Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Pierced

" When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord."  ~Luke 2:22-23

The time has finally come when, following the example of St Joseph and the Blessed Mother, Paul and I were called to make our own presentation of our first-born son to the Lord.  Early on Tuesday, August 21st, we packed up John's belongings and together with John's four siblings and our dear friend, and in our hearts, a sibling as well, Fr. Matthew Widder, we traveled from Milwaukee to Chicago to "present" John to the Lord for the beginning of his seminary career at St. Joseph's College Seminary at Loyola University, where he will prepare for the diocesan priesthood in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. 

John and his entourage

Our pilgrimage, as Fr. Matthew called it, began with daily Mass at our home parish.  Following Communion, Fr. Dave offered a special blessing for John as he begins his seminary career. Armed with the prayers of family and friends and the protection of a first-class relic of St. Pius X on his feast-day, a gift from my oldest sister Diann which she had received from our friend Fr Jim Kubicki, SJ, all eight of us climbed into our battered van, loaded with a few boxes of John's belongings, and we prayed the rosary as we began the two-hour drive to Chicago.  We were blessed with beautiful weather for the drive and move.

in his room with the relic of St. Pius X

When we got to Chicago we went out to lunch and then moved John into his room.  He didn't have very many belongings so it took about 15 minutes to get him settled.  With a few hours to spare before some scheduled meetings for the seminarians and families, we walked over to nearby St. Ignatius Church.  We were blessed to meet Kathy Morris, the pastoral associate, who kindly gave us a personal tour.  She was pleased to share the magnificence of St. Ignatius with pilgrims from Milwaukee since our Archbishop Listecki had been the pastor at St. Ignatius during some of the major renovations done to maintain it's beauty.  And it is so gorgeous!  I will be posting more about the tour in another post.

John and Fr. Matthew at the Sacred Heart of Jesus Shrine on the Loyola Campus

Then we walked along Lake Michigan and all around the campus.  We stopped at the Madonna del Strada Chapel for some silent prayer before returning to the seminary. After the welcoming meetings the families and seminarians joined each other for Mass in Our Lady of the Rosary Chapel.   We sat right by the stained glass window of the Presentation.   I was struck by the gospel passage from Matthew 19:23-30 that read:  "And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more, and will inherit eternal life."  It seemed very fitting to reflect upon these words on the day when Paul and I were "giving up" our son to service for the Lord and our son was also "giving up" so much of himself for the love of God.

Following Mass all of the seminarians and families enjoyed a fine dinner and before we left, Fr. Matthew blessed John and his room.   We all offered a tearful and emotional goodbye.  Everyone, including me, was surprised that I didn't completely break down in tears.  Maybe it's because we were all so chatty during the day and I didn't get a chance to think too much about how I was feeling.  But as we left John's room, I realized how quiet his life at the seminary will be compared to our noisy home life and I wondered if the silence will intensify feelings of loneliness in his heart.  When we finally left the seminary just as twilight was overcoming the city, John walked us to the gate and he leaned over it, watching us walk all the way down the street until we turned the corner and with a final wave he turned and walked back to the seminary.

"And a sword will pierce your very soul."  ~Luke 2:39

the new seminarian

  Please pray for John and for all of the seminarians at St. Joseph's College Seminary as they begin their studies this year.


19 comments:

  1. Anne,
    Prayers for John as he begins this journey into his vocation.
    Many blessings to him and your family.

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    1. Thanks Karinann! Your prayers mean so much!

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  2. Seminary is a lot of things Anne but it is anything but quiet :) I'm sure John will be feeling right at home when all the other guys arrive. Please know of my prayers and unconditional support as John begins this very exciting journey to the most awesome calling in the world! - Fr. Ryan Pruess

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    1. I am so grateful to you Fr. Ryan! Thank you for your prayers and your unconditional support and also for the wonderful example that you give with your beautiful life!

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  3. So, so many prayers for John, your family, and all the seminarians!

