Fuga Mundi: A New Catholic Semi-Autobiographical Youth Group Musical.
While the considerably-long high school production title was intended to be a joke, the storyline is not. The musical, performed by the Delaware St. Mary and Dublin St. Brigid of Kildare church youth groups, was written by one of its own.
Zachary Utt, 18, a senior at Columbus St. Charles Preparatory School, is active in St. Brigid of Kildare’s youth group. He attended St. Brigid of Kildare School and belongs to Delaware St. Mary parish.
The soon-to-be high school graduate wrote and starred in Fuga Mundi, a musical about discerning the priesthood. The show was performed Sunday, March 29 at Delaware St. Mary.
“I consider myself a writer more than anything else. I just love to write things and create things,” Utt reflected. “It’s really just been kind of out of necessity that I’ve had my debut of performing.”
The production included various show tunes from renowned Broadway musicals such as Hamilton and Phantom of the Opera.
Fuga Mundi, meaning “flight from the world,” can refer to nuns, monks, clerics or laity fleeing to seek spiritual greatness. The ideal expresses a sense of detachment from earthly matters.
In the musical, the storyline centers on two young adults discerning a religious vocation. The characters find support in each other while navigating discernment’s challenges and struggles.
Utt was acting as much as he was revealing a portion of his heart. The show was largely inspired by his discernment.
Unlike many of his peers who plan to attend college or work after graduation, Utt has his sights on seminary. He was accepted by the Diocese of Columbus and is currently finishing an application to the Pontifical College Josephinum, where he plans to begin formation for the priesthood in the fall.
The high school senior also plays and coaches volleyball, is involved in jazz band and serves on St. Brigid’s youth group leadership team. Theater, perhaps surprisingly, was not among his school activities.
He is an altar server at Delaware St. Mary Church, which helped in hearing the Lord’s call.
“Discerning the priesthood, I love to altar serve. That’s been a big part of my life,” he said. “I love to serve the parish in that capacity.”
Utt traced his discernment back to eighth grade.
He described his last year of grade school as a time of taking his faith more seriously. The growing devotion was accompanied by thoughts of the priesthood.
“It’s always been something that’s been a little bit in the back of my heart and then drastically grew as I started altar serving,” he said.
“It’s just such a big part of it, to be able to see the priest that close and really see what he does, and then, it just makes it so much easier to put yourself in his shoes.”
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Utt was also influenced by the example of priests.
Father Eugene Joseph, who formerly served in the diocese, was notably influential. Utt admired the way Father Joseph reverently celebrated the Mass, he said.
He was also inspired by Father Brett Garland. The former Delaware St. Mary pastor, who is currently studying in Rome, will begin serving as assistant chaplain at the Columbus St. Thomas More Newman Center near Ohio State University this summer.
Father Michal Wojciak, who serves as chaplain at St. Charles Preparatory School, also impacted Utt’s discernment.
“That’s a great initiative that the bishop has done of putting chaplains at all the high school campuses. I think it’s very, very necessary to maintaining the Catholic culture at our diocesan schools,” Utt said. “It’s been such a blessing.”
Father Wojciak, a native of Poland, will serve as pastor at Columbus St. Christopher Church beginning in July. “To see a student grow in faith and begin to consider a life of service to the Church is one of the greatest blessings of my priesthood,” he said. “I am grateful to have accompanied Zachary in even a small way.”
The Polish priest noted the joy of seeing Utt share his journey.
“It is deeply encouraging to witness a young man like Zachary respond so generously to God’s call,” he said. “Vocational discernment is rarely a simple or easy path. The courage it takes to seriously consider the priesthood, especially at his age, speaks to both his faith and his openness to grace.
“Zachary’s initiative in writing and producing a musical about his discernment is particularly inspiring. It reflects not only his creativity but also his desire to invite others into that journey of listening for God’s voice.”
Utt attended discernment retreats in addition to learning from the example of faithful priests.
He participated in Quo Vadis, held at the Josephinum each summer, to better understand his vocational call. The multi-day event offers time for prayer, the sacraments, interaction with priests and seminarians, and various activities.
“I’ve been blessed with having the attraction to the priesthood,” Utt said. “Some people are kind of scared of that, and it’s something they have to wrestle through and work through as they apply to seminary.
“I feel like I’ve always had a lot of peace because I understand that seminary is a time of discernment, too…. God will reroute you. You can’t mess up His plan that bad. That’s an exact line that I have in the show.
“It’s just about trying best to … authentically listen to where the Lord’s calling you. As long as you’re seeking His will, it’s going to be okay. It’s been something that’s kind of guided me through discernment.”
He also credited his four years at St. Charles Preparatory School for giving him a taste of priestly life.
“The all-boys nature of it, the fraternity, is something that definitely makes it easier to see myself in seminary – a seminary environment where it’s very similar,” Utt said.
“Being your brother’s keeper, being in that environment and praying together … as a group of men is something that probably makes it a little bit less intimidating for me to think about entering into that life.”