As part of the current Founder’s Week festivities, Rev. Timothy Lannon, S.J., gave a talk on Sunday to students, faculty and alumni about the impact of Jesuit spirituality on his life and how its presence at Creighton continues to inspire him today.
Lannon touched on his childhood, college and vocational experiences, explaining the great impact that his Catholic faith played throughout his life.
“I have done things in my life that I never thought possible or imagined. I’ve become a person that I never thought possible or imagined, and that person who I am is so rooted in my faith but also so rooted in my life as a Jesuit,” Lannon said.
While Lannon described a few experiences and anecdotes in his childhood and teen years where others could see him eventually becoming a priest, he did not truly consider it until getting to know the Jesuits at Creighton.
“I didn’t think I was holy enough to become a priest until I met the Jesuits, ” Lannon said. “I thought, ‘If these guys can do it, I can do it.’”
Choosing to attend Creighton University for college, instead of the University of Iowa, his original plan, played a significant role in his decision to become a Jesuit.
“If I had not come to Creighton, more than likely I would not be a Jesuit today, ” Lannon said.
As a student at Creighton, Lannon got along well with the Jesuits and became friends with many of them. What he loved most about them was that they were “approachable,” “willing to engage in conversation,” “provocative” (in the sense that they forced him to think deeply about his faith) and “fun”.
One of Lannon’s key experiences at Creighton was a time during his junior year when he deeply questioned church doctrine and whether what he believed as a Catholic made sense to him.
“What I liked about that experience, looking back, was that I was provoked and challenged by my theology classes to think about these things,” Lannon said. “I think for all of us, in our lives, we need to make that transition because most of us arrive here with our parents’ faith. I left here eventually with my faith.”
Another formative Creighton experience came in the form of a setback for Lannon when he applied for medical school but was not accepted because of low grades. His over-involvement in campus activities was the main reason.
The experience was a “turning point” that forced Lannon to truly consider what he was going to do with his life and where he was going to go from there.
“All in all, I think the most important thing that happened to me at Creighton, when it comes to my life and the way I’m trying to live it, is that I became much more reflective here,” Lannon said.
It was this reflection and a growing fondness for Creighton that led Lannon to join the Jesuits in 1974 after graduating from Creighton in 1973. Yet after two years of discernment and deep reflection, Lannon left the Jesuits, convinced it wasn’t for him. He spent the next two years feeling “lost” as he decided what to do.
“It was during those two years when I felt lost that I felt myself being drawn closer to the Lord and was reminded how much I needed God in my life,” Lannon said.
After much reflection, Lannon rejoined the Jesuits in 1976. He served as the president of both Creighton Preparatory School and St. John’s University before he became the 24th president of Creighton University last July.
As a Jesuit and college president, Lannon reflected on the role of the two vocations in his life.
“I’m a Jesuit first, college president second,” Lannon said. “My life is with the Jesuits; however, I think I’m becoming a better person, a better Jesuit and a better Christian by being a college president. It’s the challenges and the pressure of being a college president that really remind me of my need for God.”
Lannon’s passion for Jesuit spirituality and love of Creighton stirred up much conversation between current students, staff and alumni following the talk. They agreed that the Jesuit values present at Creighton inspired them to live for and serve others.
“Fr. Lannon’s experience is very identifiable,” Arts & Sciences sophomore Katie Kuhns said. “Like him, I’ve struggled with my faith, but by being at Creighton, my faith has become the most driving force in deciding what I want do with my life.”
Several alumni noted that the experiences and challenges Creighton provides to current students are incredible opportunities that will open them up to the world and encourage them to live out those Jesuit values emphasized on campus.
“Creighton [has] helped me determine what faith means to me and the emphasis it puts on service has really challenged me to find the causes of social justice problems in society so that I can make it better for the future,” Arts and Sciences sophomore Kelly Sullivan said.
Lannon’s talk encapsulated for many what Creighton University is all about: A passion for being men and women for and with others through service, faith, and love.