On September 21, 1996, Nouwen, my seminary professor, died suddenly of a heart attack at the age of 64.

Nouwen played a significant role in my life. After college, I went to Yale University to study music at the graduate level. As part of my interdisciplinary curriculum at the Institute of Sacred Music, however, I was encouraged to take courses at the Divinity School as well.

Nouwen’s class, Ministry and Spirituality, has had more impact on my life than any course I have ever taken, not to mention that I met my husband Gary in this class. A Catholic priest from the Netherlands, Nouwen had become a leader in the emerging disciplines of pastoral psychology and clinical pastoral education. Preferring simply to be called “Henri,” he taught at Yale Divinity School from 1971 to 1981, and his students, to his embarrassment, considered him a real “rock star.”

I wasn’t headed toward pastoral ministry when I took Henri’s class, but I was keenly interested in the spiritual life.

How I wish I could take Henri’s class again now that I am in my fortieth year of ministry. As a young adult, I did not have enough pastoral wisdom, life experience, or hard knocks to fully understand the depth of Henri’s spirituality or my own. He was always quiet, unassuming, and humble. Yet I sensed that Henri was a holy man, chosen by God to model the spiritual life for millions of students and readers around the world.

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