Njuki Moments

Friday, April 15, 2011

tell me, do you really want to be a priest?

For the majority of my readers ,that can only come from a movie.Nah,not many of you even watch Padre Pio movies.It could only have come from a fictional book.Sixteenth Century perhaps.

For 15 year old Emma,that was a real question that put that real fear into him. The answer would mean chasing a dream or letting it fly.(Padre Pio is a saint by the way)

This young boy was two weeks late reporting to school at the minor seminary. All horror stories had been told about that place.Still he went. Two weeks late.

Even before he could settle into his 40 student's class,the biggest so far in a long history,he is hand picked for the worst student career killer ever in the whole school.A trip to the lake(also the worst punishment you could ever have)
Crime was asking just what the phrase :
"Tu periurare timeto -- commodat in lusus numina surda Venus" meant.

Subito(Latin for suddenly) a name given to a particularly mysterious teacher Priest finds me in action and there on my first day in school I am led to the lake for punishment.

Once there,the following conversation occurs,
"So young man,you have come to the seminary!?"
Knees shaking I barely whisper,
"Yes Father",
"And a few hours later you have your first punishment. Will you even make an average Seminarian?"(that asked with so much anger I wonder why,and a sneer to match)

I f I say YES,he will say,how then do you find yourself in this situation?,If I say No,I swear to God he will send me home. So I say,
" I will try"
......and he goes,
"Laba,Just trying? You will just try?" I don't think you are good enough."

Don't blame then when I chose to leave after a whole four years. My start was not the best. I tried.
And for you Latin starters,sentence translates as, "... fear not to forswear thyself. Venus makes the gods deaf to the plaints of the deceived lover."

4 comments:

  1. I vividly remember this hard moment in ya life Emma! You really tried.

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  2. Munnange nagezaako. Thank you Father...and it was the first day,you can imagine.

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  3. "Many are called, but few are chosen"! This old mantra still mediates my memories of the seminary, decades after I quit. That said, I have always been convinced that life spent in the seminary is the most precious, even in your later calling.

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  4. Very true JB. I hold very proud memories of that formation.Even now.
    This incident here though,sadly started me off with a bitter taste,my earlier expectations notwithstanding.

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