By Ourselves, We Can Do Nothing

Editor’s Note: Last week, eight seminarians from the Diocese of Youngstown participated in a pilgrimage to Rome, along with additional seminarians studying at Saint Mary Seminary in Wickliffe, Ohio. Youngstown seminarians include Deacon John Rovnak, Deacon Fritz Schlueter, Kevin Bertleff, Garrett Guerrieri, William Wainio, Arthur Bodenschatz, Daniel LaPolla, and Craig Ziobert. These eight men were joined by Saint Mary Seminary Professor and Youngstown Priest, Rev. J. Patrick Manning.

Seminarian William Wainio contributed an initial reflection to The Catholic Echo as the trip began. In this follow-up reflection, he reflects on the opportunity to meet Pope Francis.

I simply cannot describe in words the feeling I had as the door to Sala Clementina (The Clementine Hall in the Apostolic Palace) opened, and there stood the Holy Father. We have all seen it time after time on television, yet, the feeling of being present in the room was indescribable. 

A large group of Youngstown Seminarians are seated behind the Holy Father in Clementine Hall.
© Vatican Media. Published with permission.

Pope Francis entered the audience hall with a face filled with joy. Holding back a few tears, I couldn’t help but feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude for this wonderful opportunity. Once at his seat, the Holy Father turned, with a smile from ear to ear, and motioned for us to end our applause and be seated. Bishop Edward Malesic (Bishop of the Diocese of Cleveland) opened our time together with the Pope with a greeting of thanks and an explanation about our pilgrimage; mentioning the trip was in celebration of the 175th anniversary of the founding of Saint Mary Seminary. After greeting both Bishop Malesic and Bishop Michael Woost (Auxiliary Bishop of the diocese of Cleveland), Pope Francis began his address to our group. 

Speaking in Italian, the Pope welcomed us to Rome and thanked us for answering God’s call to serve the Church. He went on to focus on one main point, “by ourselves we can do nothing.” Pope Francis reminded us that to be a good priest—to be a good servant of Christ in any vocational—one must “smell like the sheep” they are shepherding. The Holy Father stressed three main points: 1) Listening to God, 2) Walking Together and 3) Giving Witness. Through these practices, one becomes a “living sign of Jesus’ presence in the world.” Pope Francis made it clear that these three actions of listening, walking together and witness are key elements of the Church’s synodal journey, as well as our own formation journeys as seminarians. Finishing his address, Pope Francis thanked us for coming and asked us to pray for him as he promised to pray for us, our local Church and our loved ones.

Youngstown seminarian William Wainio meets Pope Francis. © Vatican Media. Published with permission.

At the conclusion of his address, Pope Francis greeted each in our group personally with a handshake, a smile and pure joy. As I approached the Holy Father, I had in my left hand a small white box containing a white zucchetto made by the papal tailor in Rome, Gammarelli. I had heard that if presented with a zucchetto (the small white hat that the Pope wears atop his head) in the proper size, Pope Francis was known to swap zucchettos with the one presented. While on this visit, he did not swap his for mine, but he did remove his and, taking the zucchetto I presented, placed it on his head before then removing it and placing it back in its box. The small white hat that I now carry in my luggage will always have a great meaning to me, reminding me of this visit to Rome and our audience with the Holy Father.

There’s no doubt that, as I returned to my seat, zucchetto and box in-hand, I was overcome with a flood of emotions. I had just shaken hands with and looked into the eyes of a man who was filled with the Love of God and the Grace of the Holy Spirit. The Pope’s smile is contagious and his famous thumbs up sign is a message to the world that with God, we are never alone and we are always thumbs up.

After our audience, we exited the Apostolic Palace via the same way we entered, through the famous bronze doors just off Saint Peter’s Square. As the group returned to Saint Peter’s Square, we all began to unpack what just actually happened. Brother Youngstown seminarian, Garrett Guerrieri, shared with me that the visit with Pope Francis was a “ surreal experience.” He said, “it didn’t even feel real. What an amazing blessing!” Garrett was not alone. Almost all of us who visited the Pope had the same feeling because we knew how rare it is to meet the Pope. It’s been several days now since I met Pope Francis, and I’m still trying to unpack all the feelings and emotions. 

On behalf of all our Youngstown seminarians, please know we are beyond grateful to all those people across the diocese and outside the diocese who are holding us constantly in prayer, sending us care packages and cards, and those who helped to make this pilgrimage to Rome possible. Thank you! We continue to hold you in our prayers as well. For by ourselves, we can do nothing. 

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William Wainio

William Wainio

William Wainio is a seminarian for the Diocese of Youngstown.
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