Maureen Pryor Says Goodbye
Maureen Pryor has resigned from her post as executive director of University Ministry after 12 years. Pryor said she made the decision to leave almost a year ago, after realizing that many of the goals she had set for herself and University Ministry had been met.
“I wanted an immersion program, and now Mike Duffy is doing a wonderful job with the Arrupe program,” Pryor said. “I wanted a prayer program for faculty and staff, and now we have Prayer for Busy People. I wanted to see students doing more liturgy, and that is happening.”
One of the projects she holds closest to her heart is the creation of the interfaith chapel at Lone Mountain. She got the idea several years ago when she was speaking about prayer with a Muslim student who worked in University Ministry.
“As a devout Muslim, she prayed five times a day,” Pryor said. “Three of those times were when she was on campus. She would go to St. Ignatius Church and sit in the back behind a pillar to pray because she couldn’t look at the images for religious reasons. That’s when I got it in my head that we needed an interfaith chapel on campus. (Former USF President) Fr. John Schlegel gave us the space and Fr. (Thomas) Lucas designed it and supervised the project.”
While Pryor will miss the people of USF who have come to be like family to her, she said it is time for her to move in a new direction and for new leadership in University Ministry. “It’s time for new ideas,” she said.
Pryor was the first non-Jesuit to serve as director of University Ministry. Jack Treacy, S.J., the rector of the Jesuit Community who spoke at a farewell reception for Pryor on Jan. 24, praised her for bringing a more ecumenical dialogue to the university.
“She always wanted a place on campus where people of every faith could feel at home,” Fr. Treacy said. “The interfaith chapel on Lone Mountain is a great testament to her vision and conviction. She is leaving a university that has been changed and bettered by her presence.”
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