Here’s a little game I’ve enjoyed playing for the past couple of years. Whenever talk turned to children and someone asked about my kids, I’d point out that one was a Starbucks CoffeeMaster and the other was a university student.
“Oh? What’s he studying.”
“Philosophy,” I’d deadpan back.
The usual response was a furrowed brow and a hitch in the other person’s voice. I could almost see them thinking, Crud! What am I supposed to say now?
I understood their confusion. After all, isn’t the formal study of philosophy something of a joke? Never mind that some very successful people have degrees in philosophy. Never mind that it can be the gateway to many careers. Philosophy seems to be the sophisticated equivalent of underwater basket weaving.
It wouldn’t be fair to leave the other person hanging, so I always said, “Go ahead. You can ask.”
No one — ever — replied “Ask what?”
They all knew “what.”
And they all asked.
And I always told them of his intent to enter the seminary. It turns out that philosophy is a great background for a priest.
Evan explains it this way:
“Philosophy served as a ground work for theology and it was a good way for me to see if the priesthood was what I wanted to do,” said Cummings, adding that two of his professors at Utah State were Catholic.
You can find that quote (and some other interesting information including a mention of St. Wikipedia) in an article in this week’s Intermountain Catholic. If you have a minute, click over there and read it.
–Dad
Seminarian Parents 