Everyone at St. Scholastica Monastery in Fort Smith knows that Sister de Chantal Hyland, OSB, loves baseball. She’s lived through plenty of baseball seasons. I had the pleasure of sitting with her at lunch June 4 after celebrating Mass at the monastery for five jubilarians. Four sisters marked 50 years of profession, an extraordinary milestone by any measure. Then there was Sister de Chantal, who made her first profession of vows on June 24, 1925, and was celebrating her 80th anniversary. She will turn 100 years old in 2006.
Sharp and ready with a smile, Sister de Chantal told me about her years as teacher, principal and coach. She seemed to relish telling a particular story.
Many years ago, when she was coaching a girls’ basketball team in addition to teaching, a local monsignor who coached at another girls’ school was looking for competition. The superintendent suggested Sister de Chantal’s team. He begrudgingly agreed, wondering out loud if a team coached by a nun would be much competition.
“We beat the socks off them,” Sister de Chantal said with a laugh. “I have to admit, that was one of the wins I enjoyed most of all.”
Father John Burkus lives in retirement in Hot Springs and celebrated his 65th anniversary of ordination June 16. When we priests gathered at Subiaco for our annual retreat last week, we congratulated Father Burkus at Mass. A native of Lithuania, Father is a linguist and author; one of his books about Marian shrines has been translated into five languages.
The day of his ordination in Lithuania in 1940, the church was surrounded by Russian tanks. Present were the bishop, eight ordinands, eight deacons to serve Mass, the bishop, and the rector of the seminary — no one else. Divine providence brought him to Arkansas some years ago. Slowing a bit and limited by poor eyesight, Father Burkus is full of kindness, good cheer, inspirational faith, and deep devotion to God. During Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Holy Hour on Thursday evening, he knelt on the floor.
Sister Jean Ryan, OCD, 79, is the daughter of an Irish father and a Sicilian mother, an ethnic combination that makes for a keen, self-deprecating wit. She recently underwent knee replacement surgery and has bounced back quicker than expected. I have the privilege of celebrating Mass monthly for the cloistered Carmelite Monastery (afterwards, they always feed me bacon and eggs, my favorite). Before Mass a few months ago, I greeted Sister Jean with, “Long time no see.” “That’s the point,” she responded wryly.
Father Peter Sharum, OSB, is part of a family whose roots run wide and deep in Arkansas. Ordained a priest of Subiaco Abbey in 1952, he is pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Charleston. Father Peter’s thoughtfulness, gentleness, and warm smile are legendary. Not long ago I received a note from him in which he apologized for being slightly late with a report. He wrote, “Though no excuse my only explanation seems to be that my memory at times is something I forget with.” (I can identify with that, I said to myself.)
On June 2 in the chapel of my home, I formally admitted Eddie D’Almeida of Vilonia/Conway and James Melnick of Cabot/Jacksonville as candidates for Holy Orders. We were joined by their parents and two brothers, Father John Antony, Father Shaun Wesley (ordained May 28), and other seminarians. “Candidacy” is an official step toward ordination taken by every seminarian as he enters the final phase of his formation. Both Eddie and James will begin First Theology in Rome this September.
Eddie holds a degree in geography from the University of Central Arkansas and worked as a software engineer for Acxiom before entering Holy Trinity Seminary at the University of Dallas two years ago. James is a 2002 graduate of Cabot High School and entered Holy Trinity that year; he completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Dallas in three years.
As they stood before the altar in my chapel, I read the words of the installation liturgy: “Our brothers know the Lord’s concern for his flock, they see the needs of the Church, and they feel ready to respond generously to the Lord in the words of the prophet: ’Here I am, send me forth.’ They put their hope in the Lord, trusting that they may answer his call faithfully.”
Each in his or her own way, Sister de Chantal, Father Burkus, Sister Jean, Father Peter, Eddie, and James have felt the Lord’s love for his flock and witnessed the spiritual hunger of our day. Something within them stirred — and still stirs — that made them raise their hearts to God and say, “I will go. Send me.”
Do you feel a similar stirring, and are you willing to give your life to God? God will take your gift, transform it, use it for the love of your sisters and brothers, and fill you with joy. Those about whom I have written this week will tell you that God wastes none of what we give him and leads us where he needs us most.
Do you have an intention for Bishop Sartain’s prayer? If so, send it to him at Bishop Sartain’s Prayer List, Diocese of Little Rock, 2500 North Tyler St., P.O. Box 7239, Little Rock, AR 72217.