I returned to school in 1967 to earn an engineering degree at the University of Oklahoma. Fortunately, I found a good-paying job in the Office of Financial Aids that gave me great flexibility in the hours that I could work. To avoid conflicts with my classes, I worked almost every Saturday (the office was open from 8:00 AM to Noon).
The financial aids department was on the second floor of the old Carnegie Building between the Evans Hall, the Administration Building and Monnet Hall, which served as the Law School building. It faced the North Oval, more officially, the Parrington Oval. Our offices were across an open reception area from the university's counseling services department. On one wall of this open area was a book rack filled with brochures from many different professional organizations, other colleges and universities, and recruiting organizations.
One Saturday, probably in the Spring of 1969, I arrived at work early and happened to notice a brochure in that book rack that was to shape my life for several months. It was a recruitment brochure published by the Missouri Province of the Society of Jesus (The Jesuits), an order of Roman Catholic Priests who were known for their educational and missionary achievements. I had known a couple of individuals who had entered the Jesuit order and I had the highest regard for them. One was a Father James Kelly from my home town, who never missed an opportunity to visit my grandmother when he visited his family in Schenectady. I have no clue what the connection was, but I vividly remember "Father James" coming to our home. I was always entranced by his tales of missionary work in Central and South America among indigenous people.
I picked up the brochure and took it to my office. It was still early and there were no clients. I read through the brochure and was very impressed. Some of the work that the St. Louis Province was engaged in interested me. I had thought seriously of the priesthood when I was younger (Doesn't every Catholic boy?). I had recently experienced a fairly robust re-energizing of my Catholic faith by my involvement with a unique interfaith experiment called the "Community of John XXIII." So without too much hesitation, I sent in a post card attached to the brochure expressing interest in talking to their "recruiter," a young priest named Joseph Damhorst (I think they referred to him as a Director of Vocations or some such title).
A couple of weeks later, I was in my apartment on a Saturday afternoon when someone knocked on my front door. I answered it to be greeted by a very tall individual who introduced himself, "Hi, I'm Big Joe Damhorst. Some folks call me Damn Big Joehorst.. I'm with the Jesuits at Rockhurst College. I'm here because I was in Oklahoma City on business and had recently gotten a postcard from you. You are Bob Mead I hope." I invited Joe in and offered him a drink and a seat.
Father Joe Damhorst and I had a wonderful conversation over the next several hours about life and vocations in general, the Catholic priesthood as a calling, and even more specifically a life of service to God as a Jesuit. Our conversation was long ranging and very personal. I recall his describing the challenge of ensuring that the young men entering the Jesuit seminary were mature enough to make an informed decision with such profound meaning in their lives. They were not looking for high school graduates with zero life experience. I was an unusual respondent to their publicity brochure because I was older, already a college graduate, a military veteran, and still single at 29 years of age.
By the time Joe left, I had decided to look further into this special life of service, I had some reading to do, some time of prayer, and I agreed to go to Rockhurst College in the coming weeks to spend a few weekends at the Jesuit residence, and make some individually-directed spiritual retreats under the guidance of Joe Damhorst.
A few weeks later, I took a Friday off and left Thursday afternoon for Kansas City. I think I slept in my car somewhere enroute. I arrived Friday afternoon having found the Jesuit house using paper maps (remember those?). One interesting memory I have of that first weekend was that one of the priests had lost his father the day that I arrived. The Jesuit community, I would estimate about twenty priests, had a memorial Mass in their modest chapel, after which they ordered pizza and beer to celebrate the man's life. I recall the contagious joy of celebrating a Christian life well lived and the knowledge that this good man was now in the presence of his creator. One interesting memory: I met a retired Jesuit priest named Thomas Bowdern that weekend who was the former President of Creighton University. He was an activist for racial equality and women’s rights in the 1960s. I learned that his brother, William Bowdern, was also a Jesuit, and was the priest who had performed an exorcism in 1949 on which was based the movie, "The Exorcist." Needless to say, it was a memorable weekend, filled with new friendships, great fellowship, and spiritual growth. I had much to think about on the drive back to Norman, Oklahoma.
I spent a lot of time during that weekend and several subsequent weekends in prayer and meditation and long conversations with Father Joe trying to discern whether I truly was being called by God to this life.
On one weekend, I traveled to Columbia, Missouri, where another Jesuit colleague was serving as both a faculty member in the department of Electrical Engineering and as the Catholic Chaplain at the University of Missouri. I had asked Joe what might my career path as a Jesuit and an engineer look like. He responded by suggesting I spend a weekend with this other engineer who had been ordained a few years earlier and then gone on to get doctorates in both theology and electrical engineering.
I made a number of retreats, met a large group of exceptional priests, developed a deep respect for the Jesuit order in general and their procedure for vetting potential seminary candidates. I learned that the Jesuit way of life involved a dedication to six fundamental values, six values that are known as the principles of the Jesuits:
- Magis, meaning “more.” This is the challenge to strive for excellence.
- Women & men for and with others: Sharing gifts, pursuing justice, and having concern for the poor and marginalized.
- Cura Personalis: “Care for the individual person.” Respecting each person as a child of God and all of God’s creations.
- Unity of Heart, Mind, & Soul: Developing the whole person and integrating all aspects of one's life.
- Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam: All effort must be for the Greater Glory of God
- Forming & Educating Agents of Change: Teaching behaviors that reflect critical thought and responsible action on moral and ethical issues.
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| Father Joe Damhorst, living today in Denver |
Ultimately, I concluded that this was not the life that God had in store for me, but Joe Damhorst and I corresponded for quite some time after I had reached that conclusion. I felt then and still feel that my time with Joe and his fellow Jesuits was an important part of my spiritual journey.
Many years later, when I sought a place in which to get married, it was more than a coincidence that the priest who married Margo Burge and Robert Mead, Father Jeff Burton, was a Jesuit. I have the utmost respect for this uniquely dedicated society of individuals who have devoted their lives to missionary work and education.
By the way, I have recently learned that Father Joe is still living and resides in the Denver area. You can rest assured that he will be made aware of this post.
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