“I love that the charism of the Society of Jesus calls us all as a body, and me individually, to serve ‘the greater glory of God’ in those places and missions where we are most needed in service to God and the church. It’s a demanding mission, because it requires a radical docility to the Holy Spirit, but it’s also an immense gift.”
Will continue pursuing his Licentiate in Sacred Theology at the Boston College Clough School of Theology and Ministry.
William C. Manaker, SJ, comes from a military family. Born in the United Kingdom, William lived in California, Utah and South Carolina before his family finally settled in Alexandria, Virginia, in 2005. Initially drawn toward science and engineering, he noticed a call toward priesthood as an altar server in middle school. Following the advice of a local priest and mentor, William attended the University of St. Thomas in Saint Paul, Minnesota, where he earned degrees in philosophy and Catholic studies. While at St. Thomas, William was a member of an intentional living community, the Fraternity of St. Michael, which prompted him to consider a vocation to religious life. As a college sophomore, he spent a year living and studying in Rome, where he first encountered the Society of Jesus. Upon returning to Minnesota for his junior year, one of William’s professors encouraged him to consider entering the Jesuits, and he entered the novitiate in Grand Coteau, Louisiana, shortly after graduation in 2014.
After first vows, William earned a master’s degree in English at Loyola University Chicago and was then sent to teach at De Smet Jesuit High School in Creve Coeur, Missouri. At De Smet, he taught English, worked in campus ministry, and served as an assistant coach for the cross-country and track and field teams. Following three years at De Smet, William was missioned to study theology at Boston College’s Clough School of Theology and Ministry, where he earned a Master of Divinity and began a Licentiate in Sacred Theology. While studying, he served as a deacon at St. Columbkille Parish in Brighton, Massachusetts. After ordination, William will return to Boston to complete the licentiate, writing on the role of the heart in the teaching of Pope Francis.
Bachelor’s degree, philosophy and Catholic studies, University of St. Thomas; Master’s degree, English, Loyola University Chicago; Master of Divinity, Boston College Clough School of Theology and Ministry
One of my favorite saints is Catherine of Siena. While I studied in Rome, I had the experience of visiting Siena twice, and I was moved by a sense of the Spirit’s presence there. As a novice, I first read Catherine’s biography (by Sigrid Undset) and was impressed by the tenacity of her love for God. While studying theology, I had the chance to get to know Catherine even better through reading her Dialogue and many of her letters and was moved by her prophetic spirit and apostolic zeal. It was Catherine’s deep love for the Lord that impelled her to go out in service to others, and that same love enabled her to undertake difficult missions of reconciliation and reform. I consider Catherine a “heavenly friend,” and I’ve felt her influence in my life many times.
I began running as a high school student on the cross-country team, and I’ve continued to cultivate that habit as a Jesuit. For me, running helps maintain discipline and fitness, provides ample space for thinking, and has also helped me develop good friendships.
I love that the charism of the Society of Jesus calls us all as a body, and me individually, to serve “the greater glory of God” in those places and missions where we are most needed in service to God and the church. To put it another way, I love that our “least Society” is meant to be useful, not necessarily in human terms, but in God’s eyes. It’s a demanding mission, because it requires a radical docility to the Holy Spirit, but it’s also an immense gift.
In the summer of 2022, I spent a month in the Toledo District in southern Belize on a team that offered retreats to catechists of the Mayan village churches in the district. For me, the work was a profound experience of the Holy Spirit working in collaboration and intercultural ministry. Our team was made up of four Jesuits, one Mayan religious sister and three Mayan lay catechists, and each member of the team brought unique gifts and experiences to our ministry. Our shared mission was marked by an intense joy.
First, what brings me joy is sharing the Good News of God’s love with others. The Gospel is itself the greatest source of joy, so sharing it with others only multiplies and compounds that joy. But I would also say that I find joy in seeing the way that God’s love is at work in others’ lives. Those moments of seeing God at work in another’s heart are like little windows into the depths of God’s love, and they never fail to move me.
