25 Years
The kid from Northern New Jersey learned to speak with — of all things — a perfect French accent. It helped that he had a knack for the humanities, some patient teachers, and a willingness to practice.
“When you’re a kid you think you want to excel at something you feel good about,” said Father Jim Dahlinger, SJ, Associate Professor of French at Le Moyne College.
He is celebrating his 40th year in the Jesuits and his 25th year as a priest. To observe his jubilee, Father Dahlinger will attend a dinner with about 10 colleagues in June at Fordham University.
Priests were always heroes to Father Dahlinger, and the French were always fascinating. He combined both interests into a life pursuit.
Sometimes God gives you walls, Father Dahlinger said, and sometimes He gives you windows. He took advantage of what the French would call the fenêtre — the window.
Father Dahlinger entered the Jesuit Novitiate of the Missouri Province in 1976 in Denver, and took his first vows in Saint Louis in 1978. His ordination as a priest came in 1991 at Saint Louis, and he took his Profession of Four Solemn Vows in 2008 at Le Moyne College.
His ministry has mainly been in education. He has taught at Saint Louis University; St. Peter’s University, Jersey City, N.J.; and Le Moyne College (Foreign Languages) 2000 to present. He is the Resident Chaplain at Le Moyne. He provides weekend help in various Syracuse parishes. He also works in the Retrouvaille program for healing in marriage.
Asked what advice he would give a young person discerning a call to religious life today, he said:
“Always know and believe that God is there, that He is calling you. Rely on his help. Ignore negative voices around you who try to dissuade you. Love your family and friends, but don’t be dissuaded from a Holy, necessary call. The Church will love you. You will never regret it!”
These profiles were compiled through phone and email interviews, archive materials, and provided material. Special thanks to Sister Mary Farrell, OSF, for providing profiles of several Franciscan sisters, and to Sister Mary Rose Noonan, CSJ, for providing profiles of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet. Photos of Franciscan jubilarians were provided by the congregation’s Communications Office or the jubilarian, photos of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet’s jubilarians were provided by the congregation’s Communications Office, photos of the Jesuit jubilarians were provided by the jubilarian or Le Moyne’s Communications Office, Sister Robert Mary’s photo was provided by Our Lady of Sorrows Church, and Sister Marcia Barry’s photo was provided by Bishop Ludden Jr./Sr. High School. Other photos were taken from the Sun archives.
