“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. As we walk with Father Jim through both high and low points, we meet many lively characters who helped to make him into the man he is today, including a fellow Connecticut priest, Blessed Michael McGivney, the holy founder of the Knights of Columbus, who serves as an inspiration for Father Jim and many others. 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
“A keen observer of human life and of the ways of God, and with a gift for telling a story well, Fr. Jim Sullivan’s book – 23 ½ Degrees – is a great read!
“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.
“As the book warms one’s heart, it will inspire the reader to live with greater passion and purpose – ‘the ordinary of everyday life’ – by recognizing the power of simple kindnesses, courtesies and virtues to change one’s life and that of our families, communities and Church.
“Keep this book on your nightstand, and apply its wisdom toward a more wholesome and holy life!”
Mother Agnes Mary, SV
Sisters of Life
Fr. Jim Sullivan’s journey begins in the heart of Waterbury, Connecticut, where he was born and raised. He attended John F. Kennedy High School, and later pursued a degree in economics at Providence College in Rhode Island, graduating in 1982. But even then, Fr. Jim’s heart was already drawn toward service.
After college, he spent a year volunteering at an inner-city school in Washington, D.C. There, he taught grade school, coached basketball, and even helped fix up a dilapidated convent — prefiguring a vocation of restoration. It was in those moments—surrounded by kids, old buildings, and a deep sense of purpose—that he discovered a passion for breathing new life, in both places and people.
Returning home in 1987, Fr. Jim teamed up with his brother John to launch a construction company, Sullivan Brothers, LLC. What began as a modest endeavor soon flourished, growing to include over 30 employees and more than 50 subcontractors. For 25 years, he poured his energy into building homes, restoring structures, and shaping communities with his hands.
But even as he built with bricks and mortar, an inevitability was also building up within him. In 2008, he was ordained a deacon, and over time, the quiet yet persistent call to a higher purpose could no longer be ignored. On May 17, 2014, Archbishop Leonard P. Blair ordained him a priest.
Five years later, in 2019, Fr. Jim Sullivan was appointed Rector of the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in downtown Waterbury—a place once called “the most Catholic city in America.” By 2024, the parish had grown to include four churches and an elementary school, reclaiming its original name from 1857: Immaculate Conception Parish—a church rich in history, known as the home parish of Blessed Michael McGivney.
Today, Fr. Jim Sullivan still loves to build—but his materials have changed. Reflecting on ten years of priesthood, he says with a smile, “I’ve moved from building and restoring homes to building and restoring hearts.”
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Click here to read the Archdiocese of Hartford’s story about Fr. Sullivan’s book
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“23 1/2 Degrees Away From God: Returning To The Light” (Now available for purchase!)
(Paperback, 174 pages, $23.50)
Click here to order your copy of “23 1/2 Degrees Away From God: Returning To The Light”
The gallery of images below offers a look at some pages from the book:
Click here to order your copy of “23 1/2 Degrees Away From God: Returning To The Light”
