Seminarian face-plants during Gloria Patri

Fort Wayne, IN – Many seminarians at Fort Wayne Seminary bow during the portion of the Gloria Patri where the name of God is spoken.  This practice is intended for show reverence to the God and his name.  However, recently in an attempt to out-reverence a friend, a seminarian actually fell completely over. 

“Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jim reverencing down to about his waist.  I followed his lead and sought to be a little more reverent,” Tom stated while holding ice from the seminary cafeteria onto his forehead. 

As the rest of the seminarians straightened up for the end for the Gloria Patri, Tom fell straight over.  “We wanted to help him, but as our liturgy professor teaches us, ‘The Divine Service must go on,’" said one brother.  “We just pretended he was laying prostrate.”

Onlookers noted that Tom was nearly impaled by the 14-inch crucifix he wore.  His wife stated, “I told him a the cross marked ‘wall crucifix’ at the St. Ignatius Catholic Book and Supply was not meant to wear, but he insisted.”

“I will still bow.  But not that far.  It seems from the conversation after I woke up that my fall may have lessened the gathered congregation’s meditation upon the the Christ and his Cross.  They were all talking about the blood on my forehead and floor rather than that on the Altar.”

One seminary professor who asked not to be named chuckled while remembering, “When I was  a seminarian, I took a tumble into the edge of the toilet when practicing reverencing in the bathroom mirror.  I still have the scar.  He will learn.”