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My Vocation Prayer I have been asked to write something that might tell what it means to me to be an ordained deacon. This can be seen a another step in the wonderful process of becoming an ordained servant of the people of God – a priest. Each step alone this process brings a person more fully into the presence of God at the service of the Altar. To be more fully attentive and active during the celebration of the Mass and the Eucharist has been a goal in my life for many years. 
My being ordained a deacon in December of 2001 opened doors to more complete service to the Priests of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and to the Sioux Falls and Rapid City dioceses. It was certainly a ‘red letter' day when I received the document of faculties from the Sioux Falls Bishop and the Rapid City Bishop. This now allows me to broaden my scope of work with the people here in the six parishes that we serve from Lower Brule, South Dakota. I am now able to assist the priests here with everything except confession, anointing, and the consecration of the Holy Eucharist. During this time of supervised on the job training, I am able to apply what I have learned through my years of life experience, training at CTU, and what I have experienced in religious life over the past seven years. It is a perfect time to mature in my personal spirituality and to learn to share my faith with others. I look forward to being ordained as a priest on May 18 th in the Jackson Mississippi diocese by Bishop William Houck. This is the community that nurtured me for 25 years and where I worked in several different parishes. The Crystal Springs parish and mission, St. John's/ St. Martin are really my adult Catholic family. They are the people that called me forth and sent me to the ministry of God's people. It was a long process of coming to know about my calling and to answering that call. It was through the continued support for the last 32 years by this wonderful support group that has finally lead me to the point of coming to my ordination as a priest with the Priests of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. 
I could not strongly enough encourage men to listen to their own hearts and the encouragement of the people that love and support them to be open to the Calling of Jesus Christ to come – follow and serve. Want More Direction Contact Us? 
Vocation Office
P.O. Box 206
Hales Corners, WI 53130
1-800-609-5559 |