Kurt Rothermel, a seminarian in pre-theology, offers the following reflection on the first days of his summer ministry assignment.

As the seminary faded in my rearview mirror, I was looking forward to spending the summer working as a day camp counselor at the Catholic Club and living at the Historic Church of Saint Patrick, both in downtown Toledo.  As I reflect on the first week at my summer assignment, I realize that things have gotten off to a great start!

Here are a few highlights from the eventful past seven days:

First, some background information:  the Catholic Club (http://www.catholicclub.org/) offers children living in an urban environment a safe and supportive place to learn and grow.  The summer camp is designed to develop a sense of usefulness and belonging in the children.  Most importantly, the Catholic Club staff lets these young people know that they care about them and their futures.

During this first week, we helped raise two swing-set poles that had sunk into the ground, causing two upper support beams to slope downward from their original straight horizontal positions.  This effort involved digging two three-foot deep holes, each with a diameter of about three feet, then breaking up large rocks to create a firm foundation & raising and re-leveling the poles, and finally setting the poles in concrete and refilling the holes.  Easier said than done!  Physical labor can be humbling.  It took three of us (including Jerry Schetter, another Toledo seminarian) almost all day to complete this dirty job.  When finished, we were exhausted, but extremely satisfied that our efforts would help the kids have a like-new swing-set that worked well.  Other jobs included setting up a movie room & re-organizing and cleaning classrooms and the cafeteria.

I also witnessed my first Anointing of the Sick this past week.  One evening, a priest invited me to accompany him to a hospital, where he administered the sacrament.  The priest patiently listened and offered words of encouragement as the sick person talked about possible diagnoses, upcoming tests, and the resulting feelings of anxiety and uncertainty.  After the priest anointed with the sacred oil, the patient was visibly grateful and relieved at receiving this visit from the priest.  This unforgettable experience felt like a key moment in my discernment for the priesthood.

Thank you for reading my blog entry.  Please pray for the children at the Catholic Club as well as the sick patient in the hospital!