Fr. John McGarry, SJ
Director, Campus Ministry
jmcgarry2@scu.edu | 408-554-4773
Fr. John McGarry, S.J., is a native of Los Angeles, California. John entered the Society of Jesus in 1981 after graduating from Loyola High School of Los Angeles and attending Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington for a year. After the novitiate in Santa Barbara, California, John studied at Loyola University of New Orleans and then graduated from Gonzaga University with a B.A. in Philosophy.
From 1986 to 1989, John did his student teaching at Brophy College Preparatory in Phoenix, Arizona. During his first year at Brophy, John taught English, Spanish, and Liturgy and assisted in Campus Ministry. From 1987 to 89, he served as the Director of Campus Ministry at Brophy.
From 1989 to 1993, John attended the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University in Berkeley where he completed a Master of Divinity degree in preparation for ordination to the priesthood. Also, during those years, he completed a M.A. in Education in Private School Administration at the Institute for Catholic Educational Leadership at the University of San Francisco.
From 1993 to 1997, John served as Director of Campus Ministry at Loyola High School in Los Angeles.
John served as Associate Principal at Jesuit High School in Sacramento in 1997 and served as Principal from 1998 to 2005.
In 2005, he was named Provincial of the California Province of the Society of Jesus, supervising approximately three-hundred seventy-five Jesuits involved at that time in three universities, eight high schools, one Nativity School, ten parishes, six social ministries, three retreat/spirituality centers, and other educational, pastoral and social ministries.
Following a six-year term as Provincial, he was assigned to serve as Rector of the Jesuit Community of the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University in Berkeley, California, from 2012 to 2018, guiding young Jesuits in preparation for ordination to the priesthood.
From 2018 to 2023, John served as President , Chief Executive Officer and Trustee of Jesuit High School of Sacramento. Fr. McGarry has extensive experience at serving as a Trustee/Director on several Jesuit University and Jesuit High School Boards.
After thirty years in leadership and administration, Fr. McGarry now serves as Director of Campus Ministry at Santa Clara University.