"Fun, Fraternity, and Frosted Donuts"

Inaugural track event inspires competitive spirit and also fraternity.

Twenty brave Sacred Heart athletes gathered on a cold and overcast October Saturday to honor the guardian angels in the first "Angels of the Track" track meet. The competition was held on the new Bishop Walter J. Schoenherr running track on the seminary campus.

Despite the unseasonably chilly weather, the runners came out in force, inspired by St. Paul's encouragement to "run as to win" (1 Cor 9:24). The event showed the competitive spirit of the seminarians and also the true atmosphere of fraternal appreciation that exists at Sacred Heart. Donut-eating and apple cider-drinking diocesan brothers cheered the runners on, making it a truly communal afternoon. It was a welcome opportunity for all to take a study break and display their diocesan colors.

"There''s no shortage of natural gifts at the seminary, and it was a thrill to see some of the guys who ran in high school and college dust-off their running cleats and put their talents on display," said Jared Holzhuter (Theology III), who together with Vince Racanelli (Pre-Theology II) created a formidable partnership to take the team trophy back to the Diocese of Madison. "The track meet was a breath of fresh air, pun completely intended," Jared added. "It was invigorating to go out and be pushed by my brothers in friendly competition."

Among many note-worthy performances, Derik Peterman (Theology I, Detroit) took overall individual honors in the points competition. He clocked an impressive 12:03 seconds in the 100-meter sprint. The spectators show their support for several valiant chases, in particular the efforts of Dcn. Paul Redmond (Theology IV, Kalamazoo) and spiritual director Fr. Ryan Ford (Marquette) in the 3200 meter relay and 1600 meter races. John Carlin (Pre-Theology II, Detroit) noted, "I'm just happy that everyone ran well, had a lot of funand we didn't get rained on."

The meet testified to the generosity of our community of benefactors, who helped to provide this wonderful track facility. The meet made possible a great afternoon of fun, fraternity, and frosted donuts. Furthermore, it showcased the talent of our future priests and demonstrated that they are not only leaders in the race but future leaders in the Church.