October - A Month in the Life of a Seminarian
Philip Mayer
I hope that you're doing well. Life here at the seminary has taken on
a brisk chill--we even had a few snowflakes tossed at us one day. My
morning bike ride to chapel now consists of three-sweaters, a long
coat, scarf, hat, and leather gloves and it's only November!
Interestingly some of the guys are still wearing shorts under their
cassocks--crazy! They must have some incredibly hairy legs or
something, since I don't know how else they're staying warm; then
again these guys are not among those of us who bike to chapel every
morning since they live in the cloister which is almost immediately
next to the chapel.
It seems that I am now a paid preacher man, well part-time anyway.
Father McGlynn, my parish ministry professor has connected me to a
local church currently without a pastor. And so I assemble the
bulletin, choose the hymns, lead the service and preach the sermon. On
my first Sunday, there were only about seven folks in attendance, the
youngest member of which was in his seventies. Unfortunately, the
organist was sick; however it was insisted that when this has happened
in the past they simply read through the hymns together. So, as odd as
this sounds, that is what we did. I felt as if I was at a poetry
reading in a coffee shop, except of course everyone was reading along
with me. After the service a woman named Mrs. Zimmerman said in the
nicest way, "Honey, I wish I could hear your sermon, but I'm so sorry;
I just can't hardly hear a thing." And this was with the sound system
set so high that the speakers were nearly ringing. Yet these few folks
are faithful. Most of them have been attending this little white
church their entire lives and they are very patient to allow this
bumbling young kid to come in and lead them. They are a gift of God to
me and I am very grateful to have been allowed into their lives.
Melissa is now twenty-five! We had a great time celebrating, beginning
with a visit to The Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary, Help of
Christians, Holy Hill. This national pilgrimage sight is located atop
one of the highest spots in Wisconsin and has a rich history that
reaches back into the sixteen hundreds when Jesuit missionaries first
came to the country. One of the walls beside a small chapel had
leaning up against it numerous crutches and even a blue leg cast that
had assumably been cut off the person's leg while he or she was
visiting, apparently having been healed. I was surprised by the number
of people visiting: hundreds and hundreds of cars, along with multiple
parking lots and orange vested folks directing traffic.
Next we went to one of Melissa's favorite restaurants, Texas
Roadhouse, where there were about a dozen and a half friends secretly
waiting. As we walked into the restaurant everyone said, "Surprise."
Melissa's eyes became wide, her hands went up into the air, and then
she caught her breath and smiled. She was completely surprised and
felt loved. After cake and a bonfire back at our place for the
conclusion of the evening, I thought to myself in amazement "Everyone
with whom I had spoke drove half an hour away from the campus and then
back to spend the evening celebrating with us." It is nice to have
been blessed by God with a community that has so quickly accepted us
into their lives.
Thank you for all of your prayers.
Grace and Peace,
Philip N. Mayer
phil....@gmail.com; 407-409-8913; philipmayer.blogspot.com
Nashotah House Theological Seminary, 2777 Mission Road, Nashotah, WI
53058