New priest brings youthful insight to Kingston campus
Chloe Thompson
Issue date: 9/9/08 Section: News
"Through all of that, I realized God was calling me to priesthood all the while," he said.
Glover was then sent to Rome to study in the Vatican for four years, where he met the Pope and learned to speak Italian fluently. He said his "rich education" had prepared him for priesthood.
"I've had a lot of different experiences from relationships to work to travel, and I've seen God's presence in a lot of different places," Glover said. "I think I'm able to relate to a lot of life situations; I haven't been locked away in a monastery for eight years."
Previously, Glover was an associate pastor at St. Luke's Parish in Barrington. He is replacing Rev. John Soares, who was URI's chaplain for the past 12 years. Bishop Thomas Tobin, of Providence, offered him the job after a recommendation from a group of bishops.
Rev. Robert Hawkins, who was URI's chaplain from 1992 to 1996, worked with Glover at St. Luke's Parish. He agreed that Glover is an "ideal fit" for URI.
"He's a wonderful, wonderful, energetic, creative and very intelligent guy," Hawkins said. "He's very magnetic. He's got a great personality. He'll do a great job."
Hawkins said Glover focused on outreach projects, including working with the low-income population in Jamaica, and will continue community service projects at the university.
Glover said he feels college is an important step in the route to God, and hopes to reach students through weekly Masses, counseling and participation in the many groups the Catholic Center offers.
Eventually, Glover said he wants to create groups more tailored to what students tell him they need, but that's not on the plate until next year, at least.
"My own philosophy for the first year is to get to know the students who come into the Catholic Center a little better and build relationships with them and sort of move the Catholic Center in a positive direction," he said.
Diversity, Glover said, is the key to college campuses like URI, and he wants to help the entire campus grow closer to God and participate in community service projects.
"I think there's a great spirit here, a great variety of majors and a lot of opportunities to get involved and a lot of activities," Glover said.
So far, the Catholic Center, where Glover now resides, has proven to be a good home for him. He described the atmosphere as "quiet and peaceful," except for when the URI bands practice in the Fine Arts Center parking lot adjacent to the center.
He said he will use social networks such as Facebook to encourage students to stop by the Catholic Center. He already has an account, and has set up an online group for the Catholic Center's main organization, the Newman Club.
But face-to-face meetings are best in Glover's book, he said. He encouraged students to stop by the center to visit him, and said he's available all day, every day.
"You can't miss me, I'm walking around in my collar, so it's free advertisement," he said with a laugh.
Glover was then sent to Rome to study in the Vatican for four years, where he met the Pope and learned to speak Italian fluently. He said his "rich education" had prepared him for priesthood.
"I've had a lot of different experiences from relationships to work to travel, and I've seen God's presence in a lot of different places," Glover said. "I think I'm able to relate to a lot of life situations; I haven't been locked away in a monastery for eight years."
Previously, Glover was an associate pastor at St. Luke's Parish in Barrington. He is replacing Rev. John Soares, who was URI's chaplain for the past 12 years. Bishop Thomas Tobin, of Providence, offered him the job after a recommendation from a group of bishops.
Rev. Robert Hawkins, who was URI's chaplain from 1992 to 1996, worked with Glover at St. Luke's Parish. He agreed that Glover is an "ideal fit" for URI.
"He's a wonderful, wonderful, energetic, creative and very intelligent guy," Hawkins said. "He's very magnetic. He's got a great personality. He'll do a great job."
Hawkins said Glover focused on outreach projects, including working with the low-income population in Jamaica, and will continue community service projects at the university.
Glover said he feels college is an important step in the route to God, and hopes to reach students through weekly Masses, counseling and participation in the many groups the Catholic Center offers.
Eventually, Glover said he wants to create groups more tailored to what students tell him they need, but that's not on the plate until next year, at least.
"My own philosophy for the first year is to get to know the students who come into the Catholic Center a little better and build relationships with them and sort of move the Catholic Center in a positive direction," he said.
Diversity, Glover said, is the key to college campuses like URI, and he wants to help the entire campus grow closer to God and participate in community service projects.
"I think there's a great spirit here, a great variety of majors and a lot of opportunities to get involved and a lot of activities," Glover said.
So far, the Catholic Center, where Glover now resides, has proven to be a good home for him. He described the atmosphere as "quiet and peaceful," except for when the URI bands practice in the Fine Arts Center parking lot adjacent to the center.
He said he will use social networks such as Facebook to encourage students to stop by the Catholic Center. He already has an account, and has set up an online group for the Catholic Center's main organization, the Newman Club.
But face-to-face meetings are best in Glover's book, he said. He encouraged students to stop by the center to visit him, and said he's available all day, every day.
"You can't miss me, I'm walking around in my collar, so it's free advertisement," he said with a laugh.
