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Answering the Lord’s call to a church vocation 1/15/2010 In this special section, we honor those who have accepted God’s calling to a religious vocation. Featured are the seminarians of the Diocese of Marquette as well as the story of a young woman who followed her calling through the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity. Along with a basic biography, each seminarian has offered a short reflection on meaningful aspects of his life. These reflections show a deep spirituality that each of these young men bring to their new vocation of service. Sister Pamela Catherine Peasel, OSF, writes about her discernment process and the peace she found leaving a secular life she enjoyed for the religious life. God continues to bless us with many men and women who choose to follow His calling. Let’s make a special effort to thank them and encourage them in their service to the Church. Brandon Oman, 28, My favorite book of the Bible is Sirach because it is packed full of practical wisdom on moral upright living which helps me to live out the Gospel, to grow in virtue, and deepen my desire for the Truth who is Jesus, the way the Truth and the life. (Jn 14:6). At the seminary I am currently studying philovethat “All wisdom comes from the Lord, and with Him it remains forever” (Sirach 1:1) My favorite secular book is “The Lord of the Rings” by J.R.R. Tolkien because it is a timeless tale of sacrifice, courage, honor, and fidelity lived for the sake of the greater good in the ultimate triumph of virtue over vice. It challenges me to be courageous and persevere like Frodo because it reiterates to me the value and necessity of sacrifice, which isn’t always easy, but yet it is most rewarding when it is done for the sake of the greater good. My favorite quotation is “Wherever the Catholic sun doth shine, there’s always laughter and good red wine. At least I’ve always found it so. Benedicamus Domino!” by Hilair Belloc who was a Catholic author and politician from England. The Christian person whom I most admire is Pope Benedict XVI because he is a great teacher, a courageous leader, and is a most humble and prayerful servant of the Lord. He has had a profound impact on my vocation by his holy example, and even more so now that he has inaugurated the Year for Priests.
Attending a Catholic school helped me understand that I don’t have to be ashamed of my faith in Christ. At Holy Name, it was just natural to talk about Jesus and to pray in the classroom. There was no need to be secretive or fearful about it or worry about what people would think. Faith was in the air we breathed. I think this setting prepared me well to enter into a society that wants to exclude faith from the public square. It gave me a solid foundation that strengthened me to face challenges and have confidence that what we believe is true because it’s founded on the Word of God given to us in love. I felt the power of the Holy Spirit when I finally opened the door of my heart to let Jesus in! There were many places in my heart that I didn’t want Jesus to come into – the places of little hurts, memories, and pains that accrue over the years just from living in a fallen world. It took me awhile to open these things up to Jesus and to call Him in, but when I did, the Spirit came in with power to show me how God’s love has always been with me – through family, friends, priests, complete strangers – even in the times I thought Jesus wasn’t there! This was very healing for me, and He wants to do this for all of us. When I think about my vocation I give thanks to the Lord, because it wasn’t I who chose Him, but He who chose me. When I look back on my life and see all the twists and turns by which God has led me to this point, I can know with certainty that this call is all God’s grace. It’s not because of my merits or outstanding life or anything that I’ve done, but only because of his mercy in my life. There’s real drama involved in responding to a call to the priesthood, but it’s mostly within the heart! It involves saying ‘yes’ to God’s love, really accepting that love, and then following His vision for me. This is something each of us must live personally, having the courage to be great because God wants us to be great.
My favorite book of the Bible that I have read so far has been the Gospel of John. I am currently in the process of reading the entire Bible and right now I am in the Gospel of John. I love the Gospels very much in particular because they contain the words of Jesus and because all of the Old Testament writings find their fulfillment through Jesus. I like the Gospel of John in particular because of its unique focus on Jesus’ divinity. After reading several verses, I am often stopping and contemplating on these few verses. The whole Gospel is full of verses that are small in words, but profound in meaning. I enjoy reading the verses, chewing on them awhile, and letting them sink into my heart. All of Scripture is this way. All Scripture wants to tell us something and to write its words on our hearts if only we will take the time to listen. May we be like Mary and ponder the words of Jesus in our hearts! My favorite part of the day is going to Mass. All graces are contained in Jesus. All we ever want and need is found in Jesus and only in Him. At Mass, we are able to receive Jesus in Scripture and in His fullness in the Eucharist. What a gift we have been given! We are so blessed to be able to receive the Lord and to have Him with us! I am always excited to go to Mass and look forward to going to Mass every day. It is the highlight of my day! If I could give advice to young Catholics today I would tell them the best thing they can do is to be open to God working in their life. The Lord has wonderful plans for each of us. He has plans to bring us fulfillment and happiness. The Lord has all this in store for us if only we say yes and we are open to His unconditional love and mercy. Being open means having a prayer life. The most important prayer we can pray is the Mass. If one can only pray for a half hour each day, I would tell them to go to Mass. Having a prayer life is the most important part of the spiritual life because it shows a sign of openness to God working in our life. Lastly, beyond having a prayer life, we should have someone in our life to whom we can go for Godly direction. This can be a priest, sister, or someone who is deeply spiritual. With God in control, the Lord will work marvels in our life and we will be able to better see the gifts and blessings the Lord has bestowed on us so abundantly. May we all follow Mary’s fiat and say yes to the Lord working in our lives! When I think about my vocation I am humbled. I am humbled that the Lord is calling me to serve at his altar and stand in the person of Christ to the world. I am not worthy of such a calling, but the Lord calls and supplies the grace needed to fulfill our vocation in life. I am humbled that the Lord wants to use me, a sinner, to bring His love to His children. While humbled, I am also honored that the Lord is calling me to serve Him in this unique calling. I pray with thanksgiving for the gift He has given me in this calling to the priesthood and to lay down my life for God and His people.
The Christian person I most admire is my father, Robert Flynn. He has consistently, from the time I was young, taught and modeled for me what it means to be a man of God. This continual example helped me to become the person I am today. I am forever grateful for his wisdom, love and sacrifices. I can honestly say that I have learned more about the Catholic faith from him than all other avenues. When I said yes to the vocation of Holy Orders, I became truly free. Indeed, when I finally — after eight years of hearing the Holy Spirit speak to my heart — said ‘yes,’ a wonderful inner peace swept over my life and has remained with me through my seminary years. It was not that I was unhappy before I entered the seminary, for I was not. However, there was something deep down inside of me that was restless. This restlessness was replaced by peace when I surrendered to the will of God for my life. It is funny how this works, for when we think of surrender in a worldly or secular way we equate it with defeat and failure. However, when we surrender our lives to our Heavenly Father, we are victorious, triumphant and set free. Andrew Schwartz, 19, Sacred Heart Parish, L’Anse, first year college seminary student at St. John Vianney Seminary, St. Paul, Minn. There was a time when I was sitting in the main part of the church, just sitting and trying to listen as to what God wanted me to hear. I asked him, “What is it that you want me to do in my current state of living?” Immediately I heard the answer, “Read My word.” For a second, though, I questioned whether or not it was God who spoke because I didn’t hear a voice different from my own, but instead the sound of my own voice. However I knew that I did not speak those words. When I reflect on those words they are too distinct to have come from my own thought. It can be compared to the difference between the love you have for your parents compared to the love you have for a dear friend. Nobody can tell you the difference nor can they experience the same thing. But you know and you can always tell the difference. Likewise I know when I am thinking. I can vouch that the voice I heard that day sounded like mine but indeed was quite distinct from my own. The conclusion had to be that it came from God in answer from the question I laid forth to Him and that He was ordering me to do something for my own well-being. At St. John Vianney Seminary everyone has to do Apostolic Outreach in some way. I went to the Nursing Home of the Little Sisters of the Poor. There they assigned me to a little old woman who had quite the story to tell. When she and her husband were somewhere in their fifties they got into a car accident where her husband met his death. She became a clown afterwards because she wanted to try and bring happiness to others even though she had lost so much. She acquired the nickname Granny Hug-A-Bug because she gave a hug to everyone wherever she went. Along with that hug she gave a non-expiring coupon that entitled that person to a free hug. I think often about how despite her husband’s death she refused to despair and tried in her own way to make everyone around her happier. Always remember to talk to the elderly. They have so much more experience than the rest of us. If we forget about them in a way we end up forgetting the past as well. It is through past experiences of others and ourselves that we become better people through the correction of past mistakes and the endurance of past sufferings. When I think about my vocation I honestly don’t know what to make of it. Most people won’t join unless they know it is for them. I joined because I don’t know that it is for me. It doesn’t exactly make a whole lot of sense, me joining the priesthood. I don’t know anybody who has told me that it makes perfect sense for them to become a priest at this early stage. I don’t think it is supposed to make sense to any of us; instead I think of the words that the rector at St. John Vianney said, “…is it fitting?” That is the question that we must all ask. Is it fitting for me to do anything that I do? If it isn’t then why do it? If it doesn’t seem fitting to you then it is more than likely that it is the wrong thing to do. So I have to ask myself, is it fitting for me to become a priest? I went to seminary to find out if the priesthood is fitting for me. Only God knows and I must place all my trust in him.
We are fast approaching the 37th anniversary of the infamous court ruling on Roe v. Wade which occurred on January 22, 1973. This ruling decided that a woman may kill her unborn child for any reason and represented the institution of federal legalized abortion in our country. I would like to encourage all to join in any way they can the battle for the unborn. Join a pro-life group, participate in one of the upcoming January 22nd anniversary “walk for life” campaigns, submit letters to newspapers, help out at pregnancy crisis centers, vote for true pro-life government leaders. Let us fight for the rights of the unborn. Their very lives are depending on us. Aaron Nowicki, 25, One of my favorite short quotations from the Bible is, “Be still and know that I am God” Ps 46:10. It comes in handy when I am frustrated or angry that things aren’t going my way. It doesn’t restrict the mobility or freewill of His people as the quote might imply, but rather it suggests the spiritual disposition that we should have in the presence of so many promises from God. Moreover, this verse helps me to reflect on what God can do in the face of what we are unable to do, especially in the confidence that He gave His son for the expiation of our sins. The artwork of religious depiction — especially in older, more ornate churches — brings me closer to God. I’m not an artistic person myself, but that makes me appreciate the talent of the artist even more! Standing in the presence of the art calls me into the scene of what’s depicted. A scene from the life of Jesus in a stained glass window or the agony depicted in the Stations of the Cross can be quite moving and a starting point for prayer that might not have come without the art. I am overjoyed when I know that someone dedicated a very large part of their talent and time in their work for the glory of God. I felt the power of the Holy Spirit strongly in the bond between a mother and her son when present at a park in Milan, Italy two summers ago. When I needed a moment of rest, I stopped near the park’s fountain. Shortly afterwards a mother and her son in a stroller approached. As the stroller neared, you could hear the squeals of delight coming from her son. Soon after she took him out of the stroller and lifted him up to the fountain, the boy began to laugh and bend down to splash in the fountain. Many people turned to see the boy having fun and the mother all smiles. When he was done playing, the boy turned around and gave his mom a big hug. When I saw this I felt the love present between a mother and her son and thought, “This is what the love between Mary and the child Jesus must have been like.” When I think about my vocation I feel amazed because God is calling me to something that is beyond what I believe that I could accomplish without His help. When I was younger I remember hearing many times, “Aaron, God loves you and He has a plan for you.” As I grew older I learned that this is best summarized in the term “vocation.” I certainly did not know what my vocation was for a large period of time in my life. (I waited nearly eight years after graduation to pursue a call to the priesthood.) Through the encouragement of many priests and fellow parishioners I began to dialogue with God in prayer about what his plan for me was. It was through this prayer that I came to understand that God was calling me to the seminary. Because of this, I would encourage you to continue to pray for the strengthening of vocations to the priesthood, to the religious and married life. I feel in the presence of God most when I spend time before the Blessed Sacrament. I don’t know what inspired me to sign up for a weekly Holy Hour of Adoration when I moved to Marquette in 2007 (I had only been to Adoration two times before in my whole life), but the continual calming presence of Jesus certainly strengthened my prayer life. There have been many times that I have come to Jesus tired or burdened, but also when overflowing with happiness. I couldn’t help but share these feelings with Him! What is most comforting is the “boost” that I experience in my life after spending time with Him. I certainly would encourage those who read this to spend more time before the Blessed Sacrament. Bradley Sjoquist, 22, St. Mary Queen of Peace Parish, Kingsford, One of my favorite books of the Bible is the 1st Epistle of John. I like it because it talks about our fundamental identity as children of God (3:1-2). In it, St. John talks much about the love God has for each of us. This idea of divine filiation or spiritual childhood has been key to my understanding that, by grace, we have been brought from slavery to sonship in Christ. Knowing this, we ought to approach the Father with the same trust of a child who has a “perfect love” that “casts out fear” (4:18). Every time I go back to this part of the Scriptures, I feel like I gain a lot. These ideas are also present in writers like St. Therese of Lisieux, and St. Josemaria Escriva who have both influenced me. My first semester of seminary has taught me many things. Living with 100 other men from all over the country who are all discerning and preparing themselves for the priesthood of Jesus Christ gives me great hope for the Church. Seminary has also taught me the importance of living a balanced life. . . Prayer must always come first, but we ought not neglect exercise, sleep, and study. Finally, I have been overwhelmed by the kindness people show to seminarians and priests, and I am thankful for all of the prayers people have offered. It really is humbling to start down this path and I look forward to continuing my formation. Nicholas Thompson, 29, Nicholas Thompson: My favorite quotation is, “Be the change you want to see.” This quotation strikes me because it puts the “ball in our court,” so to speak. We do not have to live up to the expectations that our modern times try to project. Being the change we want to see gives us the opportunity to follow Christ even when it is not popular to do so. I think we live in a time when people do not want to hear another television evangelist, or hear another tape about Christianity, or an amazing conversion story. I think many people desire to be shown, and not told what makes a follower of Christ different. Being the change you want to see gives us that opportunity. The Christian person whom I most admire is Pope John Paul II because of the forgiveness he extended to the man who tried to take the pope’s life with a gunshot. I was also attracted to JPII’s combination of holiness, smarts, athleticism, and love for the outdoors. The pope’s “Theology of the Body” is also amazingly attractive. When I think about my vocation to the priesthood I am humbled because of the responsibilities it entails. The vocation to the priesthood also fills me with joy because of all the potential opportunities it brings to encounter the people of God. When I think of the priesthood I think of adventure. I think of a great challenge that will have ups and downs, but in the end will be very satisfying because it was God’s will. To accept the gift of a calling Sister Pamela Catherine Peasel, OSF To accept, a term described as receiving with gladness or approval, is an expression that is easily definable yet, at times, difficult to undertake. Entering the convent was not one of the top priorities of my life, coming from a very close family and leaving behind a job I thoroughly enjoyed. This one word, acceptance, would prove to be my struggle as the Lord was offering me a gift of joy, peace and love. Prior to entering the convent, I was very content with my life. Living on my own, teaching full-time, spending my weekends with family and friends, all of these were pure blessings from God. Yet there was always something lingering in my thoughts, an excited curiosity about religious sisters, a desire within, drawing me to the mystery of their life. So I began to research different orders, “testing the waters” to see if this call was truly real. A weekend here and there at various orders didn’t seem to weaken the call, only I had not felt any connection that is until I had made a retreat with the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity. They are headquartered in Manitowoc, Wis., but serve throughout the United States, including the Upper Peninsula. It was unlike any of the other retreats I had attended. It was not just a typical “come and see” how we live weekend. This was more a come and see how Jesus is calling you, how He is currently working in your life, how He is manifested in our (the Sisters) lives. We entered a pilgrimage, a weekend journey, to reflect upon, to deepen and/or discover our relationship with God. Even their motto, “called to be” was indirectly woven throughout the retreat emphasizing that our inner happiness lies in being, becoming who we truly are in the eyes of God. To accept this gift the Lord was holding out to me proved to be the most difficult. To take that first step was frightening. I felt I was leaving all the blessings He had given me behind. However, after having entered in the fall of 2008, I’ve come to learn that His blessings only expand the more you listen to His call. The Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity’s next discernment retreat will be held February 12-14, 2010 at their Motherhouse in Manitowoc. For more information, visit www.fscc-calledtobe.org. End.
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