If you’ve ever walked past the second floor of Ryan Hall on a Tuesday evening and wondered about the smell of cookies fresh out of the oven, the answer is Father Joe Carey. Affectionately nicknamed “FJ,” Father Joe is the resident priest of Ryan Hall, and has made an impact on countless areas of the Notre Dame community over the course of his life. After graduating from Notre Dame in 1962 with an Accounting degree, FJ chose to enter the Seminary and has been ordained for 45 years.
Fr. Carey has worked at Notre Dame in the financial aid department, the Career Center, Campus Ministry, and the ACE Program. As far as campus life, FJ was the rector of Dillon Hall for 20 years and was the resident priest of Pasquerilla West Hall before moving over to Ryan Hall. From Sunday Dorm Mass to Tuesday night baking, FJ is a major part of the spirit Ryan Hall. The following are some of the many ways that FJ has dedicated his time to helping others.
Weddings
In addition to his involvement in the Notre Dame community, FJ is a wedding officiate for many of the people whose lives he has touched. He has done an impressive total of approximately 400-500 weddings, and when asked about his favorite part of the wedding ceremony, he replied, “I have two favorite parts. One is when the father, or sometimes both parents, walk their daughter down the aisle and then the father turns the bride over to the groom and they precede together.
My second favorite part is when they pronounce their vows to each other…it’s such a sacred moment.” FJ also made a very insightful connection between baking and preparing for a marriage, and shared that he often has couples bake together during their marriage prep meetings. He emphasized that, “I’ve found that baking is really good, because you have a lot of conversations with people while you’re waiting around.”
The ACE Program
Along with his role as Ryan’s resident priest, FJ is the Chaplain for the ACE Program. He described his work with this program as, “I meet all of the ACE teachers, which is about 180 people, and I visit 3 communities of teachers, one in Tulsa, one in Oklahoma City, and one in Chicago. When I go, I watch them teach and I also meet with the principals. We have community meals together and I talk to them all to see how they’re doing and how they’re feeling.”
For those considering the ACE Program, FJ has offered his advice on how to get involved: “I would suggest talking to someone who is actually doing the program to find out more about it. I would also suggest meeting with some of us on the staff to talk further about what it is and what is expected. And I would ask you to think about a time that you had to do something really difficult in your life, because teaching can be difficult.”
Tuesday Night Baking in Ryan
As any Ryan Wildcat knows, Tuesday nights in the dorm are filled with great conversations and delicious baked treats, all made possible by Father Joe. Every Tuesday night, FJ opens his apartment (and his kitchen) to the entire Ryan community, as well as to any other people who come to join in. FJ shared with me that he most enjoys this Tuesday tradition because “it brings together a lot of people.”
The tradition began in 2009 when a resident from the first class of Ryan Hall approached Father Joe and asked him if he liked to bake. When he responded that he hardly used his kitchen, this student offered to give him baking lessons, and they agreed to bake together every Tuesday. In the years that followed, the group of regular bakers expanded to include many more cooking enthusiasts, and this Tuesday night tradition was forever engrained in the identity of Ryan Hall.
However, Tuesday nights in Ryan are about more than just the baked goods; they’re about catching up with fellow residents as well as setting aside time to unwind from the stress of classes and schoolwork.
FJ described this atmosphere, “The first class that went through Ryan for four years…they felt that this experience really allowed them to develop deep friendships, and they felt safe, like they could talk about anything. It was really a great experience for them, and they felt that it helped them gain confidence in themselves.” When asked what his favorite dessert item is, he shared that he loves coconut cream pie.
So from the perspective of a resident priest, what makes life in Ryan unique from other women’s halls?
FJ believes that, “Having lived in Dillon for 20 years, I was used to the real identity of guys’ dorms. And I’ve always felt that I don’t know why women’s halls can’t be the same way. And I feel that this has really developed here, that people feel like such a part of this place, and this is just our sixth year. That’s my favorite part about Ryan… it’s a women’s hall where people feel, ‘this is really my home,’ and I think that people take great pride in the place. The cliché is that Ryan is a hotel, but I think that the people who live here really feel the sense of community. I really like Tuesday nights, and I like the Waffle Mass, and our Thanksgiving dinners. I think those are some of the traditions that have developed here.”
Through his widespread involvement in campus life, FJ brings a positive and welcoming spirit to Ryan Hall and to all other aspects of his work. His contributions to life at Notre Dame are innumerable, and one can gain a sense of the greatness of his character from how much he is loved by everyone he meets. Father Joe Carey is truly an integral part of the Ryan Hall community and of the Notre Dame campus as a whole.
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Images: 1, 2, 3, and 4 provided by author