On January 25th 2014, my life changed forever. I was ordained a Roman Catholic Priest.
The calling I first felt as an 8-year old altar boy was now fulfilled. While it felt like the journey has been a long one, I realized that the real work has just begun. My whole life, I’ve felt very close to God in a special way: be it during daily prayer, or through the great inner desire to serve others, I’ve always known that this is where God was calling me to live my life. God had made me for this vocation.
As I knelt before the bishop, I experienced the Holy Spirit descending upon me through the laying on of hands. I felt that I was being given a tremendous gift, set apart, called to be Christ in the world as one of his priests. What I felt all my life as a call from God, was now being confirmed by the Church – the Body of Christ on earth.
The voices of countless men and women present sang the Litany of the Saints asking for the Heavenly Hosts to pray for my heart and soul to be transformed and elevated to live this holy calling. As friends and family members shed tears at the beauty of what was happening during those moments, I lay prostrate on the ground, laying down my life to serve God and His Church all the days of my life. This experience is similar to that of a husband or wife who at their marriage agrees to lay down their life for their spouse – “to love them all the days of their life.” So too, the priest promises to love God and the flock entrusted to his care, all the days of his life. I pray that many more young men will give God permission to lead them to this sacred vocation of the Holy Priesthood.