Product Description
23 1/2 DEGREES AWAY FROM GOD - Returning to the Light
— Fr. Jim Sullivan
From the vibrant streets of Waterbury, Connecticut, to the sacred halls of the priesthood, Fr. Jim Sullivan's life has been a testament to restoration — of buildings, communities, and most profoundly, of hearts.
Following his economics degree from Providence College, Fr. Jim's path diverged from the expected. He spent a year volunteering in an inner-city school in Washington, D.C., where he taught, coached, and renovated a dilapidated convent. This experience sparked a passion for breathing new life into places and people. Returning home in 1987, he and his brother John built a successful construction company, Sullivan Brothers, LLC, for 25 years.
However, a deeper calling began to emerge. In 2008, he was ordained a deacon, and the persistent call to serve God ultimately led him to the priesthood in 2014. In 2019, Fr. Jim was appointed Rector of the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Waterbury, a parish rich in history and known as the home of Blessed Michael McGivney, founder of the Knights of Columbus. Under his leadership, the parish has flourished, growing to include four churches and an elementary school by 2024, reclaiming its original name, Immaculate Conception Parish.
Today, Fr. Jim reflects on his journey: "I've moved from building and restoring homes to building and restoring hearts".
Paperback. 174 pages.
Endorsements
"Through a series of deeply personal stories, Father Jim Sullivan reveals the seeds and growth of his Catholic faith that eventually led him to the priesthood. Every reader will find enrichment, enlightenment and enjoyment in this well-told tale of a Catholic life."
— Patrick E. Kelly, Supreme Knight, Knights of Columbus
"With the experience of his own life as a reference point, and that of the lives of numerous others encountered along life's journey, Fr. Jim traces the 'Golden Thread's' — a living-faith in Jesus Christ — powerful and positive impact on the lives of people like you and me in stories which contain the secret to happiness."— Mother Agnes Mary, SV, Sisters of Life
Hardcover. 272 pages.