Loyola’s Father Goethals to move on
•Principal Adams to take helm July 1
PRINCIPAL Jamal Adams with Father Greg Goethals at a Mass celebrating the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Photo by Jordan Ball
Loyola High School’s president of nearly 20 years, the Rev. Greg Goethals, will step down Tues., July 1. Goethals, who turns 70 this month, has a long history with the school and told us that this has been a dream job.
Like his father and his three brothers, Goethals graduated from the all-boys Jesuit Catholic college-preparatory school (he, in 1973). His family resided in Windsor Square, and he attended St. Brendan School prior to Loyola. Goethals received his bachelor’s degree from Santa Clara University and went on to study law for one year at Loyola Law School.
Goethals had been thinking about becoming a Jesuit priest for a long time. Realizing that he hated law school, he decided to try his heart’s desire and see if becoming a Jesuit priest would be a good fit.
That was 40 years ago, so apparently, it was. “It is who I am. It’s deep in my bones and in my soul,” he said. The Jesuit priest added, “It gives me direction, hope in myself and hope for the world. It’s what makes me happy . . . I think it saved my life and made it into something it wouldn’t otherwise have been.”
Goethals’ favorite part of the job has been its complexity. “There’s always something new popping up, and I love that the school is a community. The students, faculty, staff, parents, alumni, donors — those are my colleagues and the family that makes Loyola function.” His trek to work hasn’t been bad either. Both his office and his home have been on campus since he took up the position. “My commute is an elevator ride,” he said with a smile.
The president’s job requires the regular saying of Mass, and it allows him to get out to see the students — there are 1,200-plus — but it also encompasses interacting with the wider Los Angeles community.
Really, Goethals has been the face of Loyola for the past 20 years. He has been the school’s presence in the city, making sure the school is at the table for philanthropy and donations. During his time, Goethals has led campaigns to raise money for the modernization and construction of multiple halls, has overseen the acquisition of land (increasing Loyola’s footprint to 22 acres) and has increased the school’s endowment.
Pondering how he’ll feel on his last day, Goethals told us there will be sadness but that he will also likely feel some of the same things he felt on his first day: Blessed, elated, loved, grateful, and in awe that his dream actually came true.
Goethals’ parents are the people who most shaped him, though he doesn’t believe he would have said that when he was a teenager. “They were smart, elegant and non-judgmental, but people of values and faith. They were all-embracing,” he said. From his parents, Goethals learned to never think of anyone as less than he was. He was taught to give back and to be a good person.
Now, he would like to impart three pieces of advice to all Loyola students: Be who God created you to be — a man of gifts, talent, strengths and weaknesses — and balance all those to the best of your ability. Give back to the world and love openly. And always have hope. “We are going to survive together. And, no matter how dark it gets, there is always hope,” he told us.
Goethals was quite clear on the fact that, by stepping down, he is not actually retiring. He will be taking a yearlong sabbatical, giving himself space to let go of this job and process what the past 20 years have been like. He will talk to his Provincial (a kind of leader among the brotherhood who works with members to decide their placements) to see what his next assignment will be.
Though he hopes his next assignment keeps him in California, Goethals doesn’t think he wants to be a president again. He has a great affinity for higher education and loves institutional work and the community that comes with it, but he isn’t sure exactly what he’s hoping to do following his sabbatical.
Current Loyola Principal Jamal Adams, also a graduate of the school and a 16-year faculty member and head basketball coach, will be taking over from Goethals, who is very pleased about the choice. “He’s ready and great,” said Goethals. The advice the longtime holder of the job has for Adams is to take it slow. His advice is to remember that when one is in a position of leadership, there may be a lot of people who have some sort of agenda while talking with you. Goethals thinks it’s important to remember that, although a president’s choices may not always be popular, that is part of the job. “You can trust yourself. Remember you need to love everybody. You’re here for everybody,” he said.
Goethals hopes he can “let go easily. I hope the transition can be smooth. When I go, I want none to notice I’m gone, because I want the school to be better 10 years from now than it is now,” he said. When Goethals graduated 50 years ago, he thought Loyola was the best school in Southern California. “And we were! But we are better now. I want to be one of the many marks that makes this school grow and be better,” he said.
As difficult as the past 20 years have been at times because of the complexity of the job, Goethals sees them as the greatest years of his life. “I’m grateful to Loyola and to God. Any success is attributable to everybody, and I’m grateful to be a part of that,” he said.
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