I've been blessed with the opportunity over the past few years to interact with seminarians on their way to the priesthood. And it's exciting when they are ordained and then exercise the functions of their priesthood, as I can think I knew them way back when they were in formation.
A few years ago, Ascension Parish started participation in the Augustus Tolton Teaching Parish Program for which Mundelein seminarians would be assigned to assist with various parish functions. One of the seminarians who came to Ascension as part of this program was Kevin Ripley, originally from Wisconsin, near Oshkosh.
His involvement with functions increased in 2019 after his ordination as a deacon, so that, among other duties, he would proclaim the Gospel and offer homilies at Mass. It was a great day, in the midst of the pandemic, when he was ordained as a priest, on July 10, 2020, at the Cathedral in Green Bay. I caught glimpses of the ordination Mass live. Certainly, that ordination was one of many examples of what made 2020 a memorable year.
I was so pleased to see him following a Mass he celebrated at Ascension a few weeks after his ordination.
And then I invited him to my RE class back in October to share about his vocational journey.
All the while, I had been thinking about going up to Wisconsin to visit him at some point at his current parish, St. Raphael in Oshkosh.
St. Raphael statue at St. Raphael Parish.
I felt it was a fitting time to visit him on the first anniversary of his ordination, back on July 10, 2021. So I got in Avila in the midday hour that day and headed north, as Cook County gave way to Lake County, and then into Wisconsin.
When I reached Fond Du Lac, I headed in a westerly direction through fields to Ripon. There, I visited the Little White School House, noted as the location of a meeting on March 20, 1854, that was instrumental in creating the Republican Party.
It's a neat place, a type of off-the-beaten-path site, in a fine little city, with a significant story to tell. It's a one-room schoolhouse originally built for the school children in the town, but also offering space for a public meeting such as the one that birthed the Republican Party. The exhibits offer lots of information on the context of Ripon, and the national-level politics of the day that compelled slavery opponents to gather and form a new political party, along with the major players in the Ripon area. It was interesting to note how this meeting in a small town gave rise to a new political movement, which soon took its place as a major player in the political scene.
After about an hour there, I walked around Ripon. Then, I headed out of town and northeast toward Oshkosh, for 5 PM Mass at St. Raphael.
I arrived there with plenty of time before Mass started, and I took note of the splendid architectural details, inside and outside of the church.
I took my place in the sanctuary, and soon enough, Father Kevin spotted me as he got ready for Mass, and came over to my seat to greet me. He was clearly surprised to see me there.
This day was the first time I ever saw Father Kevin celebrate Mass since his ordination, and it was marvelous to see him at this point in his vocational journey, living out his call to lead the faithful to encounter God through the sacraments. And I heartily joined the applause when the Deacon announced Father Kevin's first ordination anniversary toward the conclusion of Mass.
Father Kevin and I chatted for a few minutes after Mass, and then I headed back south to Oak Park, delighted by this opportunity to reconnect with Father Kevin.
A parishioner took this photo of Father Kevin and me.
As I headed home, I drove for a few miles along the shores of Lake Winnebago, with scenic views. I had some nice views of downtown Milwaukee as I drove through on I-94. Right before entering Illinois, I pulled off I-94 to eat at the very Wisconsin restaurant of Culver's.
A couple of weekends later, I had the chance to reconnect with another priest, Father Hurlbert, who served as Ascension's pastor until summer 2020, and then went to a new assignment as pastor of Nativity/St. Gabriel Parish in Bridgeport/Canaryville on the south side of Chicago. I was glad to have him around at Ascension, and I'm pleased to see him at the next parish in his priestly ministry. The sanctuary of Nativity Parish was painted in light colors, which gave the whole space an uplifting feel. And, as would befit its name, there were paintings in panels in the sanctuary by the altar depicting scenes from the birth of Christ.
Turning my attention back to St. Raphael, the first piece of artwork there that really jumped out at me there was a table in a landscaped area at the entrance of the church. There was one figure at the table, Jesus, holding out bread and wine. The table was surrounded by unoccupied seats.
That particular artwork looked so inviting, as God welcoming us to be present to Him Who has come to be with us in Jesus. Time after time, God does amazing works in our lives, inviting us to open ourselves to each new marvelous work. I marveled at Kevin as he journeyed to the priesthood, and I marvel to see where he is now, just as I do Father Hurlbert. And as we each do our part, we join together to build up the One Church.
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