High school chaplains are spiritual fathers to hundreds
The chaplains at the four Catholic high schools in the Diocese of Wichita play a special role for the students and the staff. They are spiritual fathers to the students, examples of priestly life, and work with the high school staff to help the students focus on the eternal truths while tackling academics.
Fr. Seth Arnold
Fr. Seth Arnold has challenges as the chaplain of Kapaun Mt. Carmel Catholic High School in Wichita, but the joys offset those – and he’s not alone in his work.
“One of the big challenges is the scope of the work, he said. “There are over 1,000 people I am trying to minister to between the students, faculty, staff, coaches, and parents.
“One of the joys for me is being there with the high schoolers during the highs and the lows as they make that transition from adolescence to adulthood. It’s a joy to be able to be there, to walk with them spiritually, and to see them grow.”
Fr. Arnold, who has been chaplain at KMC for about eight months, said the first week of school was filled with joy.
“It’s been a lot of fun having the students finally back in the building,” he said. “The depth of relationship that I already feel with some of the students and staff has surprised me – it’s surprising how quickly some of those bonds form.”
He credited Fr. Curtis Hecker and the Kairos student retreats with building such an atmosphere at the east Wichita high school. “It was a joy to be able to step into that and to be a part of the family here at Kapaun.”
Kairos retreats are three-day, two-night events for KMC juniors.
Fr. Arnold has a veteran assisting him this year. Fr. James Billinger, the former long-time pastor of Holy Savior Parish in Wichita, is now a part-time chaplain at KMC.
“It’s very comforting to know that a priest with Father Billinger’s experience and wisdom is able to be here,” Fr. Arnold said.
In addition to celebrating Mass and hearing the confessions of students and staff, Fr. Billinger will provide some spiritual counseling.
Fr. Jonathan Tolberd
Fr. Jonathan Tolberd started as chaplain of St. Mary’s Colgan High School in Pittsburg in July when it was much quieter than it is today.
“The people have been very welcoming and inviting and encouraging, “ he said. “The staff has been helping me and giving me advice and guidance. And Fr. Mike Simone gave me the freedom to learn and plan during the summer.”
Fr. Simone is pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Pittsburg.
Fr. Tolberd said being a chaplain is different than anything he’s done before. “You’re not really trained as a teacher in the seminary and we teach, obviously, in our homilies, or try to, to some degree, and in RCIA and PSR if needed, but teaching in a school is way more.”
He said as a teacher he has to plan so that he can build on what he has previously taught from week to week. “It’s been a great learning experience seeing where my abilities and capacities are stretched by God and the way that he’s supporting me, even in that stretching, even in that pressure, so to speak.”
Fr. Tolberd said is enjoying getting to know the students who have been giving him some “helpful” feedback whenever he misspells a word.
“They want me to be around, which is really awesome,” he said, adding that when he was in high school the chaplain was a beautiful example of the priesthood, but that he didn’t necessarily want him to always be around.
“But the kids here, they want me at football practice, just to watch, or at volleyball practice, or the kids are trying to get me to run cross-country – we’re not doing that,” Fr. Tolberd said. “They want me to come to play practice, to come to this and that.”
They ask the same of Fr. Simone and Fr. Caleb Kuestersteffen, the parochial vicar at Our Lady of Lourdes, he said.
“But as their chaplain, we develop a closer relationship and they see me a lot more, and that’s great,” Fr. Tolberd said.
Fr. Will Stuever
One of Fr. Will Stuever’s greatest challenges is one parents are also fighting: the culture.
“It’s everything our young people are facing today that is pulling them away from the Lord, pulling them away from each other, and pulling away from who they are as individuals.”
Fr. Stuever, who is in his fourth year as the chaplain at Trinity Catholic High School in Hutchinson, said, like a parent, he is working to guide students to the Lord.
“It’s the source of my biggest blessing. Forming relationships with these young people and seeing how our Lord is transforming their lives is the most remarkable thing I could imagine in this world because he is so active.”
The culture is pulling at them, Fr. Stuever said, “but our young people know who our Lord is and he is doing something amazing in their hearts. Being able to experience that and facilitate it is unexplainable.”
Trinity’s enrollment of 230 in seventh through 12th grades means he is able to get to know the students, faculty, and staff. “To be able to have those real relationships with every single person in the school is incredible.”
Fr. Stuever said our Heavenly Father has given him an opportunity to be a father. “I’m 31 years old so if my vocation were not to the priesthood, I would probably have children right now. They wouldn’t be high school age, but they would be getting close. I’m not to be that type of father, but our Lord is never outdone in generosity, and he has given me this opportunity to be a father in this community to all these children. That is what my heart’s been made for.”
There are challenges to being a chaplain just like there are in every life, he said.
“This is such a joyful life. I come to the school every day and this is where I love to be. It’s not always easy but it’s always good because this is the Lord’s school. He’s making things happen.”
Fr. Hayden Charles
Fr. Hayden Charles, the chaplain at Bishop Carroll Catholic High School in Wichita is featured in another article at this website.