Father Michael Durso, SJ, is a pastoral minister at the St. Ignatius Hall community in Florissant, Missouri and this year celebrates seven decades as a Jesuit.

In 1960, Fr. Durso began his active ministry as a teacher of English and speech at St. Louis University High School. Following studies at St. Mary’s College in Kansas, he became assistant prefect of studies at Rockhurst High School in Kansas City, Missouri. Shortly after, in 1971, he returned to St. Louis University High School to serve as principal.

From 1974 to 1981, Fr. Durso taught English at De Smet Jesuit High School in St. Louis, where he also became assistant principal. Returning to Rockhurst High School in 1982, he served as assistant principal and college counselor from 1982 to 1993. Father Durso then made one last trip back to St. Louis to teach English at De Smet once again. During this time, he also served as the superior of the De Smet Jesuit community from 1998 to 2004. He began a ministry of prayer in 2017.

Father Durso is a graduate of Saint Louis University, where he earned his bachelor’s and licentiate in philosophy, master’s in education and a licentiate in Sacred Theology.