Every step is sacred
A wise person once said, “Faith is a journey without maps.” It’s a saying that recognizes faith as a dynamic process rather than a thing. It does not mean that we are without guidance or an inner compass on the journey. Rather, it prepares us for the unexpected turns and unplanned destinations that life can bring. With faith the journey becomes an adventure of discovery and wonder, a pilgrimage. We find our way when we realize that every step is sacred.
My own path has been wide and smooth at times, narrow and rough at other times. My hope has been to be a missionary disciple, to share with others the Good News that Jesus Christ brings to the world. I’ve sprinted, sauntered, and stumbled along that road, but have learned much as I’ve tried to serve diverse communities across the country. New Haven, Washington, D.C., Grand Rapids, Austin, Columbus, and Los Angeles have been places of growth and nourishment for me.
I was drawn to enter the Paulist community of priests for several reasons. I appreciated their American character. I was inspired by their missionary impulse: the Pauline drive to go to the margins of the church to encounter the world, and to communicate the Word with new means. I resonated with the Paulist spirituality of devotion and attentiveness to the workings of the Holy Spirit in the soul, in the church, and in the world.
My experience of parish ministry has offered both challenge and respite, a place to be nurtured and active at the center of the church. Yet, the call to the margins of the church always beckoned. Over the years, two areas of Paulist ministry have especially captured my interest and imagination: campus ministry and media work.
Campus Ministry and Academia
In my years as a campus minister at Universities across the country, I have found it very rewarding to work with students at a time when they are making important life decisions. It has been a privilege to be part of their search for a vision of life and faith that addresses their deepest questions and their highest hopes. It’s a great feeling to maintain contact with former students who are now raising families, advancing in their careers, and serving as leaders in their parishes.
Unexpected turns in the road resulted in my involvement with Catholic higher education in other ways. I entered University administration as a Chief Mission Officer, fostering awareness of the Catholic intellectual tradition among faculty and staff. It was fascinating to see the workings of the University from the inside: collaborating with senior administrators, chairing committees, teaching courses, and participating in policy-making and strategic planning. I have always loved the mission of higher education, and relished the opportunity to build bridges among faculty, staff, and students, while serving their pastoral needs.
Film and Popular Culture
Another great love of mine has been film and other media arts. Perhaps you remember a film from the 1980s called Cinema Paradiso. It’s about an Italian kid’s formative experiences in the projection booth of his small town’s movie theater. I was that kid. My father was a film projectionist at our neighborhood Cineplex, and I accompanied him to work often. This gave me the opportunity not only to enjoy what was on the screen, but also to reflect on the various processes that brought the show to us. Eventually, I became curious about how films and other forms of entertainment can open a path to deeper questions of meaning. The search for spiritual content in popular entertainment has intrigued me ever since.
My interest in popular culture has been an asset to my work in campus ministry. Movies, television, music, advertising, fashion, sports – all of these have currency in young adult culture, and carry the potential for serious reflection. They provide opportunities to explore personal and social issues, to delve into philosophical and theological questions, and to discover life lessons. Entertainment and enrichment can coincide.
More than that, the media presents opportunities to participate in Jesus’ parable and teaching ministry. We are part
of a living tradition of storytelling that has the power to awaken hearts and transform lives. One way to engage those at the margins of the church is through forms of media that speak to them in a way they can understand. The Paulists have been doing this from their beginnings.
My writing is simply another stage in my effort to share God’s Word. It has been gratifying to hear that individuals and communities have found some value in my reflections. I hope to share more. The gift of faith and a sense of the sacred have accompanied me on my path and have made all the difference. May all of us have good companions and the Spirit’s guidance on our journey through life!
Mark A. Villano
Comments