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ROME-ing: Portageville native helps form the next generation of priests
ROME, Italy — For the past three years, the Rev. Dave Hulshof has listened as students from the Pontifical North American College have returned from their weekly apostolic ministries.
They tell him of sharing a sandwich and conversation with a homeless woman, who wants a book on theology. After bringing her the book, the next time they meet, she questions them about God and human nature.
Another student talks about his service in a soup kitchen and his encounter with a refugee. Yet another speaks of his work with children preparing for their confirmation at a local parish.
“Our men endeavor to be the face of Christ to those in their various ministries whether it be churches, schools, nursing homes, street ministries or whatever it might be,” Hulshof said. “Some of it is just day-to-day ministry, but sometimes they will have these moments where they will say: ‘Ah ha! That was God there.’”
This August, Hulshof, a native of Portageville, Missouri, began his fourth year as coordinator of Apostolic Formation for the Pontifical North American College in Rome.
In addition to their academic studies in theological universities in the city of Rome, each seminarian is expected to do three to four hours of service weekly. In his job, Hulshof coordinates and evaluates the participation of the 130 seminarians in their weekly service ministries.
Over their four years at the college, they will choose from 22 different sites ranging from working at one of the eight Catholic campus study abroad programs in Rome to ministries with the homeless, the elderly, the ill or those in prison.
Sometimes the seminarians have preferences on which ministries they serve. Other times, Hulshof said, the diocese where the seminarian is from in the United States will request a specific ministry that will be helpful when the seminarian becomes a priest there.
Hulshof visits with the students while they are serving. Also he follows up with conversations about their experiences.
“I engage them about their leadership skills, their collaboration skills, what they experience in these different settings, their compassion skills. I write reports for their dioceses, vocation directors and their bishops,” Hulshof said. “It keeps me busy.”
As a former student of the Pontifical North American College in Rome, Hulshof said he was familiar with Rome and already spoke Italian. He was also very familiar with apostolic service after his own four years with the program.
“They invited me over because they were looking for someone who could do this kind of ministry with these guys. So it is basically sharing my wisdom and knowledge as they begin to discern and have these experiences too,” Hulshof said.
Explaining that the students at the college range in age from 22 to 32, Hulshof said they come from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. Some have just completed college while others were working as lawyers, doctors, restaurant managers or musicians before they felt called to the ministry.
“It is a joy to work with them and to help them be men that will engage the people so they can better serve them. I want to get them to a place where they are really listening and engaging and praying with the folks,” he said. “I really enjoy this opportunity to help to form these men so they can better understand and experience both the joys and challenges of priesthood.”
He has also enjoyed re-engaging with the Italian people, including friends he made as a student there.
“And, of course, you can’t go wrong with the food, the atmosphere or the fact that you are in a very historical city,” he added with a grin.
It has given him the opportunity to meet Pope Francis. According to Hulshof, each year, the Pope invites the college’s faculty and students to meet with him at the Vatican.
He said Pope Francis will shake their hands, speak with them about life and their ministry. He often jokes with the students
“He was encouraging us to keep up a strong prayer life and said, ‘Please remember to pray for me’,” Hulshof recalled. “Then he looked at them and said, ‘Remember for me, not against me.’”
While in Rome, Hulshof has led groups from Southern Missouri and met with friends who are visiting Italy. When acting as a tour guide, he said he always takes visitors to St. Peter’s Basilica.
“For a city of four and half million you can actually do a walking tour in the center city and in the course of a morning and afternoon see a lot of the sites. I have done that with different people, too,” he said.
Another thing he likes to do with visitors is to arrange to celebrate Mass at one of the altars in the crypt area underneath St. Peter’s where the former popes are buried.
Each summer when the school year is over, Hulshof returns home. This year he was able to join his parents, Francis and Sally Hulshof, for the celebration of their 70th wedding anniversary. He spends time with his five younger siblings, too.
Also during his summers in the U.S., Hulshof helps in the various parishes where needed. He attends the ordination of students who have completed their studies as well.
Hulshof emphasized he is just on a five-year “loan” from the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau. When he returns, he said he hopes to serve in a parish for another five or six years before retiring.
However, he added he has enjoyed this opportunity to return to Rome and work with the students.
“One of the things that I have found is God is still calling a lot of good men and women into service and the ministries,” Hulshof said. “It is a joy to work with these men and see the gifts and talents that they have and to help form the next generation of men who have felt the call to priesthood.”