Alumni and Friends Making an Impact

Why is it important to know about Connor Moriarty? He’s double-majoring in communication and theology. Works on campus. Loves superheroes. Is kind of an intramural star. Oh, and he’s the reason UD will be a vibrant Catholic, Marianist university for another 175 years.

Okay, he’s one of the reasons, but he’s a big one.

As vowed religious decline and general membership grows within the global Catholic Church, the importance of lay leadership continues to rise. From its very beginning, the University of Dayton has read the signs of the times and acted boldly for the future. UD prepares students to be leaders in their faith community — right now, and in the future wherever they land.

For Moriarty, that may be in ministry; it may be in teaching. In either case, leadership skills will be critical and faith will play a role. Thanks to support from donors to the Campus Ministry Fund for Excellence during One Day, One Dayton, UD was able to create a liturgy internship, which is giving Moriarty incredible experiential learning opportunities.

“I work 10 hours a week, and part of my job is keeping others engaged, even if that is just scheduling them for Mass,” said Moriarty about working with the team of student Mass coordinators, fellow Flyers who are also growing as leaders. But Moriarty is doing a lot more than scheduling. He’s getting creative in his calling.

Thanks to Moriarty’s spiritual growth mindset and his love for athletics, when March Madness hit campus, people started filling out more than basketball brackets. Students and faculty were also having fun filling in their favorite hymns. And major sports draft days brought the opportunity to select (and learn about) the saints.  

“Connor is so good at inviting other people to experience his joy.” — Jess Wallace

“Connor is so good at inviting other people to experience his joy,” said Jess Wallace, associate director of Campus Ministry, as she spoke about leaders in faith being sources of invitation and community. Wallace is his supervisor and mentor in his role as liturgy student intern, and he receives credit through the Department of Religious Studies, too.

“He does a lot of behind-the-scenes work,” said Wallace. “He helps with training liturgical ministers, writes the prayers of the faithful each week, helps to plan and advertise liturgical events; he’s helping the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults ... he has started planning praying the rosary before Mass; he’s trained as a Mass coordinator,” and she continued; it’s a long list.”

When Moriarty spoke about his recent experiences, he also touched on the rosary project. “The point was, let’s do it. Like, let’s remind students that they can pray the rosary. Come to Mass and get a free rosary. Then, hopefully, it adds a little more prayer in their life.”

That was his example of doing whatever needs to be done — which may sound like a classic intern job description — but it’s also a solid description of what it takes to be an effective leader in a community, a church, a business, a nonprofit, a school.

Student leaders in faith need to be genuine and empathetic. Courageous and kind. They need to know how and when to take action, and, perhaps more importantly, how to welcome others into it too. That takes a special person, and you don’t have to sit with Moriarty for more than a couple of seconds to know he’s definitely one of them.

“That’s the beauty of having students like Connor who are engaged in their faith and taking on leadership roles,” said Wallace. “He is a great example that there is joy and there is goodness in being a part of a community and having something to believe in and to be grounded in.”