Six shirts, four pairs of pants, a Bible, two volumes of the
Breviary and enough optical wipes to last the apocalypse. It’s a common roster
you’ll find in our suitcases, at least among the bespectacled. Some of the
suitcases have been neatly packed for days. Some were still being filled
shortly before the bus pulled out of Principal Avenue at 4:15 a.m. And while
you’ll find many similarities in what we packed, there are great differences in
the things we’re carrying.
Some of these things are not material. Some carry the thoughts
of upcoming ordination, as discernment has moved to preparation. They also carry the joys of parish experiences, of
seeing what spiritual fatherhood looks like, as well as the firmness in their
call to serve God through His people, the Church.
Others still carry doubts. Yet, there’s a willingness to
walk in the steps of a Savior who loves us, a willingness to listen to the
Lord, to notice the movements in one’s heart. There’s a desire for clarity, and
a resolve to avail oneself to receive it.
We carry different clothes and thoughts, but we all carry
one two things in common. The simple medallion given to each of us before we
left campus as a reminder that we’re all pilgrims. And the resolve to be on a
journey to a sacred place, to encounter Christ in a new way.
Although it might sound that we carry a big load, we are
blessed to have help. In this journey, we count on our God. We count on each
other. We count on you.
So, welcome to this journey. We’re glad you’re with us.
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