By Mary Stadnyk, Associate Editor

As a longtime Catholic educator who has served on elementary, secondary and university levels, Father Gabriel Zeis said it’s been his fervent desire that the classroom setting “be the place where students encounter Christ.”

Now Father Zeis looks forward to continuing to help bring Christ to all the students in the Trenton Diocese as the newly appointed vicar for Catholic Education and Catechesis by Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M.

In his new role, Father Zeis will primarily be the liaison between the Bishop’s office and the various ministries that are carried out by the diocesan Departments of Catholic Schools and Catechesis.

As Bishop O’Connell’s representative, Father Zeis believes he is ready to “aid in the conversations between the folks serving in the ministry of Catholic education and the Bishop.”

Since July 1, when his appointment became effective, Father Zeis has set several immediate goals, including plans to visit each Catholic school in the Diocese and to meet with all parish catechetical ministry leaders (directors, coordinators and administrators of religious education) in a timely fashion.

Along with serving as vicar for Catholic education, Bishop O’Connell named Father Zeis chaplain of Aquinas Institute, the Catholic campus ministry at Princeton University. It was an opportunity he embraced given his previous university teaching experiences.

For Father Zeis, the opportunity to minister in the Trenton Diocese allows him to return to home territory and familiar surroundings.

He is a native of Trenton who was raised in Immaculate Conception Parish, which is now part of Our Lady of the Angels Parish, Trenton.

He went on to graduate from Holy Trinity Grammar School, Morrisville, Pa., and Bishop Egan High School, Fairless Hills, Pa., after his family had relocated from Trenton to Morrisville.

It was at Bishop Egan where he encountered the Third Order Franciscan priests and, witnessing their joy and way of life, the young Gabriel became inspired to pursue his own vocation in religious life. His family, including his mother and brother, have since returned to live in Trenton.

After earning an undergraduate degree in education from St. Francis College (now University), Loretto, Pa., Father Zeis, then a new college graduate and first-year seminarian, entered the educational apostolate, teaching fifth, sixth and seventh grade language arts in St. Michael School, Loretto. For his first secondary school teaching assignment, he returned to Bishop Egan, where he taught language arts, namely American literature.

Father Zeis professed his vows as a Third Order Franciscan in 1972 and was ordained a priest in 1980.

Following his ordination, he returned to St. Francis College where he taught Old and New Testament Scripture for seven years and directed the postulants of the Franciscan community as they prepared to enter their novitiate year.

As a faculty member, Father Zeis said he realized the importance of connecting theology to service and ministry, and was prompted to introduce a college-based ministry that offered a place of hospitality to the unemployed and needy of neighboring communities. He proudly notes how the ministry has flourished for 26 years under the leadership of both lay and religious members of the college community.

While at St. Francis College, Father Zeis continued his studies in formative spirituality at the University of Detroit, The House of Affirmation and the University of Loyola in Chicago, in addition to earning certification in spiritual direction at Weston School of Theology, Cambridge, Mass.

In 1987, Father Zeis was named dean of students and then principal of St. Petersburg Catholic High School, St. Petersburg, Fla. During that time he also completed an advanced degree in educational leadership from the University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, Minn., specializing in evaluation and competency development.

He is also credited with developing the first secondary advancement program and upgraded facilities and curriculum. Because of these practices and having the support of the diocesan bishop and the Office of Catholic Schools, St. Petersburg Catholic School “has become an outstanding model of Catholic secondary education,” he proudly shared.

Upon completing his tenure in St. Petersburg, Father Zeis returned to Bishop Egan, which had become Conwell-Egan High School to serve in the religious studies department and as school chaplain.

He was then invited by Bishop John M. Smith to serve in the Trenton Diocese as director of the Catholic Campus Ministry in The College of New Jersey, Ewing.

Yet another opportunity to serve in St. Francis University came his way, only this time it was as the university’s president, where he remained for 10 years.

In that time, Father Zeis’ accomplishments included expanding academic programs, creating an on-site study abroad program in Ambialet, France, improving facilities, overseeing the creation of a new science center and constructing Sacred Heart Friary. He boasts that enrollment had reached its highest during his tenure and that the endowment increased historically.

Having a desire to return closer to Trenton to be near his family, Father Zeis received permission from his provincial to accept an assignment from Bishop O’Connell as parochial vicar of St. John Neumann Parish, Mount Laurel in 2014.

He remained in Mount Laurel until Bishop O’Connell named him to his newest posts as episcopal vicar of Catholic education and chaplain at Princeton University.