Sean Kennedy

The Rev. Scott Traynor gave his first sermon to students on Sept. 8, at the Catholic Campus Parish.

Traynor, 31, replaced the Rev. Mike Griffin, who was transfered to Christ the King Church in Sioux Falls by the Sioux Falls diocese Bishop.

Traynor came to the campus ministry from St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Sioux Falls and started work at CCP on Aug. 6.

With students gone for most of the time that he has been on campus, Traynor said that he is just starting to get out and meet students as they come back to campus.

This is the first time that Traynor has worked as a priest on a college campus.

“I think it’s great. I think it’s exciting to be on a college campus,” Traynor said. “There is a lot of energy and enthusiasm.”

Bethany Reecy, who attended CCP in previous years said that while she will miss Griffin, she is excited to meet Traynor.

She and other students think Traynor will fit into the roll of a campus minister nicely, even though they are apprehensive about the change.

Originally from Egan, Minn., a suburb of Minneapolis, Traynor still has family living in the Twin Cities area.

Traynor first became interested in the priesthood while attending Iowa State University as a computer engineering student.

He was involved in the Navy ROTC program at the college in addition to his studies.

Traynor said he became interested in the church “through Campus Crusade and other non-denominational things.”

After taking a year off from college to think about what he wanted to do with his life, Traynor joined the staff of a retreat ministry for junior and senior high school students that was rooted in the Catholic faith.

After that, he said that he knew that God had a plan for him and he was not going to question it.

“God has a plan for my life. This is what is in store for my life,” said Traynor.

Having received his bachelor’s degree in philosophy at St. Mary’s in Wenona, Traynor spent four years in theology school at the North American College in Rome.

After going through the required four years of theology school to become a Catholic priest, Traynor was ordained in June of 2000.

Working on a college campus is different than working at a church in the city because the atmosphere is different, Traynor said.

“College has changed a lot. I’m not under the delusion that my college experience will be the same as theirs (students) will be,” Traynor said.

While worrying that he does not have the wisdom that an older priest would have to offer, Traynor said that being young will help him relate more to college students he is working with.