Former University President Msgr. Robert Sheeran has been appointed to the position of director for mission and ministry at Marin Catholic High School, a part of the Archdiocese of San Francisco, according to a release by the University.
Most Rev. John J. Meyers, Archbishop of Newark, chairman of the Board of Trustees and president of the Board of Regents at the University, announced Sheeran's new post and release from service in the press release on June 28.
According to James Goodness, director of Communications for the Archdiocese of Newark, the release of service was a formality.
"There has to be an official release from the Archdiocese because Msgr. Sheeran was ordained for service to the Archdiocese," Goodness said.
Goodness also noted that when priests are released, their releases are for a specific duration. Sheeran has been released from the Archdiocese of Newark for service in California for two years, until September 2013, according to Goodness.
Sheeran's new post comes after a year-long sabbatical which followed his 15-year tenure as University President.
In the release, Dr. A. Gabriel Esteban, university president, called Sheeran "a gift to Seton Hall."
"Monsignor Sheeran was a gift to Seton Hall for many years, remains a gift to us as our president emeritus, and now we are sharing him with the wider world," Esteban said. "We send him our prayerful good wishes and congratulations on this new pastoral assignment."
According to the release, Sheeran spent the past spring semester in Israel and the Middle East and was invited to live on-campus at Marin Catholic for the fall semester. It was at that time when Sheeran "developed an appreciation for its Catholic mission and academic achievements."
Sheeran expressed gratitude at the "newly created position," according to the release.
"To be part of this outstanding community at MC is a great blessing and opportunity for me," Sheeran said in the release.
Samantha Desmond can be reached at Samantha.desmond@student.shu.edu
