Faith and Education Unite: Introducing Father McGinnis to Providence Academy

Written by: Shannon Healy

Providence Academy’s new Chaplain, Father McGinnis, has been surrounded by faith. He went to Catholic grade school at All Saints, in Lakeville, and heard his vocational call in third grade.

“The priest at my school, Fr. Piche [now a bishop], and I shared a birthday, and in the mind of a third-grader, that was an obvious sign that God was calling me to the priesthood. That conviction took root and never went away, and so over the years, as I went through high school and I started owning my faith more, priesthood became my plan,” McGinnis explained.

Following his call, McGinnis went on to John Vianney Seminary in Saint Paul for both college and seminary. This is where he received the most impactful advice from a formator to calm his nerves in approaching his ordination. 

Father Scott Carl told him, “You can’t worry about tomorrow and the day after that, and the day after that, because if you carry both the weight of today and the entire future it is going to be too much.” This advice removed the pressure on McGinnis and reminded him of what Matthew 6:34 says, grounding him through Christ’s words,  “Therefore, stop worrying about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” 

In 2022, after seven years in seminary, McGinnis was ordained; McGinnis had dreamed of this since childhood. At 25 years old, Father McGinnis was the youngest priest in the Archdiocese, and at the youngest age a priest can be ordained without the Pope’s permission. 

Before Father McGinnis started his assignment at Providence Academy, he was assigned to St. Michael’s in St. Michael.

“It taught me how to be a priest. We had a school that I tried to visit each week. I learned how to be a spiritual father to people and how to do that well. How to be a priest, well, was fundamentally important there,” McGinnis said.

Father McGinnis knows the importance of a school Chaplain, through his own high school formation. Father McGinnis wants to be present in the Providence community and provide help to students who are still finding out their faith.

“I want to help students find their identity in Christ, and I want to provide a venue for people to ask questions,” he shared.

 

Sister Amelia sees how McGinnis is already starting relationships with students. He also has provided a great outlet for questions from students and faculty.

“Father McGinnis loves Jesus and his priesthood. He is very people-centered and so interacts naturally and joyfully with students of all ages!” she commented.