Have You?

In a valiant attempt to move the drivel of that last post down the page, comes this post from the newly reappointed Fr. V:

Later, after the initial shock had passed, I asked him if he had ever considered becoming a priest and he responded by saying that he had thought of it seriously, but nobody ever mentioned it to him leaving him feeling unworthy. And then became pretty serious about a young lady. It was from that point that I started mentioning priesthood to any young man who showed the slightest interest or potential. I wonder if that young man who should be in his 30s now has any idea how deeply in that single action he had effected a future priest’s reverence for the True Presence.

Have you invited anyone to take up the call?

St. Sebastian in Akron is getting a good priest, pray for the smooth transition on behalf of the priest, his soon to be former parish and his new digs.

(Even better, his new place has a traffic circle in front! Wow! I can't wait to make the visit now in July! I'm gonna go 'Griswald' and just drive in circles: 'Hey, kids, look, St. Sebastian's!' repeated ad nauseum!)

Self hijack over, I got a message yesterday from a young man whom I had seen at Mass fairly regularly. A few weeks back, I had given him my card and told him to call me. Well, he emailed instead, along the lines of: 'Thanks for thinking of me, but I'm in a serious relationship right now and feel called to marriage.'

I lost nothing in that encounter, and encouraged him to live out his faith in the world (something that is drastically needed!) However, should something happen and the current relationship breaks down (which I am not rooting for, just to be clear!), who knows, it might come back to him.

So, I ask again, who is the young man or woman in your life, whom you pass every day, maybe even have a chat at the watercooler about Homer's pretty good outing last night? Have you suggested to him the possibility of the priesthood? Is she a likely candidate for the religious or consecrated life?

Usually that person is the last one to know, and your bringing it up might just open them to the possibility.