Page 45 - Priorities #74

Spirituality
Hospitality
Campus Minister Molly Buccola immediately made this visible with her first chapel talk on being hopeful and listening to that “still, small voice” inside ourselves. We also heard from Theology teacher Ryanne DeGood on “Finding Our Way Through Loss.” Students then shared: Bobby Youstra ‘21 realized that this lockdown allowed him to dive deep into his passions, and Libby Lye ‘20 reflected on the value of vulnerability. Teacher and RF CJ Gomez discussed valuing time alone, while also growing one’s community. Seniors Ava Rust, Zoe Verma, and Matthew Covington shared their “Pearls of Wisdom,” with Matthew saying, “Let this time when we feel as though everything has been taken from us serve as a reminder to make the most of the present”; and Grace Beriker sang an original song about growing up and moving on. Though we cannot gather in our beloved pews with the sun glancing onto us, we can still absorb the wisdom from this Priory ritual. To maintain our focus on spirituality, the Theology department continued its Thursday morning prayers, the bulletin opened with a reading, and Ms. Buccola offered drop in Meditation Monday and Thankfulness Thursday sessions. “It’s been a blessing to think of new ways to nurture community and one-on-one connections,” she said. Father Martin reminded us that “While we find ourselves without a personal connection with our cherished friends, we are always in the presence of a God who loves us – no matter what. We are never really alone.”
Closely linked to Benedictine spirituality is its hospitality. Priory students are now spread across the globe, in China, Japan, Mexico, Hungary, Thailand, and more, yet teachers and the Residential Faculty have the goal of making sure students still feel included, welcomed, and valued. Dean of Residential Life Adam Siler says that “We remain committed to being a source of positivity and support in their lives.” Synchronous classes are held in the morning so students in Europe can attend after dinner, and students in Asia watch recorded Zoom sessions. For students who cannot safely return to their home countries, their local guardians have opened their homes. Dormer Andras Pakorzdi actually lived in the monastery for three weeks with his guardian Father Maurus before returning to Hungary. Andras said that he was “living their life. They started calling me their little monk and joked about getting me a black robe!”
Priory folks have shown their hospitality in a myriad of ways. Early into the pandemic, Director of Communications Kelly Sargent recruited staff to create a photo collage to “let students know that we are there for them and in this together!” Metals teacher Reed Sullivan delivered tool kits for her 25 students, plus she provided a “lending library” of materials for seniors to make their tiles. “Father Martin and my 6 and 8-year-old help make the kits,” she said, while Dean of Students Micah Morris funded the project. The Senior Task Force mailed home a Priory
45
DISTANCE LEARNING