Some Preliminaries

Who am I?

“Pray for me that God may put his word on my lips, that I may courageously make known the mystery of the Gospel.” Ephesians 6:19

I am a Catholic Priest of the Diocese of Lansing, Michigan. Some biographical data...I am the oldest of 3. My brother Jim is a priest serving All Saints Parish, in Manassas, Virginia, the largest Catholic church in the state of Virginia. My sister Nancy is a Social Worker in Washington DC. My mother Peggy is a librarian in Washington DC. My father died in 1974; he was an eye surgeon whose medical practice took my family to Billings, Montana where I grew up. Later we moved to Northern Virginia to be closer to my mother’s family and so I graduated from Bishop O’Connell High School in Falls Church, Virginia. After 12 years of Catholic schools, I completed my BA at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia with a double major in Economics and International Relations.

Immediately after college, I went to the seminary to study philosophy under Peter Kreeft, with the Oblates of the Virgin Mary in Boston. After 2 years of study, it became clear that I needed to discern my vocation outside the seminary so I worked for a few years in Washington DC. After completing a Master’s in Social Work at the University of Michigan, I spent time as a substance abuse counselor and later as a child and family therapist at Catholic Social Services in Adrian, Michigan. After a few years of work and prayer away from the seminary it became clear the God was still calling me to the priesthood. My experience with fine priests and great people in Michigan let me to reenter the seminary as a student for the Diocese of Lansing.

After four years at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit I graduated with an M. Div. and an MA in Theology (Systematics and Scripture). I am in my third year as a priest, still at my first assignment at St. Thomas Aquinas in East Lansing Michigan, home of Michigan State University (remember, I attended the University of Michigan; it seems that God appreciates irony).

I love my vocation. I love being a priest. I cannot imagine any other life for me. The longer I am a priest the more confirmed I feel in my call to orders and the more joy I take in my vocation. Although I am only in my third year, I have found that each year has been better than the last. Of course there are difficulties and sufferings day by day, but these are great opportunities for grace and growth.

I am deeply happy in my assignment at St. Thomas Aquinas. I have grown a great deal in my time here. The academic environment in particular has been tremendously stimulating.

Why did I start this blog?

I must admit that I have been intrigued by the phenomenon of blogging for some time. However, when I came across two young parishioners of mine (read: 12 and 14, you guys know who you are) who have their own blogs, it occurred to me that this could be a good medium for me to keep in touch with family, friends, parishioners and former parishioners who are separated from me by distance.

Further, I hope that this blog can be an extension of my Ministry of the Word beyond my own parish and even diocese. We shall see.