Vocation Story

When I was four years old I remember going to church and seeing the altar boys serve Mass. I thought that was pretty cool and wanted to do it myself. After I received my first Holy Communion I signed up for serving. I still remember the first time I served; I was eight and the other two servers were in high school. I found it rather daunting at first, but my pastor was very nice and I remember thinking to myself: "Well, John, you waited four years to achieve this goal what next?" I heard a voice say: "How about being a priest like Fr. John (my pastor at the time)."

I have now been serving Mass for over fifteen years and it is still my favorite thing to do. God willing, in May 2007 I will have achieved my goal that was nineteen years in the making, being ordained a priest of Jesus Christ. Serving has been a great help in my discernment to become a priest; if any of you are reading this and are thinking of the priesthood and are not serving Mass I encourage, no demand, that you start serving at your parish.