    I think your son may be running into our 2nd oldest son, Joe, sometimes! Joe is a freshman at St. Patrick High School and is enrolled in the Quigley Scholars pProgram at St. Joseph Seminary! It's a program to help high school boys who feel they may have a vocation to the priesthood. The seminarians meet with the boys once a month. Please let John know that I'd be so happy if he would say "hello" to Joe at one of the meetings! I'm also eager to know how John feels about St. Joe's, overall.

    Small world!

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    1. Mary Kate,

      I am so happy to learn that our sons may come to know one another at St. Josephs!!! I will give John a heads up about Joe. I know that he will be happy to give him support and encouragement! I will be praying for you and for your family also. Thank you for your prayers!

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    2. Thanks so much, Anne! Blessed and exciting times!!

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  4. John is one of the young men (and women) I pray for by name as they discern the call to the priesthood or religious life. I'm so happy this day has arrived and I continue to pray for him (and for his family) as he makes this journey. God bless!

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    1. Thank you so very much for praying for John by name! That means so much to me!

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  5. Oh goodness, beyond beautiful and emotional. I am overwhelmed by thankfulness for this son that you have given!, dear Anne! Hugs to you, his Mother, a good and faithful servant and witness for us all:) Be assured of our prayers!

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    1. God bless you Tiffany and thank you! Know of my deep prayers for you and your son Hank and your family as well, as you make your own offering, watching Hank leave home and further mature into Christian manhood. You are a beautiful example!

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  6. Anne, thank you for sharing your family journey to St. Joseph's College Seminary at Loyola University - but most importantly, thank you for sharing your son, John. Continued prayers for your entire family...warmest, Karen

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    1. God bless you Karen! Thank you so much for your kind words and for your prayers!

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  7. Anne, my heart is filled with joy for you and your family! Think how very close Our Lady must feel to you, and how lovingly she will watch over John. I know it is never easy to let go....but God has truly blessed and honored your beautiful family by calling John. Please know that I too pray for him.

    I look forward to reading all you will have to share with us in the future...and more of those seminary cookbook meals :) God bless you my dear, chosen friend. Hugs and prayers!

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    1. Patricia, you always have such a beautiful way with words! Thank you for your kindness and for your prayers.

      We're going to have to plan another dinner here soon. It's been a while since we've had a nice dinner with some of our priest and seminarian friends. Maybe you could join in by purchasing the cookbook and preparing a meal for a priest that you love as well!

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  8. Anne, My heart is with you! I deliberately refrained from reading your post yesterday. I cried through your note, and I knew I would through your post as well. The image of Our Lady waving as Our Lord embarked upon the road to His public ministry weighs on my heart. I'm sure her words were brave and confident, and yet her eyes betrayed sorrow at relinquishing her boy to work of His Father. You capture this sweet and sorrowful parting beautifully. Thank you for sharing such an intimate moment. John and your family remain in our daily prayers. Our Lady will watch over this beloved son- he is her beloved son as well.

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    1. Mary Anne, you are sweeter than sweet! There were so many tender moments that day, little touches of good-bye that I just couldn't put into words when I wrote this post-a kiss to the top of John's head as he knelt in prayer, a card tossed on John's bed by Fr. Matthew as we left his room, my husband shaking John's hand before leaning in to hold him as if to say "You are a real man now." It was a beautiful day, the day my son became a seminarian and deliberately chose to follow in our Lord's footsteps. I am so proud to have been blessed with such a fine young man for a first-born son.

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  9. I've been praying for John. Will he continue his blog?

    It must be that time, because another young man I often met in the chapel at night has entered Sacred Heart Seminary in Detroit this week. I bought him his first breviary; I hope to visit him some day when it is well worn. I always pray for our young priests-to-be

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  10. Hi Tom, thanks for praying for John! John plans to keep his blog up but I don't know how often he'll post anything, he didn't post very often before, but if he feels something really special or important is happening, I'm sure he'll take the time to write a little about it. I love the idea of purchasing a breviary for a seminarian and then checking back in the years to come to find it well-worn!

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