New Team Members; Being a Team Member

In both high school and undergrad college, I was a member of several teams: sports, clubs, ministry. Over the course of our time together, my teammates and I would become close, good friends. We would enjoy working with one another and relaxing with one another as well.

It was not uncommon to find that, when it was time to re-organize the team at the beginning of the next academic year, there was a hesistation and even some resistence to bringing on new members to the team. "Our team last year was so great - we had such a good group," people would often say. Though I must admit that I, at times, shared some of these sentiments, I tried to always have a postive and forward-moving attitude when bringing on new members to the team.

Some weeks ago, His Excellency John F. Kinney, bishop of the Diocese of Saint Cloud, requested that all of his seminarians meet with him for supper at his residence. This annual event is intended to be both a chance for the rookie seminarians to meet the veterans (and vice versa) as well as a send-off to the seminary academic year.

All through last year, I loved the fraternity of the Diocese of Saint Cloud seminarians. My brother seminarians make such a great group that I - in my weakness - could not imagine the team being any better.

I was thrilled to learn that the Diocese of Saint Cloud had accepted SEVEN NEW SEMINARIANS for this coming year! That brings our numbers up from ten seminarians to seventeen! In one year, the size of our team nearly doubled! That's awesome, incredible, fantasic! Of these seven new seminarians, two will be coming to the Saint Paul Seminary, three to Saint John Vianney Seminary in Saint Paul and two to Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary in Winona.

I am embarassed to admit that this thrill was paired, for me, with a worry that our team would "just not be the same." Why is it that one would feel that way? Longing for the "good old days?" Staying in one's "comfort zone?"

Back to the event at the Bishop's Residence. I was able to meet all of the new members of the team and - as you may have guessed - I was so happy! Our new seminarians have diverse backgrounds and all love Jesus and want to help the Church.

MY LESSON: The Acts of the Apostles and more than one of Saint Paul's letters address the growth of the early Christian Community. It can be hard to let go of the familiar and comfortable, but one must remember that "it is not my team." The Christian Community is not about me being comfortable with my long-time friends . . . dare I write it as: we must shape the circle ever wider.

I look forward to working with my new brother-seminarians in the next year and beyond; I also look forward to meeting all of the new seminarians at the Saint Paul Seminary who will arrive next week.

Take care, -Jeremy