Father Botthof

Fr. Botthof, O.P.

President-Principal at Fenwick High School

The only times I saw Bothoff were when he was speaking at an assembly or leading all school masses in the school auditorium but I could tell that he was a kindly man. He was a widower and is the only Catholic priest I've ever known to have been married. It seemed like a big deal that he had either given or received all seven sacraments.

I really blew it my junior year. Recently Wojtowicz aptly described my worst high school transgression as using my art for evil purposes. I got in big trouble. I'd prefer to leave it at that.

I wasn't entirely happy to be enrolled at Fenwick. In 1991 it was a really strict all guys school and it was a long way from home. I'd caught a lot of grief from classmates during my first few years and I still didn't feel like I fit in. All the same once I got in trouble the prospect of being expelled terrified me.

When I came clean my folks were really disappointed in me. After a family meeting my two dads(father & step father) paid a visit to Botthof to make an appeal for me to be allowed to continue my education at Fenwick. At his discretion I was given an in-school suspension and was also asked to do penance by working as an illustrator for our high school newspaper The Wick Review. When my dad dropped me off for my first day of suspension he accompanied me up the central staircase to the deans office on the fourth floor. Before he left he told me to keep my chin up.

Time marched on.

My output for The Wick tapered off before the end of that school year but I received compliments for a drawing I made of a crucifix bordering Botthof's letter to the students. It felt good to be recognized but what really counted was that I had been forgiven after doing something terrible. I was incredibly lucky to have been given another chance and I owe that to Botthof.