When most people hear the word sabbatical, they might imagine months of rest or travel far from work. But for Father Jim Sullivan, this semester’s sabbatical has been less about taking a break and more about expanding his mission in a new direction.
A sabbatical, Father Jim explains, is “a fairly long time away from one’s normal work routine, while remaining associated with one’s place of employment.” His leave lasts five months, the entire fall semester, and is fully paid. Unlike a vacation, which is for rest, a sabbatical often involves study, creative projects, or work that enhances one’s role and responsibilities. “It’s time to step back and grow in ways that make your regular work stronger,” he says.
For Father Jim, this opportunity came at the perfect moment. Over the past six years, he has co-led San Gabriel Media, a Catholic multimedia apostolate based in Los Angeles. The organization produces books, videos, and music, with plans to expand into stage and film production. “We had reached a point where we were really ready to launch into the YouTube and social media worlds,” he explains. “It seemed like the ideal time to take the sabbatical so I could focus full-time on our projects.”
While his teaching and campus ministry duties at Bishop O’Dowd are being covered by colleagues this semester, Father Jim continues to assist with student retreats and several on-campus Masses.
Rather than traveling abroad, Father Jim is spending his sabbatical close to home at St. Clement Parish in Hayward, where he balances parish ministry with creative work for San Gabriel Media. “It may sound like a lot,” he admits, “but it’s like what I do in the summer, about 15 to 30 hours a week at the parish and 30 to 40 hours for San Gabriel.”
That time has paid off. Since July, he’s filmed more than 120 videos, is writing four new books, and has helped San Gabriel’s YouTube channel grow from 278 to over 500,000 subscribers in just a few months. “We launched a summer-long promotional campaign in May, and it was so successful that we’ve extended it through the end of the year,” he says proudly.
One of his favorite moments from the sabbatical has been creating a trailer for Seven Minutes: The Nature of God, a short-form video series exploring faith and science. Using the Andromeda Galaxy as an example of divine brilliance, the trailer has drawn praise from people of many faiths. “People of the Muslim and Hindu faiths have reached out to say they love it,” he says. “It says so much about who we are; our motto is ‘God is for everyone.’”
Working full-time with San Gabriel Media has been a crash course in creativity, production, and even marketing. “I’ve learned so much about promotion and logistics,” he says. “Professional growth is everywhere right now.”
But the most meaningful growth, he explains, has come spiritually and personally. “We have subscribers from all over the world,” he says. “Knowing that thousands of people I’ll never meet are watching our programs because they find them helpful or inspiring, this is huge. It’s something I take to prayer every day.”
Balancing so many responsibilities has also taught him patience. “We can’t move ahead with everything at once,” he reflects. “Patience is a virtue, and I’ve had a lot of opportunities to practice it this fall.”
Even while away, he remains deeply connected to the O’Dowd community. “The high school is the center of my life and has been since 2015,” he says. “I miss my colleagues and especially my students, the Class of 2026 in particular, since this is their senior year.” He still thinks about O’Dowd often, describing his sabbatical as “a way-extended summer vacation” rather than a true absence.
When he returns in January, he hopes to bring a new perspective and energy. “All the areas of growth I’ve experienced, personal, professional, and spiritual, will shape how I approach my work when I’m back on campus,” he says.
As he reflects on what this time away has meant, he offers a message for students and colleagues alike: “Take time out to rest, to hit pause, to reflect on where you’ve been and where you’re going.”
He admits that he’s not always good at following his own advice. “I live most of my life as if I were a human doing, rather than a human being,” he says. “But this sabbatical is teaching me to just be, still, quiet, and reflective.”
That simple lesson, about slowing down to grow stronger, may be the most meaningful work of all.
