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One of the privileges of tending to Serra Club communications is the occasional opportunity I am afforded to sit down with a seminarian over a cup of coffee (and, in this instance, a cinnamon roll, too!) Will Sutherland and I met at McClain’s Market at Johnson Drive and Nieman in Shawnee on a recent Tuesday morning.
In the midst of a Pastoral Year at Good Shepherd Parish in Shawnee, Sutherland described the experience as “fun,” indicating that he particularly enjoys interacting with children at the parish school. Technically in the Configuration phase of seminary formation (the old terminology applied here would be Theology II), Sutherland related that the initial greatest concern of the students was, “What do we call you?” Acknowledging his thought that it seemed weird to be called “Mr. Sutherland” while wearing clerics, he briefly considered “Seminarian Sutherland,” but quickly realized “that would be eight syllables for a group of kids.” The word “hilarious” surfaced at this point in the conversation as he laughed with obvious joy-filled reflection at his interactions with the school children.
On a more serious note, Sutherland indicated that the Pastoral Year, while going well for him, "used to be optional and intended more for guys who needed more clarity. Now the Pastoral Year model is more like an internship year,” he said. I could easily relate to this term as I recalled my own medical training. “You get a chance to apply what you’ve learned in the classroom,” he noted, adding his appreciation for the opportunity to test the waters, so to speak.
Sutherland, the son of Dan and Mary Sutherland, was born and raised in Topeka, KS. With a given name, William, he’s gone by “Will” for as long as he can remember. His mother is a Topeka native, and his father hailed from upstate New York. Will recalled that his father converted to the Catholic faith when Will was about five or six years old. The family belongs to Most Pure Heart of Mary Parish in Topeka.
“Did you go to Hayden High School?” I asked presumptively.
“Almost, but not quite. My older brother and sister went to Hayden. My Mom went to Hayden. But when I started high school, my parents switched to home-schooling for high school,” he replied, adding, “It worked pretty well.” He noted that he “had a lot more time for prayer during high school, which made it easier to discern a vocation at the time.”
“We had more opportunity to go to daily Mass, and adoration was a big part of the process,” he reflected about his early discernment. “Silence with God and learning to hear His voice was important.” I was struck by the thought of a high school student having such an appreciation of the relationship with his Creator.
“What other recollections do you have of your formative years that triggered your thought about vocation?” I asked.
“When I was in the first or second grade, my parents gave me a prayer book with a quote from Pope John Paul II inside the front cover. I don’t remember quote verbatim, but I remember St. John Paul II calling young people to become saints,” Will responded. “When I was that age, it kind of blew my mind. I’m like . . . wait. What?” he continued, adding, “I thought saints were, like, done. They didn’t happen anymore.” He recalled being surprised that becoming a saint was even a possibility. “And so, I went to ask my mom, ‘Is it possible to become a saint?’”
“She said, ‘Yes, if you ask for it. You have to pray for it.’”
He recalled being somewhat stunned at her answer, reflecting, “And so, I remember saying some prayers. That was definitely impactful at that age.”
He recalled another early experience when Pope Benedict XVI visited the United States. Though he could not recall the year, (it was April 2008) he acknowledged that he was still very young (he would have been 9 years old.) Relating his experience of watching news about the Holy Father’s visit, he recalled turning to his mom and saying, “I want to be a priest!”
Sutherland turned 25 in October. He started at Cardinal Glennon College Seminary after high school. “I never actually visited before just showing up the first day for orientation,” he stated, his infectious laugh again permeating his thought. He indicated there are usually 20 - 30 seminarians at the 4-year college, all under the same roof as Kenrick Pre-Theology and Kenrick Theology students. All told, the Seminary complex houses about 120 men in various stages of formation.
He recalled that he attended the Quo Vadis Retreat during his senior year of high school. Noting that it was “a good time,” he recalled asking for a seminary application while there. “Quo Vadis always happens the weekend before Christmas,” he said, adding, “On Christmas Eve, we went to the Christmas Eve Mass. We got back and somebody checked the mailbox and there was mail. Mail for me. This big envelope.” He related his excitement at receiving the application in the mail, “Oh my goodness! My first Christmas gift this year!”
“Patience” and “perseverance” were two words that surfaced as Sutherland spoke about the seminary experience. Early on, he addressed the question of celibacy. Here, he acknowledged, patience was the necessary virtue. Sutherland spoke of his attraction to religious life juxtaposed to his natural attraction to marriage. What he learned involved developing the patience to know his own heart. “Am I willing to give God the time to speak?” he asked as he thoughtfully recalled the journey.
Calling to mind the length of time it takes (he will have 9 years in post-high school education before ordination) he also recognized the need for, and appreciation for, the gift of perseverance. While he senses an occasional urgency that “I want to get started," he knows that there are steps yet to be taken.
“My parents are very happy for me,” he responded when asked about his parents’ reaction to his vocation. “The prospect of having a son who is a priest is amazing and a blessing to them. They’ve been a stable home base. I can share anything with them,” he added with clear appreciation for what he’s been given.
Sutherland participated in a Spanish immersion this past summer in Avila, Spain. “We stayed in the guest quarters of the Carmel that was home to St. Teresa of Avila for 30 years of her life,” he stated with enthusiasm, noting the tremendous sense of freedom and the incredible joy he witnessed among the Carmelites. “I felt so much strength and encouragement for giving my whole life to God,” he said. He spoke of one of the Devil’s lies that crept into his consciousness, “Is it really worth it?” After a moment of thought, he smiled and said, “Being around those nuns, it’s like, ‘Who am I foolin?’ Of course, it’s worth it! Look at the joy! It’s all for God. It’s all that one could ever want!” Sutherland anticipates a second Spanish immersion, likely to Mexico. He’s uncertain of the exact destination. “All I know is it will be somewhere down there, this summer.”
I asked Will what occupied his time when he is not at school, church, or at study. “I definitely love to get outside to hike, bike, or hunt with my brother and brother-in-law,” he said before adding a penchant for reading and music. “I definitely play piano a lot,” he said, which he started in 3rd grade. “Mom made us all take lessons,” he said, adding also that, “We could decide to quit or keep going in our middle school years.” He confessed, “I quit initially. I hated it.” Then, when high school rolled around, Sutherland recalled, “I heard some (piano) songs that I thought were really cool. I wanted to play them on the piano. So, I started taking lessons again.” An outgrowth of this renewed interest? “I got roped into helping accompany some of the school’s Christmas concerts.”
What words of advice might he have for a young person aware of a possible call to the priesthood or religious life? “It’s on my heart that it’s a beautiful life,” he began in response. “It also demands generosity,” he said, echoing a previous comment. “Nothing comes without a cost. But it’s totally worth it.”
The future of the Church, it seems, will be in good hands with priests of the mind and heart of "Seminarian Will" Sutherland. Let us continue to pray for Will and for all our seminarians!
