The Reverend Joseph D. Fenton, S.M. was appointed a Chaplain of The Claremont Colleges in August 2004. He serves a multi-cultural and multi-religious community, and provides religious, spiritual, cultural and educational leadership to the communities of the consortium.
Father Fenton brings to the colleges many years experience in the religion profession, including campus ministry at St. Mary's Dominican College in New Orleans, LA. He has served in many and various educational, pastoral and training positions and on many interfaith committees and projects. He was a member of the Inter-faith Broadcast Commission, composed of major religious leaders in the field of communication. He has been invited to speak on college campuses and radio/television programs commenting on the role of religion in the world.
Prior to coming to Claremont, he served in a variety of communication positions. After completion of his M.A. in Journalism and Public Affairs at the American University in Washington, D.C., he worked with The McNeil-Lehrer Report on PBS and then as US Catholic Conference liaison to ABC News, CBS Television and NBC News covering over 100 hours of national programming per year and provided media expertise for the UK and USA visits of Pope John Paul II. During these years he was involved in inter-faith media projects. He was also the New York public affairs representative for the American Catholic bishops, and host of the weekly program Guideline on the NBC Radio Network.
Father Fenton is a television producer and director of programs broadcast on American, British and international networks and educational films. He recently produced a highly acclaimed documentary on the late motion picture producer and director, Ronald Neame, the last of the giants of the British Golden Age of Motion Pictures. He has won several awards for his productions and is a member of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, the British equivalent of the American Academy of Motion Arts & Sciences.
Father Fenton is a graduate of The Catholic University with a B.A. in history and graduate degrees in history, the American religious experience and theology. At Arizona State University, he earned an M.A. in Modern British and American history. He is member of the Society of Mary (the Marists).