SJU alum recommends faith-seeking on campus

There is nothing like attending the funeral of a family member or friend to pull you out of the daily routine and remind you about what is most important in this life and encourage reflection on the life beyond.

I was invited to share some thoughts about my experience at St. John’s by a very good friend and fellow Johnnie. I am happy to do this, as it is good to look back, and be thankful for how God’s grace has impacted you through the events and people in your life.

I do so now having the perspective of one who is 66, and having attended several funerals this past year, including my older brother’s.

I started at St John’s seeking a good education, looking for guidance on confirming my vocation, and of course hoping to have some fun and make some good friends along the way.

Despite all I had been given, including 12 years of Catholic education, I was certainly aware then, as I am today, that left to my own devices, and sinful tendencies, my life becomes smaller and self-focused.

At a time in my life when I was searching for support and confirmation of my faith, I can recall many ways in which God’s grace mercy, and guiding hand was present. The Benedictine values were displayed over and over in the liturgies I attended, group and service activities I became involved in, and I think most importantly, in the people I encountered.

There was one monk who had a big impact on my faith journey. He became a mentor to me, many of my friends, and as I have learned, to numerous other Johnnies and Bennies over the years. He introduced me to a group of friends who remain in my life today.

As I look back, he was the glue that nurtured this particular group of friends. He continued to be present at many Zoom meetings and get together well after graduation and he will continue to be with us after his passing. He was a gifted philosophy instructor who worked very hard at his craft, a gifted priest, homilist, and counselor.

He connected with others in a way that is not often seen, listening intently, empathizing, understanding and asking just the right question when needed.

Despite his many gifts, he was always humble. He was a living witness of Christianity for me. He had a relationship with Dorothy Day, and he planted the seed to volunteer at the Catholic Worker House in New York City for a January term experience.

Given her declining state, I didn’t formally meet her, but recall her presence at mass. Over time, this experience and her witness spoke to me of the importance of looking out for those in need, the poor, outcast, displaced, lonely, sick, depressed and anxious.

This life changing experience was made possible by the gentle nudge from a wise man. Ultimately, I chose to get married, have a family, and work in the healthcare field, also inspired by the example of my mother and father who served as a nurse and physician.

I was lucky enough to meet my wife, Mona, and continued to be gifted by two sons and an expanding family. Another lifelong friend and classmate of mine from St John’s chose another profession, priesthood. In addition to marrying us, his first wedding, he has been there again and again to baptize our two sons and now three grandsons.

I am thankful for his ongoing friendship and his dedication to passing on our faith.

You can attend St. John’s and St. Ben’s without exploring the faith component as it is certainly not forced upon you.

If you are a future or current Johnnie or Benny, I would encourage you to lean into those Benedictine spiritual gifts and seek out those friendships within the community.

I find that the older I get, the more funerals I attend, and the more I reflect on the ultimate prize, the more precious these gifts become.

You don’t have to travel to a distant land and scale a large mountain to seek the advice of the wise sage at the top. They may be just down the hall from you. You just might discover, as thankfully have I, that the relationships you form there will impact your life for decades to come.