USD Magazine, Winter 2004

8:01 p.m. The phone rings in Father James O'Leary's apartment in the Alcala Vistas residence hall. J.J., as he's affectionately known around cam– pus, excuses himself from the students with whom he's planning an upcoming pizza party to take a call from another student, who wants to stop by later and discuss apersonal problem.

perform awedding, baptize a child or say a special Mass for them. Current students drop in to discuss classes, relationships and room– mate troubles.The door is always open. "This is agreat time of life for these students, but when they need you,they need you right away," says O'Leary, an assistant to the vice president for mission and ministry and chaplain to many USO sports teams. "So I'mhere any time they need me. "

It's all in anight's work for the priest, who has lived among USO students since 1988. Former students call to ask if O'Leary can