12. Peter and Mark
Peter Hart was from Melbourne, Australia. He was a Catholic of Irish decent. Peter was a soft-spoken and sensitive boy, the only child of his parents. Peter wasn’t interested in fighting with the other boys, or playing rough games. Weapons, knives or cars did not appeal to him. Peter liked books and reading.
Peter was often in church. He was an altar boy and sang in the choir. He liked the atmosphere in the church, the beautiful decorations, the ceremonies and the feeling of being closer to God. He saw how the congregation admired the priests and how the Fathers helped and guided people who had difficulties. Peter wanted to do that too. He wanted to be a servant of the Lord.
He explained to the vocations director why he wanted to become a priest. The director saw an earnest young man with fine qualities, and recommended him. Peter’s relatives were delighted. Having a priest in the family was an honour.
At Corpus Christi College Peter met other young men who were just like him. Peter felt at home in the quiet, contemplative seminary where teachers and students discussed the deeper questions of life.
Peter didn’t think much about sex. He felt it was below him, dirty. People who were copulating like beasts were unsettling to him. Dogs could do it in the street, they didn’t know any better. But humans should try to be purer. Peter didn’t masturbate. Once in a while he had pornographic dreams in his sleep and sometimes his body would auto-release at night, as male bodies have to when they are not getting used. This was as close as Peter came to the pleasures of the flesh.
Peter’s best friend at Corpus Christi was Mark, the son of Italian immigrants. Mark was dark and Mediterranean in appearance. Peter could imagine Mark living in the days of Jesus, as a citizen of Rome. Mark was the most beautiful boy Peter had ever known. Mark had shiny black hair and brown eyes. His face was harmonious with classic features. His eyes and lips were larger than most Anglo men had. Peter thought it made Mark extraordinarily handsome.
The two seminary friends took long walks and spent most of their free time together. If they were apart Peter missed Mark terribly. I love Mark like my brother, thought Peter.
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