Richard Malloy, S.J. Selected as Graduate Commencement Speaker

Richard Malloy, S.J., a visiting Jesuit on sabbatical at Le Moyne and the author of three books on Catholicism, will be the commencement speaker for the 2025 graduate ceremony, which will take place on Friday, May 16 at 7 p.m. in the Event Center on the Le Moyne campus.

Originally from Philadelphia, Richard G. Malloy, S.J., (aka “mugs”) was born at Temple University Hospital. He later earned a Ph.D. there.  He didn’t get very far in life! But who wants to leave Philly? It’s always sunny there! He attended the Jesuits’ St. Joseph’s Prep, where he was the least likely in the history of the school to become a Jesuit priest.  He went on to Lafayette College, where he played football and lacrosse. He then entered the Jesuit Novitiate in Wernersville, Penn. While in Jesuit formation, he spent two years teaching high school in Osorno, Chile and one year in pastoral work in Santiago He earned a B.A. in philosophy summa cum laude from Saint Louis University, an M.Div. and S.T.L. degrees from Weston Jesuit School of Theology and a doctorate in cultural anthropology from Temple.

He has published three books: A Faith That Frees: Catholic Matters for the 21st Century (2008), Being on Fire: The Top Ten Essentials of Catholic Faith (2014) and Spiritual Direction: A Beginner’s Guide (2017). All three books were recognized with awards by the Catholic Press Association in the category “Best Presentation of the Catholic Faith.”

From 1988 to 2003 he was a member of the Jesuit Urban Service team at Holy Name Parish in Camden, N.J. and also served in various positions at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia during that time. In September 2010, he joined The University of Scranton, where he served as the vice president for University Mission and Ministry, working with Campus Ministry, The Center for Service and Social Justice and The Jesuit Center. In 2018, he began working at the Cristo Rey High School in Baltimore. He has also spent numerous summers at St. Anthony’s Parish in Cody, Wyo., and celebrates Mass on weekends in Yellowstone National Park (where he can pursue his passion for fishing.) For the past year, he has been on sabbatical, residing at the Loyola Jesuit Residence on the Le Moyne campus.