Best professor I had at St John’s, and I had a few who were outstanding, was a philosophy professor whom I was told was a former priest who married later in life. He was the former head of the department of theology but had to give up his title following his marriage. My friend said while he was an active priest his church was full every Sunday morning.I had a priest who taught theology when I was an undergraduate in the late 1970s. He grew up Jewish near St. John’s, went to St. John’s, and converted to Catholicism.
I wish I could remember his name. Great professor and person.