Part V: My First Day on the Job is Just Unpacking

 Part V: My First Day on the Job is Just Unpacking

My first evening in Kansas was with Fr. Pillari. He is the chaplain of St. Martin’s Academy, a Catholic boarding school for boys, and, after I celebrated Mass in his chapel, he invited me to meet the senior class, whom he was meeting with for dinner and a talk. It was amazing to see a master at work! After the introductions, he sat down with the group and opened up the discussion with something like this. “Although I have some things that I wish to discuss with you, first, I would like to open this up to any issues you would like to discuss. Nothing is off limits. Who would like to start?” Talk about a priest with confidence that he would not have an unruly free-for-all with nearly 20 high school boys and an open forum!

I don’t know how many other schools, even—and maybe especially—Catholic schools, would form boys in such a way that they wanted to talk for a good hour on the joy of praying the rosary in the dorms before bedtime! The boys, as the last thing before going to sleep at night, would pray the rosary together in their respective dorms. The leaders wanted some suggestions on when to do it. To finish by the official “silent time” or to wait for stragglers still doing chores or homework?

"Should we start on time and leave the late guy to do it on his own?" From there, Father led them with the question about what they thought about praying as a group, what they experienced themselves as they prayed, and whether it was worth giving up sleep to wait for everyone. They each told stories about what it meant to them, getting pretty deep into the meaningfulness of praying. They asked for more “walking rosaries” and other group prayers. They loved praying it! They loved the sacrifice of sleep! They wanted the walking rosary (outdoors) even in the midst of winter! Each told which manner of praying it meant the most to them and why.

After the amazing discussion, the boys departed. I had nothing but praise for what I had just seen and the grace in which Father had pulled it off. Father said, “I don’t understand how they respond so well to me. I have never been the ‘cool guy,’ and yet the boys open up as if I were somehow great.” That, I believe, is the key. He is a priest, not a “cool” priest wanting to act young and stupid in order to "fit in" with the boys, but a holy priest interested in their spiritual formation. That is what they saw and what they reacted to. We need fewer “cool guy” priests and more like him!

It’s not just him, of course, but the entire school faculty (and each boy's family) that makes something like this happen. But a good priest is an absolute necessity to make a Catholic school truly Catholic. If he genuinely loves the Faith rather than loving being popular, the boys will respond the way this modern-day St. John Bosco’s boys did to his example. Holy men will emerge!

I slept well that night, and in the morning, after Father Pillari taped his semi-famous Rosary in his chapel, I celebrated Mass, and we had time for a leisurely coffee. Then it was time for me to head over to St. Joseph Convent for my first day.

Right on time, for the Sisters are very punctual about their schedule, I arrived and was greeted by Mother Maria Regina and two of her Sisters. They showed me to my cabins. Yes, not one, but two cabins all for myself! Each cabin has two rooms divided by a shared toilet and shower. Each room (or cell) measures about 7 feet wide by 15 feet long and has a small sink so you can wash or brush your teeth even when the person in the adjoining cell is in the bathroom.

My two cottages! I eat in the far right cell of the building on the right and sleep in the far left cell of the building on the left.

My bedroom cell was furnished with a twin bed pushed up against the wall on one side and the head pushed up against a window. Next to the bed was a small nightstand, just large enough to hold my glasses, a mug of water (with a lid so that it won’t spill if I knock it off the stand during the night!), and my cell phone, which I use for an alarm clock. There isn’t room for it to fit there and still be out of the way, so it sits in front of the inward-swinging entrance door, making the door unusable. Since both cells are mine, access through the other cell works fine. The sink is on the other side of the door. 

Across the room lengthwise is a closet/desk combination and another window. Inside the closet, there is barely enough room to hang up my cassocks (and they don’t drag on the floor!), but pants and shirts have to be folded up and placed in the cubbies next to the hanging items, along with undergarments. Good thing the shirts and pants only go under the cassock, so it doesn’t matter if they are wrinkled! Don’t tell that to the Sisters, though, since Mother wanted to get me another closet, but I simply said that I figured out a way to make it work!!

The cell on the other side has a short dresser (used for “stuff” storage, since all of my clothes are in the closet) under the back window. In front of that is a recliner that has two positions: sitting upright or nap position, for if the leg rest comes out, the back goes down too far to sit and read! A small table with a lamp on it is slightly in front of the chair, and a bookshelf takes up the rest of the space. The window, door, and sink are all that’s left to describe. Why am I going into detail about the rooms? Because that’s what all of the women keep asking about! If I can get some photos in here, I will. I know how to do it in Blogger, not yet sure how to do it in Substack.

But wait! There’s a whole ‘nuther cabin at my disposal! One of those cells is set up for my meals. There is a small refrigerator on the far side, with a nice, big cart next to it that holds a coffee pot, hot water kettle, toaster, dishware, a double hot-plate, a couple of small pots, a small frying pan, and some spices and cans of assorted soups and stuff. In front of that is a small table set for one with a microwave set on a cart across from it. And a sink next to the door.

The adjoining cell has a desk, three chairs, and a small printer. I put most of my pens, paper, and mail on the desk. The more flat, empty space I have, the more clutter I will find to consume it! Basically, it is just a room used for my weekly meeting with Mother. As an aside, none of the Sisters, including Mother, are supposed to be in my “living space” cabin if I am in there. Prudence at work. Oh, if only Rupnik and his Sisters had followed such a rule!

After this grand tour of my cabins, it was time to move in. We unloaded my car, and off the Sisters went to take care of their other duties. Mother gave me a printed schedule of their day with the reminder that I didn’t have to be with them for the entire schedule, just Mass, confessions, and Adoration, more about which I will write next week.

Lunch was already sitting in the toaster oven waiting for me, and dinner was in the fridge. A large bell in the courtyard was summoning the Sisters to Sext (mid-day prayer). I spent the rest of the day trying to figure out where things should go in such a small but divided area. It took about two weeks to finally organize it, since the space is so limited, and I had to figure out what I would actually need on a regular basis and what could just stay tucked away. Now, when I can’t find something, I don’t know if I just packed it somewhere weird or if I left it behind while downsizing.

Next week, I will show you a basic schedule of their prayer and try to describe what it is like to join them in the chapel. The difficulties reach far beyond the hours and the prayers themselves! 

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For those who wish to ask for prayers, discern a Vocation, or make donations:

This blog is not monetized, since as a Catholic Priest, I don’t need much money. But if you wish to support the Filiae Laboris Mariae Sisters under my spiritual care, feel free to send them a note to: St. Joseph Convent, 1250 Hackberry Road, Redfield, KS 66769. They constantly pray and their benefactors will get great spiritual rewards! That is also the address you can send snail mail to me. I suppose you already know or can guess my gmail address with the F*****P**** in front of it!