By Melanie P. Moore
One of the earliest graduates of the Iona Collaborative, Jim Harrington came to seminary following a call “that went on for about 50 years.” Harrington attended high school and college in a Catholic seminary but didn’t proceed on the ordination path at that time.
“I discerned that my goal in ministry was not compatible with the church,” he said. “I wanted to do more activist work in civil rights—this was in the civil rights era.” Harrington went to law school and began a career in civil rights work, establishing the Texas Civil Rights Project in 1990.
“I was there 26 years,” he said, and retired in 2016 to once again pursue priesthood.
“In civil rights work, I felt like I was doing Gospel work.” Harrington shared an excerpt from a card he received: “…thank you for making a difference in ways that wonderfully put the love of Christ on display. With appreciation for your ministry.”
“Getting that card, I realized there’s no dichotomy in ministry,” he said. “The roles are different, civil rights lawyer and priest; it’s all Gospel work.”
Harrington completed the Iona program in 2019 and was ordained a deacon that year. As a deacon and before, his work was with St. James’ Episcopal in Austin where he served the Hispanic community there, Proyecto Santiago, which included preparing the liturgy for Sundays and other occasions.
“When I was in Iona and as a deacon, I was able to recruit priests to help on Sundays. Then I was ordained and served as a priest. My ministry with Proyecto Santiago lasted 8 years. until St. James could hire a Nicaraguan priest,” he said. “I then went on to do broader work with immigrants as a priest and lawyer.”
Referencing his “50-year call,” he said, “That’s a long journey. Lots of people talk about figuring it out in a year or so.”
Since February 2024, Harrington has been leading the Go and Do Likewise initiative that started at St. David’s Episcopal Church in Austin and includes a group of Episcopal churches stepping into the gap of helping asylum seekers get settled. The work originally grew out of a close connection with Casa Marianella.
“Go and Do Likewise is a program we started to support immigrant families moving out of Casa Marianella into housing (mostly apartments).”
What does the future look like for Harrington?
“Going forward, as I have for all these years, I flow with the Spirit,” he said. “The way I look at it, we have to respond to what’s going on. That’s the flow of the Spirit. We don’t know what’s coming. I think in the United States, ministry to immigrants will be a serious need for many years. Go and Do Likewise and the other immigrant work I’m doing now, that’s going to be my life and ministry as long as I can walk and talk.”
