The walls at Aquinas House, the College's Catholic student organization, could soon reverberate with the music of a guitar-playing priest as Father William Garrott assumes the center's directorship.
Garrott, who was ordained in 1994, received his master's degree in theology from the University of Saint Thomas Aquinas in Rome and spent time as an associate professor in Ohio.
Most recently, Garrott worked as director of vocations at the Order of Preachers in Washington, D.C., where he recruited young men interested in becoming Dominican brothers and priests.
At Dartmouth, Garrott's responsibilities include saying mass, meeting with students and organizing Aquinas House activities. Since arriving on campus on Sept. 15, he has already met with the United Campus Ministers, a multi-faith organization composed of the leaders of the College's various religious organizations.
Crystal Wirth '06, the president of the pastoral council at Aquinas House, praised the new director.
"The whole Aquinas House community is delighted to welcome Father Garrott to campus. Father Garrott is firmly devoted to helping Catholic students live out their faith at Dartmouth," she said. "His energy and ability to connect with young people have already inspired both '09s and returning students."
The new Aquinas House director replaces Father Brendan Buckley, who left in the spring and in whose footsteps Garrott hopes to follow.
"I just want to follow the clear path that's already been charted. This place is known for its welcome, and I want to continue that," Garrott said.
Garrott's other interests include playing the guitar and piano, pursuits he began as a boy and honed for a 2003 album of religious songs. The album, "Preacher of Grace," has been billed as "contemporary gospel expressed through classical and acoustic guitars, keyboards with warm male vocals, meditative, soft rock and pop and a little R&B," by those who sell it.
Garrott said he is open to playing his guitar at Dartmouth but would have to determine the proper forum in which to do so.
Well, it's not exactly his guitar.
Because he belongs to the Order of Preachers, commonly known as the Dominican Order, Garrott took a vow of poverty. Dominicans take vows of poverty, obedience and chastity. He owns no possessions, not even his guitar.
"The guitar that I play belongs to the order, but I am the steward of it, or the caretaker, but the order owns it," Garrott said. "Any salary I make goes to the order. I don't own anything personally."
Previously, Garrott obtained a chemistry degree from Mount St. Mary's University in Emmitsburg, Md. After working in the technology business field, he decided to become a priest, he said, "through much prayer, investigation, talking with priests and a desire to serve the Lord."
But Garrott had been considering the path since his youth.
"It was in my mind since I was 17, so it didn't just occur out of thin air," he said.
