A Valediction Coming Full Circle

By Sean DeWitt

Sometimes timing speaks for itself. This past spring I was studying abroad in Rome. And having made my decision to apply for seminary, I was scared. I had basically decided to reshuffle my life, while being over 10,000 miles away from home. I had no idea what was going to happen.

Fr. Mike Sis, the former vocations director, and I shot emails back and forth across the ocean. I thought for sure Fr. Mike would think I was crazy. I was just some random guy emailing from Rome, wanting to join seminary for the Austin Diocese. But, Fr. Mike was patient with me.

In an exchange, I expressed my frustration with job hunting. Needless to say, several thousand miles of ocean doesn’t help when trying to apply for jobs. Fr. Mike said he had an opening he could offer me through Catholic Charities. I’ll be honest. I had never heard of Catholic Charities, but I decided to go for it.

Nearly three weeks later, I showed up for work. The following two months that would ensue taught me more than I could have imagined.

During my time here at Catholic Charities, I served at the food pantry, interviewing clients in English and in Spanish. Working with Meg Kee, Jeff Haecker and the many volunteers, I was blessed with the privilege to meet the face of Christ in those I served and in those I served with. Though often times I felt like I was learning more about God’s love from those around me, than they were from me, I pray that the small bit of time I had with them gave them a greater sense of hope.

Several times a week I also worked with case management, meeting with walk-in clients seeking help from Catholic Charities and with ex-offenders seeking assistance and guidance through the Criminal Justice Ministry. These meetings were special to me because I was able to have a personal encounter with the poor and the needy. The helpless situations that seemed to face these people were heart wrenching sometimes, yet the assistance I was able to provide them with seemed to be just enough. Whether it was a bus pass or a pair of work boots, giving these people the ability to work and take care of themselves was a rewarding experience. I hope and pray that those I helped will continue on their way to self-sufficiency.

I have also been working on social networking, a new and expanded form of communication tools like this blog to help spread the message about Catholic Charities. A stranger to the blogosphere in the beginning, I have really come to see the merits in this venue and I thank all the wonderful people who have taken time to read our blog. I am humbled that anyone feels that my words are important enough to read. It is only for the greater glory of God and Catholic Charities that I do this.

And just as my stay here at Catholic Charities began with a call to the priesthood, I find myself saying goodbye the day after the feast of Saint John Vianney, the patron saint for the year of the priest, which our Holy Father, Pope Benedict the XVI, has so wonderfully dedicated. Ironic though it may seem, St. John’s feast day is the perfect book end to a summer that I will never forget. What I have learned about service to the poor and its importance to the Church is something that will never leave me.

One of the greatest gifts one can give is the ability to help others. This is what Catholic Charities has done for me. I humbly thank Catholic Charities for giving me the opportunity to work and grow under its wings. My experiences here at Catholic Charities will no doubt have a positive affect on the kind of priest I will become—God willing. And though it is a long road ahead, the road for now has come full circle. A summer internship that started with a call from the Eternal City has come to an end on the day in which we honor the priesthood through St. John Vianney’s intercession.

Again, I thank the Catholic Charities directors, staff and volunteers for all they have done for me, especially Cynthia Colbert, Ryla Simmons, Meg Kee, and Melanie Ann Watson. I thank Jeff Haecker, my fellow seminarian intern, for his friendship, and I pray that God blesses him this fall, as he begins his discernment. I also want to thank the Gabriel Life Project Center for all their support and prayers. May God continue to bless your wonderful service. And last I want to thank you, the readers of this blog, for your prayers and support. The Catholic Charities blog has far surpassed any expectations I had. Your comments and commentary are wonderful and I hope that you will continue to support Catholic Charities and myself in your prayers.

So as I head off to Holy Trinity Seminary to discern my calling, learn about the priesthood, and study God’s word, I will leave you with a short prayer for priests by our Holy Father.

May the Year for Priests lead all priests to identify totally with the Crucified and Risen Jesus so that, in imitation of St John the Baptist [Mary Vianney], they may be prepared to "shrink" that Christ may grow and that, in following the example of the Curé d'Ars, they feel constantly and profoundly the responsibility of their mission, which is the sign and presence of God's infinite mercy. Let us entrust to Our Lady, Mother of the Church, the Year for Priests which has just begun and all the priests of the world.—Pope Benedict XVI, General Audience: St. Peter’s Square, June 24, 2009