Super seniors! For the year of 2010-2011, Mark, TK and I called our selves super seniors because we were ready to graduate as resident ministers from the campus ministry and we wanted to associate with the students, especially seniors.
We had another name: Three Wise Men! Senior Craig Sidol put a national-wide senior scavenger’s hunt during the fall semester of 2010. We decided to compete ten other senior groups because we were super seniors! We met every Monday to do the tasks such as Boil a pot of water in a residence hall kitchen (8pts), Take Coaster from Great Lakes Brewery (6pts), Two team members in a shopping cart (8pts), Team on a bed in a mattress store, under covers (20pts). We also traveled to Pittsburgh, Columbus, Dayton, New York to complete other missions, such as Picture outside Permanies in the strip district (10pts), In front of OSU stadium (18pts), Order a Wall at Timothy’s Bar and Grill (12 pts), Team in front of United Nations Head Quarters (17 pts). It was bonding experiences and celebrating who we were as men with others. Obviously we won the competition!
Right after the commencement, TK and I made Ireland Pilgrimage (Mark was not able to join us because he already started working). Driving in the opposite side, visiting many cities like Dublin, Galway, Kerry, Cork, drinking theheavenly beverage—Guinness, meeting TK’s great uncle James were such a blessing that I won’t forget. We were Irish men who loved to sing, dance, talk, and enjoy life as it was.
Mark & TK were not just colleagues and friends but also companions who struggled together to cope with the campus tragedies and grew strong in faith. I appreciated their good heart and creative mind to help others, their generosity to keep me faithful, and their vision to be the good and solid Catholic men for others.
There are certain nonnegotiable value within Christian spirituality, namely prayer, moral life, commitment to social justice. With these, I believe, the discipline of joy and celebration are Christian duty as well. If I am a happy person, I am in debt to my friends who laughed, grieved, loved together. They are the friends who know the song in my heart and sing it to me when my memory fails.
Mark & TK are the fourth Christ.