When Fr. Michael Moodie S.J stepped onto campus this fall, he wasn’t just arriving at a new job, he was entering a community rooted in tradition, relationships, and Jesuit values. As the newest Jesuit faculty member at Seattle Prep, Fr. Moodie brings a spirit of openness, reflection, and presence. His first official act in front of the entire student body? Leading the year’s first All-School Mass – and making it an experience that resonated with the entire Prep community.
Growing up in a very Catholic part of Ohio, being a priest was always something that had been on his mind, but it was only when he moved to Phoenix, Arizona and attended a Jesuit high school that he fell in love with the community and the idea of being a Jesuit priest. It seems that he has brought that value of community everywhere he has gone since, and he plans to emphasize it here at Prep.
“There is a friendly and communal aspect to the school”, Father Moodie mentioned in an interview. Before stepping onto the altar, Fr. Moodie spent weeks getting to know the welcoming Prep community, as he was mostly looking forward to getting to know the students. He has become a regular presence on campus – not just in liturgies, but on the sidelines of sports games, on the plaza, and during retreats. He added, “I try to be present to the students, so what I have been doing is going to a lot of the religious study classes and giving little presentations”. This presence outside the chapel, especially the time he has spent in classrooms talking about Ignatian values and the time he plans to spend in the future, is just as important to him as his time behind the altar.
“The theme for the faculty this year is a ‘Christ centered community’” said Fr. Moodie while reflecting on how he prepared for the mass. When planning the homily, he saw the task as more than just a liturgical job, it was a chance to connect with the students and to make students feel seen, leading him to ask questions like: How do we experience God’s spirit at work in our lives? He found that in life, there are many moments when God’s spirit in present – such as in nature – but the most prominent is in our relationships with others, which became the center point of his homily.
“The community is the foundation of who we are as a school, and if we don’t have that sense of community then it’s just a school. Then there’s no point in it being associated with the Jesuits”, he said reflecting on the homily, which, undoubtedly, left students deeply moved through his emphasis of community. To Fr. Moodie, the foundation of Seattle Prep is relational and communal and that’s the basis on which its academics are developed. Seattle Prep is built on the value of “cura personalis” and the idea that we are more than just a bunch of people who come together, we are a community.
“Being involved with one another. Particularly if students notice someone who’s on the margins and inviting people in, getting to know one another, because that’s how you build that sense of community” he shared. As he looks ahead to his time at Seattle Prep, he is committed to deepening that sense of belonging and encouraging students to immerse themselves in the relationship they build, because it is through relationships that God’s love is made real. In walking together, the Prep Community is reminded that God lives not only among us, but within us. It’s these values that shape his approach to ministry at Prep and his genuine desire to accompany students on their own spiritual journeys.
As the school year unfolds, the students are encouraged to remain open to one another because through each interaction, each friendship, and each small act of kindness, the presence of God can be felt. Seattle Prep has always been a community shaped by strong spiritual leadership, and with Fr. Moodie now among its pastoral team, that tradition continues with new energy and insight. As students continue to grow in faith, leadership, and justice, Fr. Moodie will be there, offering guidance, humor, and a steady presence at the heart of it all.
And as Fr. Moodie said in his homily, “Waste time with someone new. After all, we are all unique expressions of God’s love”.
