As Glenmary’s three novices finish the first year of their two-year novitiate,
they reflect on the past year and how what they have learned
about themselves—and Glenmary—will help them
in their future home mission ministry.
by Margaret Gabriel

TIME FOR PRAYER: Men in Glenmary’s novitiate spend a great deal of time in prayer and silent reflection. Aaron Wessman (top) finds the chapel in the novitiate house a good place to reflect on the readings of the day.

On July 1, 2006, three men began Glenmary’s two-year novitiate program in Maple Mount, Ky. None knew what to expect of the year devoted to study, prayer and reflection directed by Father Dave Glockner and Father Tom Kirkendoll. They did know that it was to be a year when they would step back from their everyday lives and concentrate on their spiritual lives.

As Father Dave explains it: “It’s a year to slow down and spend more time in prayer.”

Aaron Wessman remembers how it felt as he tried to slow down. It was like trying to slow down a freight train barreling along at full speed! Crispine Adongo remembers how hard it was to adjust to the silence incorporated in their daily routine. Craig Digmann entered the year, he says, envisioning a rigorous program that would, perhaps, even be military in its structure.

Although all three novices began with very different expectations and conceptions, they are ending the year in agreement: it was challenging but they reaped more than they ever expected.

Father Dave developed the novitiate program which has a set schedule. Weekdays start with Mass at 7:15 and morning prayer at 8:30. A class at 9 a.m. is followed by an hour of reflection and then another class. The novices enjoy free time after lunch until 4:30 p.m. when they gather for evening prayer and reflection. Then it’s on to supper and more free time. Night prayers are followed by spiritual reading and silence until Mass the next morning.

Adjusting to silence was one of the most difficult tasks for these men. They began novitiate with a six-day silent retreat and silence has since remained part of their daily lives.

Aaron, who is pursuing priesthood, says he fought the silence because “In that silence, you are called to go deeper into who you are. God takes you through this time of desert and you’re able to rejoice in the closeness to God that results.”

Crispine, also pursuing priesthood, adjusted to the silence eventually and even began to look forward to it because “I realized that I needed time to let God speak to me.”

Finding that time at Maple Mount is very easy to do. Father Dave refers to the location of the novitiate house as “very special.” The house is located on 750 acres owned by the Ursuline Sisters of Mount St. Joseph in Western Kentucky. The grounds are also home to the sisters’ motherhouse and a retreat center.

Aaron, Crispine and Craig, who is pursuing brotherhood, say getting to know the sisters has been a blessing. Each day they share lunch with the sisters and say they are inspired by them. And the feeling is mutual. “Craig, Crispine and Aaron have brought new life to our home in countless ways,” says Sister Catherine Barber. “They share their faith journey and listen to ours.”

All five men—the novices and the novice directors—live together and share the responsibilities of running a house: cooking, cleaning and compromising. “I’ve learned a lot about patience this year through living in community,” Craig says.

Crispine says he will take away from the past year a love of prayer and the realization he needs to take time to be still and listen.

For Aaron, the year has also been a blessing. “I realize that the growth I’ve experienced has been meaningful and I’m grateful for the struggle.”

The three novices ended their year as it began—in silence. The men participated in a 30-day Ignatian retreat in May as a way of winding up their first year and preparing for their second year of novitiate. Each man will spend a year in a mission placement, further exploring his call to his missionary vocation.

Crispine will work with Father Chet Artysiewicz in Idabel, Okla.; Craig will move on to Waldron, Ark., and work with Father Neil Pezzulo; Aaron looks forward to serving in West Liberty, Ky., with Father Jerry Dorn.

“I’m trying to learn to go into a community with no agenda and use my talents to serve the needs I find,” Aaron says. “It will be exciting to be in a mission again and experience firsthand what it means to be a missionary priest.”