What a life! And it is mine, as a Priest of Jesus Christ!

Have you ever gotten that feeling of overwhelming pride because of something so exciting that happened, either to you personally, or to a family member or friend? I’ve experienced it when I received my diplomas, when I accepted my first job offer, when I heard my brother and sister give speeches at their graduations, when I watched a video of my niece take her first steps, and countless other times. It is an emotion I am sure that we’ve all felt, and we love when it when it happens to us. Today, April 27, 2014 my entire family and I are bursting with pride… All 1.2 billion of us ! There are smiles, cheers, tears of joy, and hugs on this Divine Mercy Sunday because today from St. Peter’s Square here in Vatican City, Pope Francis declared that since two of our brothers lived such exemplary lives of Christian heroic virtue, and since people today continue to be inspired by them even years after their deaths, they are to be venerated as members of the Communion of Saints. The Church t...

This morning I was hanging out with some friends in my room when one of them brought up that today marks 9 months since we left the United States for Rome. In 3 short months we will hit the one year mark, also the half way point until the summer we're allowed to return to the States... Looking back over the past 9 months, there have been times it feels as if I've been here 9 years...and then at other times as if I've only been gone a few weeks. There are so many blessings that the Lord has given me over these past 9 months, and many more that I know He will shower upon me in the coming years. Briefly, I'd like to share a few of the things I've realized I am blessed with here at NAC: My apostolate assignment. I am a tour guide of St. Peter's Basilica, leading tours in English for pilgrims to the Vatican. It has been such a blessing to meet people from all over the US, UK and Australia and show them the Basilica. Each time I am giving a tour, I realize how ...

I had a bumper sticker on my closet door that said "Prayer changes stuff". It might sound corny, but it's true. Obviously as a Catholic, I believe in the power of prayer, and that it indeed does change "stuff" (I don't want to make this entry too long, so if you want to read a good article on the power of prayer click here:  The Mystery and Power of Personal Prayer ). This entry is about the great blessing that has occurred since returning to Rome after my unexpected trip back to the States during Christmas break... I've finally , by the grace of God, come to acknowledge, accept, and appreciate that my being sent to Rome for theology studies is part of God's plan for my formation to the priesthood!  ( SO many of you reading this just said "It's about time, PRAISE GOD!") No seminary formation program is perfect, and there are strengths and weaknesses to any formation program. However, I've come to believe that staying i...