2 minute read
Faculty Corner
The Two Tables
Advertisement
Afaculty member taught me a great expression when I was a student at the College, one that I have never forgotten and often enjoy repeating myself, that
“we are as Catholics, a people of two tables.” The tables he was referring are the two tables that our lives tend to revolve around, the table of the altar and the table where we dine.
This statement is so true.
In just about every culture, there is connected with celebrations of achievement or special significance, a meal that amplifies the event. It could be a graduation or a retirement lunch, a marriage or anniversary reception, or a banquet celebrating a religious feast day. While nothing can replace the thanksgiving and praise we offer to God at the Eucharistic table, there is something fascinating in the fact that we as Catholics want to continue the celebration around a table of a different sort. Whether it is a special table in honor of St. Joseph, the farewell banquet for our brothers who leave us to preach the Gospel in their respective home dioceses, or the festive Easter meal, our lives at the College are intricately linked to the two tables with the meals that nourish both our soul and our bodies.
In the spring of 2020, the College embarked on a renovation at the Janiculum campus of the west wing under the refectory that stretched from our business office (Economato) all the way to our mail room. The centerpiece of the project was a much-needed renovation of the seminary kitchen, where over 160,000
Rev. David Schunk '10 (San Francisco) stands in the courtyard in front of the Immaculate Conception Chapel.
meals are prepared on an annual basis. Due to the pandemic, only a portion of the work could be completed, that being the renovation of the business office and the employee dining and break room (mensa). This spring, however, we were able to restart the renovations, which include a new layout of the kitchen spaces, taking into consideration best practices for food storage and preparation, ventilation and plumbing upgrades, and transitioning the kitchen to an all-electric cooking space by replacing the gas ranges. The project also includes the construction of new changing rooms for our domestic, kitchen, and maintenance staff so they will have professional and comfortable spaces to change into their work attire. During the time when the kitchen work is in progress, the College is engaging the services of an outside catering company to supply us with meals for lunch and dinner. Fortunately, we are able to undertake the majority of the work during the summer months so the impact on the community is minimized, with the project scheduled to be completed in August 2021.
When our Risen Lord speaks to Simon Peter in the Gospel of John and tells him to “feed my sheep,” we all know he was not telling them to cook up a plate of pasta. Yet, Jesus does invite the disciples to “come, have breakfast” and share a meal with him on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. The same invitation is made of us today and we respond like the disciples, gathering around the two tables of our lives to receive nourishment to go forth and feed the sheep. n
