Imprisoned: Vocations Testimony-A Parent's Perspective

St. Monica's Parish in Whitefish Bay hosted a special Vocations Mass and talks on Sunday, November 18th. Fr. Luke Strand, the energetic director of vocations for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, said Mass, and then spoke briefly after Mass about his own vocation story and his work with the young people in the Archdiocese as vocations director. His talk was followed by three beautiful Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary who shared their own personal call stories. Finally, yours truly was asked to speak about a parent's perspective regarding my son, John, who is a college freshman at St. Joseph's College Seminary at Loyola University in Chicago which will be followed by four years at St. Francis de Sales Seminary in Milwaukee. The text of my talk is below.


When I tell people that my son is a seminarian, I am often met with mixed reactions. The majority of people congratulate me and I can genuinely feel that they think it’s wonderful for a young man to give his life to God. But sometimes, I get questions that are tinged with disdain, such as “You’re son wants to be a priest and you’re ok with that?” By their reaction I get the feeling that they disapprove of my encouraging John to the priesthood.

continue at Imprisoned