Ed. Note: The following poem was shared with us by Fr. Dan Crosby after his recent visit here. In addition to being an ideal Chronicle entry, it seemed an appropriate fit for the celebration of All Souls (or All Soles?) Day this Sunday.
Never Paint This Corridor Floor!
St Anthony Seminary and Retreat Center,
now St Anthony Spirituality Center:
100 plus years guiding souls
into Gospel life, values, vocation,
40 acres of gracious grounds
holding it in their Wisconsin embrace.
Inside, a cement cloister-corridor provides
a well-worn path to Franciscan holiness.
The corridor connects special rooms.
A lowly chapel allows rest for all pilgrims
as they pass a Holy Land carving,
Jesus kneeling to wash a disciple’s feet:
humble service portraying the Capuchin calling.
The century-old corridor then winds past
the dining room, Fr Peter’s lounge, Fr Tom’s library,
Joan’s coffee room, Fr Dan’s conference room,
carrying souls into its sacred spaces.
As it’s trod it unveils a unique, holy feature:
original grey paint peeks out only on its edges.
Over a century’s use has surfaced
a wide, reddish center:
a heart-filled pathway worn down by thousands
of sandaled friars and shoe-clad seekers —
all praying with hearts and minds
but also with their feet.
Blessed Solanus Casey walked this pathway
as did Friars Anscar, Richard, Peter, Marty and Mike.
A host of others ”wore” this way of holiness
and now accompany brothers/sisters eager to join them:
all striving to follow Christ’s path to his Kingdom,
his Way of loving and living and being,
his Way promising peace, beauty and hope.
“Never paint this corridor floor!”
The “soles” of saints and seekers still sing
through its crusty cement.
St Anthony’s cloister corridor
invites all who enter its pathway
to take up the well-worn Way of Jesus and Francis,
the baptismal path given us all to follow.
The footprints of those who walked this way before us
must never be painted over, never forgotten.
Their “soles” walk with us now; we’re never alone.
What joy will surround us when we’ve finished our course
and find ourselves in Christ’s Kingdom together!
Fr Dan Crosby, OFM Cap
(with help from Chuck Erdeljac)
Fr Dan, this is a beautiful reminder of the sacredness of this very holy place. Thank you!
Thank you for sharing this poem of Fr.Dan’s reflecting on the holy hallways of St.Anthony’s and all the love, prayers and grace from living and deceased pilgrims.
What a beautiful poem! I had not heard this one before. I remember first hearing this idea from Fr Dan at the Franciscan retreat just before they left Saint Anthony’s. I did not know he had written a poem about it. Why not print it beautifully and hang it on the wall of Saint Anthony’s?An appropriate memorial for all to remember.