At Midday Prayer service, bishop-elect speaks of impact of religious sisters, brothers, priests
A professor emerita of biology at the University of Dallas helped Bishop W. Shawn McKnight achieve the test scores he needed to get into medical school.
The professor, a revered School Sister of Notre Dame, then encouraged him to explore the priestly intentions that she and others suspected that God had for him.
“Sister Clodovia Lockett gave me that added push, the environment of affirmation, to begin the discerning of a call to the seminary nearly 30 years ago,” Bishop McKnight told the religious sisters and priests and one religious brother who serve in the Jefferson City diocese, the day before becoming the diocese’s fourth bishop.
“Because of her, in a small though not insignificant way, I am here before you here today,” he said. “I pray that I may do the same for all who are called by God to witness His love in the world in a sacrificial way from the Diocese of Jefferson City.”
Bishop McKnight spoke during Midday Prayer with religious of the diocese on Feb. 5 in the chapel of the Alphonse J. Schwartze Memorial Catholic Center.
It was one of several prayer-centered events he took part in before his ordination and installation.
“I understand how important it is to value and promote consecrated life as a distinct vocation under the umbrella of our baptismal vocation,” he said. “The Church treasures consecrated life as a gift. And so do I.”
He said his awareness and appreciation of religious life dates back to the Adorers of the Blood of Christ who taught him in grade school.
“Their sacrifices for us children made a lasting impression upon me and upon many others,” he said.
An Immaculate Heart of Mary Sister taught him at Bishop Carroll Catholic High School in Wichita, followed by Cistercian Fathers from Our Lady of Dallas, who taught him mathematics, physics, literature, philosophy and theology at the University of Dallas.
That’s where he met Sr. Clodovia, who though elderly commanded great respect among students, fellow faculty and “every medical school in the country.”
“Her word alone was enough to get any student into medical school,” said Bishop McKnight.
He felt nervous and embarrassed about telling her that after all the help she had given him, he was thinking about going into the seminary instead of medical school.
Turns out, she had already heard about his intentions.
“She closed the door and walked back to her desk. And she said so affirmingly, ‘Shawn, this world needs good priests more than it needs doctors,’” he recalled.
Years later, as a priest, he spent five years directing the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Office of Clergy, Religious Life and Vocations in Washington, D.C.
During that time, he became “much more aware of the distinction of consecrated life, both canonically and theologically,” he said.
He worked closely with the leaders of the three conferences of Catholic religious superiors, who collaborated with St. Louis Archbishop Robert J. Carlson on a letter to be sent to all heads of dioceses and eparchies in the United States on behalf of the bishops’ Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations.
That letter invited bishops to meet regularly with religious, especially their superiors, in order to have a solid and understanding relationship between the diocese and the various religious communities.
Bishop-elect McKnight noted how important it is for everyone in the Church to know and express the importance of consecrated life.
“The words of others, especially adults in our young people’s social worlds, who they admire and respect, have a powerful impact on our youth,” he noted.
“Through the intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I pray that many more people, especially our young, will have the supportive social environment necessary with which to hear the call of God to live the Evangelical Counsels radically,” he said.
He was referring to the vows or promises of poverty, chastity and obedience that members of many religious communities make.
He also prayed “that they have social supports necessary to respond to that call.”
Sister Kathleen Wegman of the School Sisters of Notre Dame, chancellor of the diocese and liaison to the religious communities serving within it, was the lector during the service.
Sister Barbara Neist SSND, development coordinator for El Puente Hispanic Ministry in Jefferson City, led and accompanied the singing.
Afterward, the bishop-elect and the religious shared a luncheon in the Chancery conference room.
“Thank you all for gathering with me, giving me this special opportunity to meet with you,” he stated. “I’ll hopefully have plenty of time to get to know you over many, many years.”
Photos from this event:
