Contemplate with Deacon Nate: How Suffering Can Be Redemptive

The Christian view of human suffering is absolutely beautiful.

Have you ever had anyone tell you “offer it up” after you complained about something? Maybe you found it annoying, or confusing. “Offer what up? And to who?” you may have wondered. When someone tells you to “offer it up”, they’re encouraging you to give your pain to Jesus, to spiritually unite it to his Cross. When you offer your suffering to Christ, he makes it redemptive! He will cause it to redeem others!!

Suffering is Christ’s invitation to follow him. Pope John Paul II, in his letter on suffering Salvifici Doloris, says, “Christ does not explain in the abstract the reasons for suffering, but before all else he says: “Follow me!” Come! Take part through your suffering in this work of saving the world, a salvation achieved through my suffering! Through my Cross. Gradually, as the individual takes up his cross, spiritually uniting himself to the Cross of Christ, the salvific meaning of suffering is revealed before him” (Section 26).

St. Paul tells the Colossians, “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ on behalf of his body, which is the church.” How can he find joy in pain? Is he insane? Is he masochistic? Not at all. John Paul II explains, “A source of joy is found in the overcoming of the sense of the uselessness of suffering… This feeling not only consumes the person interiorly, but seems to make him a burden to others. The person feels condemned to receive help and assistance from others, and at the same time seems useless to himself. The discovery of the salvific meaning of suffering in union with Christ transforms this depressing feeling. Faith in sharing in the suffering of Christ brings with it the interior certainty that the suffering person ‘completes what is lacking in Christ's afflictions’; the certainty that in the spiritual dimension of the work of Redemption he is serving, like Christ, the salvation of his brothers and sisters. Therefore he is carrying out an irreplaceable service. … It is suffering, more than anything else, which clears the way for the grace which transforms human souls” (Section 27).

In his conclusion, the Pope John Paul II says, “[T]here should come together in spirit beneath the Cross on Calvary all suffering people who believe in Christ… so that the offering of their sufferings may hasten the fulfilment of the prayer of the Saviour himself that all may be one… [W]e ask all you who suffer to support us. We ask precisely you who are weak to become a source of strength for the Church and humanity. In the terrible battle between the forces of good and evil, revealed to our eyes by our modern world, may your suffering in union with the Cross of Christ be victorious!”

These are wonderful words to chew on. What St. Paul is saying is GOOD NEWS for all who may feel useless to society or a burden on their families because of injury, illness or old age! Such people can perform an “irreplaceable service” to the Church and to the world if they offer their suffering to Christ! This is true even if the suffering is the result of our sin!

Did you know that Christ “needs” our help in saving the world? He chooses to “need” our help in distributing his saving grace to souls! Pope Piux XII says, “In carrying out the work of redemption Christ wishes to be helped by the members of His Body. This is not because He is indigent or weak, but rather because He so willed it for the greater glory of His spotless Spouse. Dying on the Cross, He left to the Church the immense treasury of the Redemption. Towards this she (the Church) contributed nothing. But when those graces come to be distributed, not only does He share this task of sanctification with His Church, but he wants it, in a way, to be due to her action. What a deep mystery . . . that the salvation of many depends on the prayers and voluntary penances which the members of the Mystical Body offer for that intention, and on the assistance of pastors of souls and of the faithful, especially fathers and mothers of families, which they must offer to our divine Savior as though they were His associates."

So what should we do when suffering seems meaningless? The Second Vatican Council says, “Through Christ and in Christ, the riddles of sorrow and death grow meaningful” (Gaudium et Spes, 22). So whenever we wonder about the meaning of our suffering or that of others, we should look to Christ on the Cross. This is one of the reasons the Catholic Church displays crucifixes in her churches, schools, and institutions. Whenever we see a crucifix, we should remember not only that Jesus redeemed us through his suffering, but also that he wants us to help him redeem others by offering our sufferings to him.

Suffering can either drive us towards or away from God. Fr. Paul A. Duffner says, “[Suffering] can make one resentful and bitter - even blaming God for his lot, or it can make one more conscious of God’s providence at work. It can make one turn in on himself in self-pity, or it can help one to open out upon the world in apostolic and redemptive action” (http://www.rosary-center.org/ll49n2.htm). Throughout the day, let’s see our aches, pains, sufferings, discomforts, frustrations, setbacks, irritations, fatigue, delays, sorrow at the loss of a loved one, disappointments, humiliations, being misunderstood, falsely accused, etc. as OPPORTUNITIES: 1) to remember, and 2) to pray.

Suffering is an opportunity to REMEMBER that Jesus is with us, sitting beside us, gazing upon us with unconditional love, suffering with us, crying with us. Jesus says, “Blessed are the poor…those who mourn…are persecuted…insulted…hungry.” Our suffering is blessed because it is Jesus’ suffering and because he is with us! Corrie ten Boom, while in a Nazi death camp, said, “No matter how deep our darkness, he is deeper still.”

Suffering is an opportunity to PRAY, “Jesus I love you, and I offer you this suffering. Please make it redemptive for someone in need.” If we do this with love and faith, our suffering will become meaningful and profitable. Imagine the joy of meeting, when we leave this world, those who got to heaven through the help of our prayers and sufferings offered to our Suffering Savior.

Peter Kreeft's article was one of my sources. I HIGHLY recommend it: http://peterkreeft.com/topics/suffering.htm

Contemplate with Deacon Nate: A Grand Time in Grand Rapids

From Sunday July 11th through Friday July 16th, a group of young people from our parish attended a week long service experience in Grand Rapids; I was a chaperone. Our camp was called “Week of Hope”; here is a description from the website (groupworkcamps.com): “Week of Hope is the affordable one-week camp where your youth will build meaningful relationships with those they serve, those they serve with, and most importantly, a deeper relationship with Jesus... A Week of Hope is a personal, friendly setting of about 100 youth…ideal for getting to know everyone.”

Our camp had youth from various churches, including Family of Faith Ministries in Charlevoix, a Presbyterian Church in Deerfield, IL, a Wesleyan Church in Indiana, and to save the best for last, St. Mike’s! We stayed at Kuyper College, a small Christian college not far from WMU. The dorms had AC, thank the Good Lord!

After we arrived on Sunday our group killed time by playing various games including a hilarious one that left our “smile muscles” sore. Then we had supper and an evening program. I had hesitated to bring my guitar on the trip, and that evening I discovered why the Spirit nudged me to bring it: they needed someone to help lead praise music throughout the week. I had a blast doing this! This was my first “God Sighting” of the week. You see, the camp encouraged us to look for “God Sightings” everyday and share them with our work crews. I saw and heard about too many God Sightings to list here. (If you keep your eyes open, you’ll begin to see them all the time! Sometimes when I see one of these signs of God’s love, I say, “Thank you Lord, I love you too!”)

So, you’d like to know the daily routine? An annoying song would blare from a boombox to wake us up (didn’t always work); breakfast; morning program; head to worksite with crew (4-5 youth from a variety of churches + a chaperone); get instructions from supervisor; work our tails off; lunch and crew devotions (prayer and discussion of the day’s theme, which included “my friends”, “my family”, “my faith”, and “my future”); work some more; return to camp; supper; evening program; free time. One of the days we had a “free day” so instead of supper and devotions at camp, we went to dinner and a movie.

At the morning and evening programs we began with a few praise songs; watched a daily episode of “Meet the Prodigals”, the Prodigal Son story filmed in the style of “The Office”; had prayer; had competitions, etc. These were led by Emily from North Carolina. She and Jenny are college students who have dedicated most of their summer to leading these camps. The only other adult staff person was Barb from our parish; all three gave an inspiring example of dedicated service.

On the first day, two crews, including mine, found their way to the neighborhood where we would spend all week. It’s a peaceful neighborhood of many elderly residents who are known to communicate loudly with one another from their front porches. We met Ms. Sara, our supervisor, who told us interesting stories of the various steps she and others have taken to transform the neighborhood which previously had been much more dangerous and drug-infested. Her faith in the Lord shone through her eyes and her words. Each day we ran into her husband Jerome with his cheerful attitude and contagious laughter.

Ms. Sara assigned us to do various outdoor tasks for elderly neighbors including Ms. Mabel, a sweet 75 year old woman who insisted on helping us, much to the disapproval of Ms. Sara. Part of my crew helped scrape and paint one neighbor’s house. Our crews did yardwork for Ms. Alda, and cemented in her swing set and laid fresh mulch. Weeding, trimming, raking, etc... Ms. Sara kept us busy and God held off the rain! One day a couple kittens showed up and many of us, captivated by cuteness, dropped our tools for a few minutes. Speaking of cuteness, a few kids from the neighborhood helped us with weeding.

While Emily, Jordyn, and I were there, the others from St. Mike’s were at different worksites. Sean helped at Worldwide Thrift Store, Hailey at a Goodwill, Hilary took nursing home residents fishing one day, etc. 

Ms. Sara let us return to camp early on our last workday, which gave me an opportunity to visit Jesus in the Eucharist at the perpetual adoration chapel (meaning it is open 24x7x365) a few miles from Kuyper College. (I kept falling asleep, but I know I’m in good company: St. Therese often struggled to stay awake during her prayer times. Besides, Psalm 127 says, “The Lord pours gifts on his beloved while they slumber.” I know he’s thrilled by the mere fact that we take time to be with him!)

Thursday evening was memorable because of a mischievous plot from the mind of Krystal. On Thursday evening, Barb and I helped Krystal fill up lots of water balloons, and after the evening program, the battle broke out. As the number of casualties climbed, Sean remained dry, with 4 balloons bouncing off him. At the end, he was finally taken down by a sneaky enemy! A great idea for a warm summer evening.

I believe we all had a Grand Time in Grand Rapids serving the Lord by serving others. I asked Sean about how the camp was, and he said, “It was really great meeting new friends and being able to help people out.” Kristen said, “My relationship with God grew a lot that week.” For Emily, and I think for all of us, hanging out as a parish group in the evenings was a highlight of each day. I’m thankful to God, to Fr. TJ and to all of you at St. Mike’s for the opportunity to go!
 

Contemplate with Deacon Nate: Christ the King- a Religious Vocations "Factory"

Recently I read a book about the history of St. Michael’s parish, and was very impressed by the number of religious vocations that came from here. My home parish, Christ the King in Ann Arbor, has a similar history. Currently, there are 32 men and women who are actively discerning a religious vocation for a variety of religious orders or dioceses. What is the secret? Is it something in the water? Why are so many young people for there willing to discern a religious vocation at the seminary or at the convent?

Three years ago, the National Catholic Register ran a story about this parish entitled “One Parish, 15 Seminarians.” When asked why the parish had such a big number of vocations, the pastor Fr. Ed Fride replied,

“The spirituality of the parish, in which a personal relationship with Jesus is continually stressed, is key,” he said. “We began as, and still are, part of the charismatic renewal, again where a living, active relationship with Jesus is encouraged.

“In addition, since beginning perpetual adoration five years ago when we finished our church building, almost all of the present seminarians, and those to begin this fall, have heard the call to seminary,” said Fr. Fride. According to Fr. Fride, by being close to Jesus in Eucharistic adoration, people are able to hear the call.

Fr. Fride also said,“…we can’t overlook the influence of John Paul the Great. We constantly reference him, his teachings and the example of his life. He was the only pope that these kids knew, and they want to be like him. They want to participate in the New Evangelization, and becoming a priest is a great way to do that…When you preach orthodoxy, the Eucharist and the centrality of Jesus, vocations result. It seems natural to me to have so many young people who love Jesus and want to serve him become priests.”

Sister Mary Ann Foggin, director of vocation services for the Lansing diocese, also believes that Eucharistic adoration has an effect on vocations. She said, “Where they have it, kids are on fire with the Lord, and then they run toward God’s call, which sometimes is a [religious] vocation. If kids are raised having a relationship with Jesus, as is the goal at Christ the King, they will not be afraid to give their life to him, and will trust him when they hear his call, regardless of what it is, because they know he loves them.”

Many leaders in the Church have noticed that Eucharistic Adoration cultivates religious vocations. At one time, Mother Teresa’s order had few vocations. Mother Teresa later said, “It was not until 1973, when we began our daily Holy Hour that our community started to grow and blossom...”

I can testify to this point! Eucharistic adoration has increased my love for Jesus and my awareness of his love for me. It was when I was praying before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament that the Lord communicated to me clearly that he was leading me to seminary. I am so grateful to Fr. Fride for encouraging his parish from the pulpit to spend time in Eucharistic adoration. If it weren’t for my habit of a spending time daily before Jesus in the Eucharist, I may not have heard, or been open to, the call. Have a blessed week!

Contemplate with Deacon Nate: Seminary- So Much More Than Classes!

When the Lord gave me a strong desire to become a priest, it was a bittersweet feeling. Bitter because I had this notion that seminary might be academically tedious and rigorous; sweet because I was eager to embark on the adventure of discerning the priesthood. But if I’d known what seminary was really like, I would have felt differently. The last five years at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit have been the best years of my life.

Shortly after entering seminary, I discovered that formation for the priesthood is SO much more than books, papers, and exams. Intellectual formation is only one of the four elements of formation; the other elements are Spiritual, Human, and Pastoral. Every year we are given goals for all elements. We set personal objectives to achieve those goals, and then evaluate our progress with the help of a mentor priest.

Intellectual formation has been challenging as I imagined it would be. Sometimes I’ve anxiously wondered how I’m going to finish papers in time and prepare adequately for exams. God has often reminded me, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5). I know that God is constantly speaking to me through my readings and through my teachers; the challenge is to remember this and not treat assignments as just another “hoop to jump through.” Some of my favorite classes: Ecumenism and Interreligious Dialogue, Synoptic Gospels, Pastoral Counseling, Bioethics, and Evangelization and Spirituality.

Concerning the element of Human formation, this means growth in the virtues. With the help of mentors and other seminarians and prayer, I have been getting to know what virtues I am weak in and need to work on and ask (beg!) God for help with. Since I’ve mastered the virtue of humility, I consider myself more advanced in virtue than most seminarians (kidding). Optional sports helps with virtue; I play soccer and last year we got 3^rd place in a tournament against other seminaries! (We won’t mention that there were only four teams)

To sum up Spiritual formation, Pope Benedict says that the purpose of seminary is to help men fall in love with Jesus Christ. I can honestly say that my relationship with all three divine Persons and with Mary has been deepened at seminary, especially through meditation on Jesus’ life in the Gospels and visits to the tabernacle. We are required to meet with a spiritual director every other week, to attend daily Mass, and to pray the Divine Office. We are strongly encouraged to make a daily Holy Hour before the hidden Jesus in the tabernacle; God has taught me so much in this daily “classroom of silence.” On various retreats, including a 30 day silent retreat, I have discovered that the Father truly sees me as his “beloved son” despite my sins and faults. Relating my thoughts, feelings, and desires to God has allowed me to sense his love and hear him more often and throughout the day.

Finally, Pastoral formation has given us a variety of ministry experiences such as visiting suffering people in hospice care, hospitals, and nursing homes. Also, poor neighbors visit the seminary weekly and we offer them companionship, food vouchers, and most importantly prayer. I have truly sensed Jesus’ presence in some of these folks, who often have deep faith despite being poor and/or physically disabled! Pastoral formation includes a six week trip to Cuernavaca, Mexico, where we lived with Mexican families, took Spanish classes, and visited amazing places like the Guadalupe Shrine where Mary gave St. Juan Diego the miraculous portrait of herself. During a different summer, we traversed the Holy Land for three weeks and saw where Jesus turned water into wine, multiplied food, and walked on water! This trip enhanced our appreciation for Scripture, bolstered our faith, and prepared us to preach better. We concluded with a five day visit to the Eternal City, where we attended a Papal Audience, saw glorious churches, and had plenty of gelato (of course)!

Ultimately, all of this training is meant to form in us the six identities of a priest: Spiritual Father, Spiritual Physician, Chaste Spouse (of the Church), Head and Shepherd, Brother (to other priests), and most importantly, Beloved Son (of the Father). I thank you and the entire diocese for your spiritual and financial support on this amazing adventure called seminary.

Contemplate with Deacon Nate: Becoming the Best Version of Yourself

I have a new favorite Catholic speaker. His name is Matthew Kelly, have you heard of him? He’s an Australian speaker and writer who has impacted millions of lives and helped many to rediscover their faith and come back to the Church through a book called “Rediscovering Catholicism.” (I haven’t read it yet, but I’m willing to recommend it based on sources I trust. You can order a FREE copy at DynamicCatholic.com). Recently I heard a talk on CD by Kelly called “Becoming the Best Version of Yourself”. It challenged and inspired me! Here’s a description (from catholiccompany.com):

“...Becoming the Best Version of Yourself reminds us that everything makes sense in relation to our essential purpose, and that, without a clear understanding of the purpose in our lives we find ourselves constantly in a cloud of confusion.

Kelly then explains the meaning of friendship, work, marriage, money, all in relation to our essential purpose. Beyond that he demonstrates how understanding our essential purpose brings clarity and direction to our lives, especially in the area of making decisions.

Finally, he challenges us to reassess the physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual aspects of our lives. With the heartwarming charm and humor he has become so well known for, Kelly invites his audience to make one resolution in each of these four areas… and explains how these four new habits can transform our lives.

"You were born to become the-best-version-of-yourself! This is your essential purpose and the most important discovery you will ever make. Embrace this one solitary truth and it will change your life more than anything you have ever learned. In every situation, simply ask yourself, 'Which of the options before me will help me become the-best-version-of-myself?'"

The Second Vatican Council highlighted the “universal call to holiness,” the vocation to become holy, a calling that we have been given by God at baptism. Kelly says we’re called to “become the best version of ourselves” as a way of describing this call to holiness. He urges us to make resolutions for the physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual aspects of our lives. For a resolution for the physical aspect, Kelly recommends a goal of exercise at least once a week. For the emotional aspect, he suggests a resolution to spend “carefree timelessness” with friends and loved ones. This doesn’t mean just scheduling in an hour slot to visit someone, it means blocking out an afternoon, an evening, or even entire day to spend with a friend! For the intellectual aspect, Kelly proposes that we resolve to spend at least 10 minutes a day reading a good book. He really wants Catholics to become hungry for “best practices” and “continuous learning” about their faith. Last but not least, Kelly suggests a resolution to keep a weekly Mass journal to enhance the spiritual aspect of our lives.

What is a weekly Mass journal? It is a journal you bring to every Sunday Mass and write in immediately afterwards. What do you write? “ONE thing God taught me at Mass which will help become the best version of myself.” Don’t go overboard and write more than one thing. 

The purpose of this journal is to develop a habit of listening to God at Mass. At every Mass, God is teaching us how to become holy, i.e. the best version of ourselves. He speaks to us through the readings, through the homily, and through the prayers of the Mass. But it’s so easy to daydream! With the resolution to write down just ONE thing we learned at Mass, we’ll eventually get in the habit of listening to God at Mass. Habits are formed only after much repetition, so Kelly urges us not to store our journal in such a “safe place” that we forget all about it. In a few years, we will be able to do what Kelly does: look through our old Mass journals and see what issues we were dealing with years ago and realize that “God got me through it!” This will build our faith tremendously!  [my comment: this will allow us to actualize Psalm 77:11, which says “I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, your wonders of old I will remember.” If you decide to start a Mass journal, don’t forget to ask the Holy Spirit to remind you to do it!]

Contemplate with Deacon Nate: Christian Fellowship

"No man is an island, entire of itself". This famous line from a poem by the English Catholic poet John Donne means that all of humanity is interconnected. This idea is scriptural, e.g. think of Paul's description of the Church as the Body of Christ with Christ as the head. It is vital for Christians to gather together in fellowship to strengthen their unity with one another and with Jesus. The author of Hebrews says, "We must consider how to rouse one another to love and good works. We should not stay away from our assembly, as is the custom of some, but encourage one another, and this all the more as you see the day drawing near" (10:24-25). The personal relationship that we each have with Jesus is strengthened whenever we have fellowship with others who love him.


In the New Testament, the Greek word "koinonia" is translated as fellowship. This word means more than simply ‘being’ together; it also means actively ‘doing’ God's will together. The Church can be compared to an orchestra playing a symphony. We are each called to join with other Christians at various times and places to play beautiful symphonies for the Lord. One cannot create the harmony of the symphony all alone by oneself! The most important "symphony" we play together as Catholics is the Holy Mass. What other "symphonies" i.e. fellowship activities might the Lord be calling you to?

Fellowship enables us to discover and use our spiritual gifts. Every Christian is given unique gifts called "charisms" which are meant for the building up of others. To continue the musical analogy, the charisms are like unique musical instruments used in a symphony. Paul refers to these charisms when he says, "To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit" (1 Cor. 12:4-7). We cannot discover what our charisms are, or where God wants us to use them, unless we join with others in fellowship activities.
  
Of course, the greatest way to build fellowship is to pray together, especially at Mass. As we grow closer to the Lord in prayer, we necessarily grow closer to one another. Think of two disciples coming from different places, but both walking towards Jesus. As they get closer to Jesus, they necessarily get closer to one another. Whenever we pray together, we grow closer not only to God but also to each other. I’m sure the main reason my family is so tight is because of all the prayer we had together. Growing up, we would not only pray before meals, but every Sunday we would attend Mass together and pray the Rosary together. Sometimes we attended prayer meetings together. At Christmas, the advent wreath and the Jesse tree were fun prayer traditions. As a family, we would have a "Lord's Day" celebration before every Saturday supper, a short but beautiful Christian prayer ceremony based on the Jewish Sabbath prayers (You can find it by googling “lord’s day ceremony” and clicking on the 1st or 2nd result). 

