VIRIDITAS: SOUL GREENING
Interviewed by Sister Malia Dominica Wong, OP
Hawaii Catholic Herald
Since becoming a professed brother, I have lived in Massachusetts, Hawaii and Fiji, and I have visited other countries and cities as well. The next phase of my life is to return to the seminary to study a few more years and look toward ordination to the priesthood. Please say a prayer for me that God willing, I will be a good and faithful priest in the future.
One of my best memories of being a seminarian in Fiji was being invited to stay in a rural village on the tiny island of Mali. An upperclassman whom I had never met, approached me out of the blue and invited me to stay there with him for five days. It was amazing to see a place where people lived so happily, communally and simply. They only use electricity for one hour per day and they have no refrigeration. We ate fresh fish every day and took our meals seated on the floor. I will never forget the graciousness of the people there.
This past year, I have been teaching at St. Patrick School (in Kaimuki) for my pastoral experience. I taught seventh- and eighth-grade religion as well as catechesis. The vocation of being a teacher is an extraordinary one, I learned, because of the many demands and the commitment that it requires.
For myself, teaching was a worthwhile challenge. I wasn’t a natural teacher; I struggled with it at first. It was very rewarding when I started to notice moments when students were really interested in the Catholic faith and in Scripture.
Along my journey to the priesthood, there have certainly been challenges. To keep my soul green I go to spiritual direction and confession often. Luckily for me, I live in a house full of priests! I am a sinner and going to confession regularly allows me repentance, awareness of my faults, and the grace to live anew. Confession is sometimes seen as a negative thing, but it is not. It is a way of loving God and experiencing his love.
Another thing is, whether I feel like praying or not, I have to be persistent in prayer. The superior general of our congregation told us: “When you pray eucharistic adoration, you are preparing your soul for the challenges you will face 20 years down the line.” I never forgot that statement. The full name of our congregation is the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary and of the Perpetual Adoration of the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.
I was taught by Sacred Hearts Sister Dolorine Pires during my novitiate that adoration is not just a form of private prayer, but it is a ministry. We pray for the reparation of our own sins, as well as for the broken relationship between humanity and God. As we pray before Jesus in the tabernacle, we offer our love to God to repair the brokenness caused by sin. Coming before the Lord daily can be a time of spiritual consolation or dryness. Either way, persevering in this form of prayer allows me a small place in the ministry of Jesus Christ.
Brother John Sawchenko belongs to the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. He made final profession in January. He is originally from San Diego.
