Fall 2012 - Cistercian Preparatory School

getting you to plant or move logs around as penance.”“It seems like whoever was there,” remembered Scott Novak’05, “whether it was in the classroom, hallway, sporting event,or religious occasion, Fr. Paul wanted to make sure we werecomfortable, and we felt welcome.”“He is always ready and willing to talk,” Novak added, “andlisten. It is his way of staying in touch with people and what’s goingon in their lives.”Fr. Paul’s everyday activities — like his penchant for celebratingevery student’s birthday — offered an example of love, service,commitment, and community.“Once during a form master’s period,” Jess Clay ’13 notedduring his Ring Ceremony remarks in December 2011, “he broughtus a game at which various groups throw yarn at each other, in aneffort to tie the form together.“Instead, some members of the form ended up tying themselvestogether so tightly that they nearly lost all circulation to their limbs.”ASKED ME,” exclaimed the6’4”, 77-year-old Rev. Floyd McCormickin his sermon to the all-black congregation(save for Britt McCormick and hisgrandmother) at a Beaumont Baptist church“SOMEONEin March, 1985, “does it bother you that yourgrandson is Catholic?,’ I said ‘No (a multi-syllabic ‘no,’ rising intone near midway through).’“Only agreements we’ve ever had,” the preacher declared, “Itold him, ‘Son, whatever you are or whatever I am, let’s stay in theright spirit with each other. Don’t matter what comes or goes. Andhe said, ‘Paw Paw, we’ll do it.’“Well thank God he’s here today.” (Amen’s could be heard allaround from the audience.)Fr. Paul credits his paternal grandfather for “my initial love forthe Bible, a pride in my family’s heritage, confidence in speaking(he made me preach my first homily in a small Pentecostal Churchat the age of 16 and perhaps I have adopted his approach a bit), andan abiding respect of non-Catholic Christians.”In fact, McCormick spent many summers throughout his youthworking on an East Texas farm outside of Lufkin with the man hecalled “Paw Paw,” a self-employed plumber, Pentecostal preacher,and one-time candidate for public office.“He helped teach me frugality, working outside with my hands,self-reliance (with God’s grace), the value of common sense, and anappreciation of common people,” Fr. Paul said.They would spend a lot of their time going to church andengaged in biblical discussions. Preachers from churches nearby(and some from out of state) would drop by the house and enliventhe discussions.Back in Beaumont, McCormick’s early spiritual formationwas stimulated by Monsignor Henry A. Drouilhet, already in hislate seventies when they first met and an old-school, conservativeCatholic prelate.And, while McCormick’s paternal grandfather had limitedformal education (fourth grade), Msgr. graduated from Rice Institute(before it became a university) and the Gregorian University inRome (where Fr. Paul would one day follow in his footsteps).“In contrast to my grandfather who was clearly a proud populist,Msgr. was quite aristocratic,” Fr. Paul recalled. “Beyond instillinga clearer understanding of Church history and how the biblePhotos courtesy of Fr. Paul McCormickLIFE AS BROTHERBrothers in the nineties did not teach in the school, so Br. Paulspent many of his off-hours with the founders of the community.Br. Paul visits Florence duringhis two-year stint in Rome.Br. Paul grew very closeto the older Hungarianmonks, including formerheadmasters Fr. DamianSzödényi (left) and Fr.Henry Marton (above).The McCormick Family at Fr. Paul’s ordination in 1997: (l-r)sister Lisa Gail, dad Floyd, mom Rita, and brother Keith.FALL 2012 • THE CONTINUUM11