September 25, 2009
The Bishop's Forum
The Year for Priests: From whence the priests?
by Bishop Gerald A. Gettelfinger
Fourth in a series: Yet another surprise from home
My entering the seminary at age 13 has always provided a moment of discussion for the quizzical. It is often characterized by the question: “How could you decide to become a priest at that age?”
The answer was and is simple, I didn’t decide to become a priest. “I decided to enter the seminary in the hopes of becoming a priest some day.”
Think about it. I had 11 years to find if my hope might be fulfilled.
It is true that every waking moment in the seminary was based on the presumption that the goal of priesthood was intended. However, it was always made clear to us that we were free to leave at any time. I recalled often the pledge of my father, that after the first full year, I was free to leave at any time. He knew of what he spoke as he had done so himself three times.
With the “priesthood in mind” as both the direction and the destination, life in the seminary was for me freeing. I was then able in that context to become immersed in daily life and celebration of the moment whether it was in prayer, in study or in play. My mother always encouraged me both in visits and in letters with: “When you pray, pray hard; when you study, study hard; and when you play, play hard!” She knew me all too well! I follow her sage advice to this day.
In my adolescent years, there was regularly angst in my heart and mind as I returned home for vacations. Will they accept me? Will they see me as different? Do they support me?
That angst was perpetually removed on a Christmas vacation in my sixth year. Mom and Dad and my siblings caused it to evaporate forever.
Our family always had a tradition of adding prayers after the Rosary whether it was a litany or a special prayer for others. Just when I thought it was about to end, someone intoned: “A prayer for Seminarians.” They prayed it with a sincerity of heart that stunned me.
I can’t tell you how moving that was. As I write this, I tear up even today.
They had been saying that prayer every day for seminarians both as a family and personally since I had entered the seminary. They knew it by heart. They had clearly agreed not to pray it in my presence for the preceding years for fear of pressuring me to go on to priesthood. After so many years they felt safe in doing so.
Oh my! Now I hope you understand the band of “gold stars” in my coat-of-arms as a bishop!
Next week: The family is the source of all vocations! Prayers answered!