Reflections: One Bread, One Cup

For two summers, in 2012 and 2013, I was blessed to have been able to serve as a college intern for Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology's One Bread One Cup summer Liturgical Leadership program for high school youth.

Recently, I was asked to speak to the Alumni and Friends of Saint Meinrad in Indianapolis about my experience as an intern, and why this program is so important to me. What follows is the text of my reflections (although it's not exactly what I said...I did go off the page sometimes...there's a Pope that this is reminding me of..)

One Bread, One Cup is a great program, and it needs to keep going. If you'd like to learn more about the program, or donate, see oboc.saintmeinrad.edu for more information.

Text:

Good evening. My name is Tony Cecil, and I am a seminarian for the Archdiocese of Louisville, Kentucky. I attend Bishop Simon Brute College Seminary and Marian University here in Indianapolis, and will graduate in May. Like all of you, I’m here tonight because a monastery on a hill in Southern Indiana has touched and changed my life. Tonight, I’d like to tell you how that happened for me.

During my freshman year in seminary, I became friends with one of the guys who happened to have a poster in his room that I had questions about. On the poster was a photograph of him with other college students, and a phrase—“OBOC 2011”. I had no clue what that was, so I asked him, and he began to describe the program to me. When he finished, I thought One Bread, One Cup sounded great, but didn’t even think of applying. I thought spending my summer at a monastery in the middle of nowhere was just a weird idea, and besides, I had never even heard of the program, so they probably wouldn’t even hire me.

But, my friend persisted in asking me to apply, and I really sensed a feeling of being called to try it out—to take a chance, and just apply and see what happens. I applied. I got an interview, and I got the job. I had the blessing of spending two summers, in 2012 and 2013, as an intern for Saint Meinrad’s One Bread, One Cup program.

As one who is preparing for priesthood, One Bread, One Cup is an experience that I wouldn’t trade for anything. Being an intern taught me so many things. It taught me how to share my faith in a way that’s tangible and engaging for someone else. It deepened my understanding of the beauty of our Church and our worship of God in the liturgies of the Church. It allowed me to see, understand, and appreciate the crucial role that youth have in the Body of Christ. It also gave me the gift of the intern community—my friends. One Bread, One Cup brought me together with so many other people my age, on fire and in love with their faith, who are some of the most genuine, holy people I’ve ever met, and who challenge me to become the man God created me to be.

But, One Bread, One Cup isn’t just about the interns—its about who we serve—the youth. The amazing growth I was able to see in the youth during my two summers as an intern can’t be put into words. They learned about the word, sacrament, and mission of the Church, and were empowered to go forward, to live the promise, and to make a difference in the world around them.

This leads me to why I love and believe in this program so much. I whole-heartedly believe that One Bread, One Cup is a gift—not only those who partake in it—but to the Church and the world as well, because of what it teaches people and the effect it has. It helps people realize that although it may be difficult, seeking God in a world full of distraction is in fact possible. It teaches people that our worship of God in the context of liturgy isn’t just ancient practice, but it’s something that’s living, and it’s something that we must do our best to be active in, and spread our love of to others.

Most especially, it teaches the youth that they matter. It shows them that they are just as Catholic as you and I, and tells them that they’re worth more than a watered-down version of their faith. It teaches them that we as Church have a beautifully profound 2,000-year history, and that they are a part of that history as a member of the Body of Christ. One Bread, One Cup is so important, because it teaches the youth that they are important, and what a difference they can make in their community, in the Church, and in the world—and that they can do amazing things when it flows from a love of Christ and a relationship with Him.

Saint Meinrad, through programs like One Bread, One Cup, is invested in the work of transforming lives, creating disciples, and leading others to Christ. Being an intern for One Bread, One Cup has been one of the biggest blessings of my life, and if you don’t know a lot about it, it’s a program worth learning more about. Check out the Facebook page, look up videos on YouTube, and you’ll see why this program is so special. God’s blessings are truly present in the work of One Bread, One Cup, and I pray that He continues to pour out those blessings. Thank you for your time, and have a great night.

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In All Things, May God be Glorified.

Amen.

#oboc #saintmeinrad #benedictine