A Vocation Rooted in the Earth

I would describe my vocational call as one "Rooted in the Earth." I grew up on a farm in Central Kentucky and spent many hours during the summer out in the fields alone or with just one or two others, and it gave me a lot of time to think. I felt something attracting me to serve God, and I guess that was the beginning of my vocation decision.

I graduated from Danville High School and made a decision to attend Seminary College, which took me to St. Thomas in Louisville. It was quite a shock at first as the seminary was only beginning to open up and allow the outside world in, and my first impressions of seminary were less than positive! As I progressed in my education and moved on to Saint Meinrad, I found a more open and hospitable environment that presented the image of a priest in a positive way. With the openness, I guess, also came the doubting of whether I was doing the right thing. When I graduated from college in 1970 with my degree in Biology, I was unsure of my future. I could easily return in the fall and begin my studies in Theology, but I felt the need to take more time for discernment. So I went into the summer with a lot of uncertainty but still searching. I was offered a job teaching Junior High Sciences and decided to take the offer; so began a four-year stint at teaching that I found very rewarding. Along with the teaching I got involved coaching several sports and also began a Masters Degree program in Science. With the completion of the degree I felt a certain accomplishment but still was feeling a pull towards priesthood.

I spent a good bit of time soul searching, again many times alone, but also with the assistance of now Archbishop Daniel Buechlein, who was then at Saint Meinrad. I decided to return to Saint Meinrad. It didn't take long before I felt I had made the right decision, and so the turmoil of decision making ended and the road to priesthood was set. I was ordained a deacon in 1976 and served at Holy Trinity Church in Louisville, then was ordained a priest in 1977 and began a long list of assignments up to my present one at St. James in Elizabethtown.

The road to priesthood is unique to each one. For me it was a fair amount of solitude that caused me to choose this particular road, and I find I need to reclaim that solitude often in order to survive! The demands are great, and most priests feel pulled in a hundred different ways, so they have to find time to be quiet and let God speak. My hope and prayer is that in our busy world more young people will take time to be quiet and hear God calling them to service!

Father J. Richard Sullivan
St. James Church
Elizabethtown, KY