Around these parts, it’s not unheard of for various dignitaries to come around. Bishops come out to visit their men studying here. Local bishops and the Cardinal Archbishop come to some of the bigger events here. A few weeks ago, Cardinal Foley (from Rome) was here to celebrate the anniversary of his episcopal ordination with the seminary community.
After a while, it almost becomes ordinary. An announcement will get posted that Bishop so-and-so is coming next week, or we hear that Cardinal X will be here on ___day for something-or-other, and it’s almost routine. Obviously, it’s not, because a lot of people do a lot of work in planning whatever ceremonies will take place and to make sure they are well-executed, but for the rest of us it can seem rather normal.
For example, I’ve had the following things happen:
- While walking to the chapel, one of the Auxiliary Bishops of Philadelphia passes me heading the other direction. He says hello, I say hello back, and we keep moving without breaking our strides.
- I was chatting with another seminarian on the sidewalk as we were getting ready to walk up to the other building. While we’re talking, a bishop walks by, says hello to us, and keeps going. We responded with a similar hello, nice to see you Your Excellency, and that was that.
- Cardinal Foley (from Rome) was visiting. We had the big fancy Mass and dinner on Wednesday evening. The following Sunday evening, I’m heading out of the cafeteria as he comes walking in to grab some dinner. We weren’t close enough to exchange pleasantries, but we were still pretty darn close.
This past Friday, several seminarians got to attend some sort of fund raising dinner for the Catholic Leadership Institute where they were having an awards banquet. Someone apparently donated some seats at this event for some seminarians to go. At the last minute, one of the guys couldn’t make it, so I got asked to go. There were quite a few VIPs in attendance. We met up with two Auxiliary Bishops from Philadelphia, a couple guys got to meet Cardinal DiNardo, and the former Secretary of Veterans Affairs and Ambassador to the Holy See (one of the honorees) was sitting at the table next to us.
Tonight was yet another example. Every Wednesday they have the “Rector’s Dinner” which is usually a fancier meal served family style (instead of cafeteria style). Every week a few seminarians are drafted to help wait tables. This week was my week. I was assigned to the head table. No biggie, I thought, since there weren’t any dignitaries coming this week, it should just be the rector whoever else got picked for his table.
Yeah. Apparently tonight, Cardinal Bevilacqua (who lives at the seminary but rarely makes public appearances) decided to join us for dinner. Guess who would be taking care of serving him? It was fun, in its own way. I got to serve dinner to a Prince of the Church. I didn’t actually talk to His Eminence; all discussion took place with the rector as an intermediary, but still, it was an experience to be sure.
So anyway, in the short time I’ve been here, I’ve had my fair share of encounters with some VIPs.
Which leads me to my closing anecdote. Two or three weeks ago on apostolate, we went to visit this older couple with the pastor. The lady was beside herself with glee that a priest and two sems were in her house, and she tried to offer us every sort of hospitality. We explained that we couldn’t stay because we had to head back to the seminary by a certain time. The lady understood but jokingly asked Monsignor why he couldn’t write a note…he was a monsignor after all, and that has to count. The pastor joked that around these parts, monsignors are a dime a dozen [not necessarily true -- but he's making a point] and you have to be at least a bishop to have any clout.
I guess this is how people who live in Hollywood feel when they go grocery shopping and Tom Cruise or Bette Middler are in the next lane at the checkouts.