At the seminary, I meet with a small men's fellowship group about twice a month. We each share a spiritual struggle, or a grace from God, or both. Then we offer each other spiritual guidance or encouragement. After everyone has shared, we offer to pray with one another for strength, for healing, protection from spiritual attack, or for whatever the Spirit puts on our heart. I often experience God's personal love for me when people pray with me for my specific needs. Do you know of some friends who might be interested in starting a small fellowship group like this one? Ask the Lord about it.

There is a fantastic opportunity for men's fellowship later this month. The very first all-Michigan Catholic men's conference will be held at Eastern Michigan University Convocation Center on Saturday June 26th from 9am-4:30pm. It is called “Doing all things in Christ: tapping into Real Power in a Power Hungry World”. The day includes talks by dynamic speakers including Curtis Martin (founder of FOCUS ministry), Matthew Kelly (best-selling author and speaker), Fr. John Riccardo (radio host of "Christ is the Answer"), Fr. Stan Fortuna, Danny Abramowicz, and Bishop Earl Boyea. There will be Mass and the opportunity to go to confession. I have been to men's conferences in the Saginaw diocese and in the Detroit Archdiocese, and they are a powerful way to experience fellowship and to encounter the Lord, believe me! This is a great thing for fathers and sons to do together. Also, consider inviting someone who needs a boost in their faith, or who hasn’t any faith. Our parish may possibly have a carpool; if interested, please contact the parish office. You can register at ChristsChosen.com or by calling Eastern Michigan University. 

“Lord Jesus, please show us how to grow in fellowship with one another, so that we might grow closer to you and experience your love in new and deeper ways. Give us more of your Holy Spirit, the source of all unity. Amen!”

Contemplate with Deacon Nate: My Vocation Story

God first gave me a strong desire for the priesthood while I was a senior in college. One day at Franciscan University in Steubenville, I walked into a gym and discovered a “vocations fair.” The gym was chock full of sisters and priests from various religious orders, eager to recruit, who were sitting at tables filled with literature. I stopped at a few tables, and some of the priests told me about the desperate need throughout the world for more priests. After a little while, I left the gym, full of excitement that perhaps this was God’s will for me. I told the Lord that I wanted to become a priest, and that if that was his will, then he would have to show me what to do next. I had always thought I was probably called to priesthood, but never had experienced a strong desire for it until that day. 

This desire was a gift that Jesus had been preparing me for all of my life. He spoke to me through a variety of people: my mom, who once when I was quite young suggested in a non-pressuring way that I could become a priest, and my dad, who shared that he had once had a desire for priesthood. In high school, Fr. Richard Lobert, the chaplain, inspired me to consider this vocation and provided a strong example of joyful priesthood. At Christ the King, my home parish in Ann Arbor, Fr. Ed Fride’s encouragement and example has been highly influential as well. Getting involved in the pro-life movement increased my desire to become a priest, because the most powerful weapon God has given us to defeat the forces of evil behind abortion is the Mass. Also, the desire for priesthood was stirred up when I read a quote by St. John Vianney, who said as a young boy, “If I were to become a priest, I could lead many souls to God.” Through the daily Rosary, Mary has drawn me closer to Jesus and increased me desire to follow him.

Speaking of the saints, a friend in college helped me to discover Jesus hidden under the appearance of bread and wine in the Eucharist through the writings of saints and popes. Their excitement about the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist rubbed off onto me in a major way. For example, St. Therese of Lisieux says, “Do you realize that Jesus is there in the tabernacle expressly for you - for you alone? He burns with the desire to come into your heart...” (find more quotes by googling “quotes on the eucharist”). This discovery of the “hidden Jesus” led me to the practice of daily Mass and daily visits to the tabernacle, which have given me so much peace and joy and the desire to share this discovery.

Following college, I visited religious orders and did “discernment weekends” at the seminary to discover where God was calling me. Eventually, I met with Bishop Carlson and heard the Lord speak through him as he invited me to become a seminarian for the Saginaw Diocese. During the days following this meeting, the Holy Spirit convinced me in surprising ways through Scripture to accept this invitation.

I’ve been in the seminary five years, and have one year left. It has been a total adventure from the start, a journey of falling more deeply in love with the Father, with Jesus, and with the Holy Spirit. I have no regrets about choosing the Saginaw diocese even though I grew up in the Lansing diocese, because God has made it clear that this is his will for me. I have enjoyed meeting you, the parishioners of St. Michael’s, and I look forward to serving you as a deacon until next May. Please pray for me and know that you are in my prayers.