 17,000 priests and brothers who are members of religious orders.
Father Greenfield earned his bachelor’s degree in politics (1984) at DeSales University, a master of divinity degree (1990) at the DeSales School of Theology, and a master’s degree in counseling (1992) and a doctoral degree in human development (1998) at George Washington University. He was ordained in 1990.
He is also a certified pastoral counselor and author of a number of articles on religious life, life-long faith formation, and the intersection of spirituality and human development.
The board of trustees of DeSales elected him as the university’s fourth president on March 16, 2017.
Father Greenfield began his tenure Jan. 1, 2018, succeeding the retiring Oblate Father Bernard O’Connor, who had served as president since 1999.
Presidents of DeSales University
- Oblate Father J. Stuart Dooling, 1964-78
- Oblate Father Daniel Gambet, 1978-99
- Oblate Father Bernard O’Connor, 1999-2017
- Dr. Gerard Joyce (Interim), 2017
- Oblate Father James Greenfield, 2018-present
