Inside, “The Hub,” there are five different offices. In the fourth office, sits a new staff member who envisions a campus of unity through service, spirit, and community. Father John Grace sees himself as just another freshman at Siena Heights University (SHU).  But this new priest is far from ordinary; his history makes him much more interesting.  

Born in New York City, Grace was the oldest of six children raised in a military family. His father became a Private in the Marine Corps after World War II, so Grace never lived in the same house more than four years. In spite of this, his family strived to keep a strong relationship with their faith. According to Grace, “Growing up in the Catholic Church brought a sense of community wherever we went. The church was involved with everything around me. My parents were involved, my friends were involved. Being involved in the church was a part of life for my family and all the families around us.”

Grace is known for his innovation and having a powerful impact. While in college, he got involved in retreats and service projects. He helped his alma mater host the first Special Olympics in Southern Indiana. After graduating with a history degree, Grace moved to Hawaii and found a job as a truck driver. While there, he noticed many problems with how employees were treated and decided to do something about it. He got involved with the Union and helped make positive changes to the warehouse. Doing this helped Grace realize what he wanted to do with his life; he wanted to bring people hope through Christ.

Grace decided to move back to Southern Indiana and join the seminary. “It’s the hope that Christ is, hope is what God has for every human. There is so much pain out there, people need hope.” Grace was ordained at 26 yrs. old, and by 31 he was the head of his own parish. Grace became involved with the young adults of his parish and ended up directing campus ministry at James Madison University for sixteen years. He also did some outreach work with the University and had a ministry for two years in Chicago.

When Virginia Tech reached out to him on April 17, 2007 and asked him to minister in the wake of the tragedy that had taken place the day before, Grace willingly agreed. His goal was to help Virginia Tech become known for something other than tragic massacre that had just occurred.  

He was slightly nervous walking onto a campus in shock, but was ready to work. The university knew him from his reputation at James Madison and welcomed him with open arms. “The fact that I came on my free will showed the students I wanted to be there instead of being forced.” This motivated the students, and according to Grace, “If you have motivated students, you can do anything.”

Grace considered it a milestone when a group of students went on a service trip to Chicago. They were able to visit some victims of the Northern Illinois shooting and came back ready to overcome their own tragedy. Virginia Tech was no longer a school of victims, but a school of witnesses. The students felt empowered. They were no longer a University to be pitied, but a student body of great significance.

During the six years he spent there, Grace created a community of students that traveled all over the nation.  His students went on eleven service trips, of which, nine were student led, and spread hope to others in need.

This past spring, Grace was contacted by Siena’s president Sister Peg to come serve at SHU. He commented, “I have never been in such a small university; the atmosphere is very comfortable and extremely nice. I’ve noticed that everyone knows everything about each other which has its pros and cons. I’m just like any other freshman here. Being in a Marine family, I’ve learned to respect the process of making new relationships. I have many ideas, but they have to match the needs and wants of the university. I’m excited to see what we can do here over time.”

Grace hopes that Catholic involvement on campus will grow during his time here. He is here to help students achieve their goals and understand the possibilities available on campus. “A good experience in college brings out your greatest talents.” Grace brings a lot of experience and drive to his position, and he hopes more students will approach him during the winter semester.

After speaking with current campus ministry scholars, Grace has helped students organize a Spring Break service trip to California this year. He has also been in contact with Michigan State University and University of Michigan, and all three Universities will be collaborating in January on a leadership retreat. Grace is available to answer any questions or discuss any opportunities that students might be interested in.

“I don’t want you to go to church; I want you to BE the church. Impact the significance in the faith; impact the world for good with your faith.”

 – Fr. John Grace