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STUAC/Pastoral Council
Rev. Mr. Reed Flood '21 (Des Moines), the chairman of the Pastoral Council, serves as the Master of Ceremonies for the annual Closing Banquet that was held on Friday, May 21, 2021.
Opportunities for Cheer as Chairman
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REV. MR. REED FLOOD ‘21, DIOCESE OF DES MOINES
Meeting inspiring Catholics is one opportunity we enjoy while living in Rome, but giving speeches for them is something altogether humbling!
As the chairman of the College’s Pastoral Council, I help the rector serve the seminarian community. This usually means working with my classmates to write proposals so that Fr. Harman can respond to the numerous needs of the community.
Besides the joy of working alongside my seminarian brothers, the chairman has other responsibilities that can be a bit more intense. Throughout the year, the College offers several banquets for the students and English-speaking Catholic leaders in Rome, and as master of ceremonies at these banquets, I am charged with welcoming these honored guests.
This year, I spoke before the Ambassador to the Holy See, Callista Gingrich, Abbot Primate Gregory Polan O.S.B., George Cardinal Pell, and other distinguished visitors. I cannot forget joking with Cardinal Pell about Iowa butter cows and Australian kangaroos after one of these banquets. For someone who grew up across the street from a cornfield in Iowa, these moments in Rome are special ones that will stay with me forever.
The impact of the Pastoral Council follows a wide spectrum that spans from forming a house-wide fraternal organization such as, “Men of St. Joseph,” to adding more eggs to the breakfast menu. Serving as chairman has been a great blessing for me. n
The Opportunity of Uncertainty
GRANT DVORAK ’22, DIOCESE OF BISMARCK
This year I have served as the Student Activities Committee Chairman (STUAC), a role affectionately referred to as
“King STUAC.” STUAC is a student-run organization offering various services and activities throughout the year that seek to foster a healthy community life.
Elected representatives from each class join the managers of our student lounge, KNAC student store, student kitchen, barbershop, bike shop, and other functions to serve on the committee.
As the chairman, I have had a number of learning experiences. Many of these lessons have been practical: effectively developing, approving, and sticking to a budget; leading monthly meetings; and delegating tasks. I like that stuff. It provides a sense of completion to see the final product.
Perhaps the most important lesson, though, came as something of a surprise. I found myself in situation after situation in which seeing the fruit of my labor was just not in the cards. The question I began to ask was open-ended: “What should I do now?” Often, there was no clear answer. Yet, I learned that it is often in the midst of these uncertain situations that I am forced to give up any false expectation that, if I could just control the situation or know what I am supposed to do, things would be better. It is not about that. In fact, the life of every Christian is filled with unsatisfactory circumstances, and these are opportunities for conversion of heart. Jesus simply wanted me to abandon a spirit of control and to place greater trust in him.
Perhaps this unexpected lesson—the opportunity for conversion in times of uncertainty—was the most practical of them all!
The bike shop
The two previous “King STUACs” Rev. Mr. Seth Lemaire ’21 (Lafayette) and Rev. Enan Zelinski '20 (Madison) pose for a photo with current leader of the Student Activities Committee Grant Dvorak ’22 (Bismarck) in the middle.
