Seminarian Phillip Rogier
Seminary, Class: St. Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology, 3rd Theology
Home Parish: Christ the King Parish, Ferdinand
Birthday: April 12
Joy – the Blessed Sacraments fill me with immeasurable joy. Even before I had memories, my grandmother recalled a time when she brought me to Mass. When the priest elevated the Host, three-year-old me pointed and said he wanted to do that. It is hard for me to believe that, in about two years, that dream will become a reality on my ordination day. God will be truly present in my newly ordained hands.
While I know that story now, I had no idea while I was growing up. I had to struggle for months on trying to understand the Eucharist. I went to Mass every Sunday and served the 6 a.m. Mass every other week. Even then, I struggled. How is it that God comes to be fully present in the form of bread and wine? I realized that I could not figure this out on my own. And then it hit me: maybe faith is necessary. The same faith that says God became a man was needed to believe that God was present in this appearance, too. I remember sitting in the pew saying, "Lord, I don't understand. I don't even know if I ever will, but right now, for this moment, I trust you. I trust you are here in this way."