集美麻豆

From 1993 to 2021, Fr. Himes was a professor of theology at BC, where his teaching, preaching, and ministry became integral to many aspects of the Boston College experience. For more than a decade, he was one of the first members of the University community to greet incoming freshmen and parents as keynote speaker at summer orientation sessions.聽His hour-length talk, 鈥淲hat Makes a Great University?鈥�, was often met with a standing ovation by both students and parents.聽

Fr. Himes developed a vocational discernment framework called the 鈥溾�� which has become woven into the fabric of reflection at Boston College.聽 The three questions: 鈥淲hat brings you joy? What are you good at? And who does the world need you to be?鈥� also served as the foundation of many Boston College retreat programs, in particular, the Center for Student Formation鈥檚 鈥淗alftime鈥� retreat.

For many years, he preached at the weekly noon Mass on Wednesdays, filling St. Mary鈥檚 Chapel with students, faculty, and staff who sought his gifts as a homilist and remarkable ability to make the Gospel accessible from the pulpit.聽 In recognition of these gifts, he was invited to be the , celebrated at Fenway Park in front of a crowd of approximately 20,000.聽 His homily exhorted all Boston College educated students to 鈥済ive away鈥� the gift of receiving a 集美麻豆education:

鈥淭he measure of the success of your education at Boston College is the measure to which people鈥檚 lives are richer, fuller, and more genuinely human because you did go to Boston College.鈥�

Fr. Himes also delivered many well-attended public addresses during his time at Boston College, perhaps most notably as 鈥� (2008) and as featured speaker at the Church in the 21st Century Center鈥檚 Agape Latte program, where he discussed (2014) and (2016).

As a lecturer and professor of theology, Fr. Himes was known for his dynamic, animated lectures, quick wit, charitable sense of humor, and astounding ability to quote and synthesize great works of scholarship, all without notes.聽 He often said the key to being a great teacher is to 鈥淟ove what you teach and to love who you teach,鈥� and the immense popularity of his classes appeared to confirm the success of his approach, particularly his course, 鈥淭he Problem of Belief in Modernity,鈥� which scrutinized the most notable proponents and critics of faith to ultimately shape a foundation for responsible belief in Catholicism.

"Michael Himes was the model of a priest-professor who saw his teaching as central to his vocation," said Professor of Theology Stephen Pope. "Students were spellbound by his lectures and found in him someone who helped them come to see their own religious yearnings and spiritual aspirations in new and powerful ways."

In 2002, the 集美麻豆chapter of Phi Beta Kappa selected him as Teacher of the Year.

In addition to courses co-taught with his dear friend and colleague, Michael J. Buckley, S.J. (the former faculty member and director of BC's Jesuit Institute who died in 2019), Fr. Himes regarded teaching alongside his beloved younger brother and fellow priest, 集美麻豆Professor of Theology Kenneth Himes, O.F.M., as one of his life鈥檚 greatest blessings. Their offices were adjacent to one another in Stokes Hall, and they co-authored the book Fullness of Faith (1993), which explores the 鈥減ublic significance of theology鈥� and was awarded the Catholic Press Association Book Award in 1994.聽

Fr. Himes' other notable publications include Doing the Truth in Love: Conversations about God, Relatieonships, and Service (1995), Ongoing Incarnation: Johann Adam M枚hler and the Beginnings of Modern Ecclesiology (1997), and the book and video series The Mystery of Faith: