Vocation Story

I have worked as a forest ranger and groundskeeper for most of my adult life with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the Winnebago County Forest preserve district. But as St. Augustine said in his book the confessions of St. Augustine "You have made us for Yourself O' Lord and our hearts are restless until they rest in you. God has a plan for each and every one of us and He has had that plan since before the foundations of the world were set or the stars were hung. All that I truly want is to fulfill Our Blessed Lord's plan for me. Nothing else on earth can make me truly happy, but to serve Our Lord in the vocation that He has planned for me to serve Him and His Church the Mystical Body of Christ wherever and whatever way He wants me to serve.

And, so at the age of thirty three years old I decided to pursue the diocesan priesthood because I feel that God has been calling me to exactly that. Through a lot of prayer, rosaries, chaplets, Eucharistic Adoration, Mass, and just putting the question to God, I have been led here to Holy Apostles College and Seminary.

I first heard the call as a child of about seven years old when I was preparing for my First Communion. My second grade teacher, Sister Eileen, instilled a great love of Our Blessed Lord in the Eucharist in me, as well as a love of Pope John Paul II. I was an altar boy growing up and I was greatly influenced by all the wonderful priests at St. Bridget, Fr. Gordon, Fr. Calkins, Bishop Doran (then Fr. Doran), Msgr. Mitchell and many other priests. I have spent a lot of time in the secular world and I have witnessed the culture of death that surrounds us first hand. I have searched for happiness in the finite things of the world and have only come to feel that something is missing, that there must be more. Through a long and edifying process of discernment I have come to the conclusion that God wants me here.

I resisted for a long time but God has been patient with me. And now all I truly want is to echo Our Lady's words at the Annunciation "Be it done unto me according to Thy word." Total abandonment daily to Our Lord's will for each and every one of us is really our only hope. This is easier said than done and I can only say that I am but a work in progress, the smallest and most dependent of Our Lady's sons. I need to be chiseled into the image and likeness of Our Blessed Lord Jesus Christ daily and Holy Apostles Seminary is where God has chosen for me to undergo this process of dying to self for love of He who is Love, Life, and Truth.

Please pray for me. I need all the prayers I can get. The battle lines have been drawn and spiritual combat has begun. I will keep all the Knights of Columbus in my prayers. God bless, and may the peace of Christ be with you always.