Vocation Office-Personal Stories

I began this story conscious that a lot of people would like to know how one becomes an archbishop. Unlike becoming a priest, you don’t apply — you just do it when you’re told to. So my story about my vocation has to begin with the beginning, the time when I decided to study to be a priest and figured out what I might want that to look like.

I have never thought of myself as a particularly bright or thoughtful kid, probably because I went to an all-scholarship school in New York where practically everybody was smarter than I, but I do know that when I came to deciding about my future life I exercised very good judgment. It surprises me in looking back that I had that resource inside myself. At fourteen I had narrowed my interests down to priest, lawyer, teacher, or some combination thereof. It took only another year or so to know that the priesthood was what I wanted, so I began reading everything I could get my hands on. I did not have the benefit of a priest connection, like a relative or friend, so I was probably pretty idealistic in my approach, but there was plenty of vocational material to read, and I took to that process happily enough. I wrote away to anyone who advertised, and soon I had bushels of material to plow through.

I don’t know where my selection criteria came from, but when I read the literature on priesthood in the Dominican Order, I was absolutely hooked and never thought seriously about other options. I wrote to express interest in the Dominicans around 16, formally applied at 17, and was accepted, sight unseen, never having met a Dominican in my life. Looking back, I find those steps etched in clarity. I never have been more sure about anything in my life!

In reporting my vocation to the Dominicans, I do not in any way deprecate the diocesan priesthood. In fact, as bishop, I continue to be awestruck by the love these men have for the people they serve, by their deep faith and by their generous obedience. I am very proud now to be a member of the college of priests of the Archdiocese of Louisville. They are the voice and heart of Christ speaking God’s word to his people. I feel very blessed to be a part of both worlds, the Dominican and diocesan clergy.

Thomas C. Kelly, O.P., Archbishop of Louisville

“In Divine Order”

I have a very good friend whom I have known for 20 years. We met during a brief period of a few months when I lived in Chicago, Illinois. This friend is a deeply spiritual woman and has remained actively involved in the life and ministry of her parish since I have known her. Whenever I (or anyone else) greets her and asks, “How are you?” or “How are things going?” her response has always been the same. She simply says, “In divine order!” I know exactly what she means and agree fully with her. Furthermore, I cannot think of a more honest or more accurate way to describe my own journey through my life and my years of priestly ministry.

I grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana and have always been involved in church life. We were Methodist until my mother decided to convert to Catholicism. Being age 11 at the time, we (my four siblings and I) just went along with the program. We were baptized as a family (except my father) into the Catholic church the same year. Being a Methodist in my early childhood, I was the one sibling who not only went to Sunday School but also wanted to stay and attend the worship service with the adults. I recall being very attentive to everything that went on during the worship service — the choir’s singing, the preacher’s sermons, the active response of the members around me in the pews. Since we became Catholic prior to the event of the Second Vatican Council, it was a big adjustment for me to start attending the Mass in a foreign language, to not be able to see much of what was really going on, to not have any active role to play as part of the Mass and to not feel free to interact with anyone in the pews around me during the worship experience. So, when the liturgical reforms of Vatican II came along, I was probably one of the few in our parish who was more than ready for the “full, conscious and active participation” at Mass we were now being asked to incorporate.

Going back to my earlier years of childhood, it is also important to note the fact that we were the family that was closest to the pastor and his family. Thus, I grew up playing with his children and being around the minister, both in church and at home. I can distinctly remember looking up to him as a role model in my life. The few times he allowed me to walk with him from the parsonage to the church, I felt like I was as tall as he. More importantly, I had a great admiration for his style and ability to preach well. That had a lot to do with my desire to be a part of the worship service every Sunday. This close association with the minister did not change when we became Catholic. Once I became an “altar boy” (the term used in those days), I enjoyed being around the parish priests every chance I had. Although the experience of church was different than before, the close involvement with the priests of my parish gave me many different opportunities to observe the “human” side of these men, as well as their spiritual lives.

Another rather important development occurred in my life at age 11. Much to my surprise, I discovered that I had a musical talent. For reasons that still remain unknown, my mother approached me one day and asked if I wanted to take piano lessons. Although we had a piano in the house, I really don’t recall any initiative (on my part) to give it much attention in my life. Anyway, not really knowing what I was getting myself into, I agreed. She found a piano teacher for me who was exactly what I needed. Once I began to get a good handle on what I was learning and started receiving a little bit of “stroking” from my instructor, the whole venture in learning to read and play music just took off! In a matter of 18 months, I covered four grades of piano lessons. By the end of the 18 months of lessons, I was playing the pipe organ and singing (by myself ) the Latin Masses for my parish.

Frankly, I never thought I was that good with the playing, and I certainly never thought much of my vocal ability. However, I always felt that I had the courage to “step up to the plate” and do, as best I could, what needed to be done at that time. There was one Sunday, in particular when I was playing the first of three Masses for the day. It was the earlier Mass when the church, typically, had a full attendance. Everything went well until we got to the closing hymn. Once the commentator announced the hymn, I played a strong musical introduction while the parishioners opened their hymnals to the given page. Then, something most unexpectedly happened. As soon as I hit the first chord for the singing of the hymn, nothing came out of the organ! Absolutely no sound was produced! The entire congregation, with hymn books and mouths open, turned around and looked up at me in the balcony. All I could do was look back at them and hunch my shoulders. Although we had no workable organ for the next two Masses, I still felt a responsibility to help to make the singing happen. So, at the young age of 13, I found myself standing in the pulpit and attempted to lead the singing from there! I say “attempting” because I wasn’t sure of which notes I was pulling out of the air to get us started. All I knew was that I was going to do something to keep the worship going.

What does all this have to do with divine order in my life? Looking back over my life, I am convinced that nothing has happened by accident or by mere luck. Everything I bring into the church, as an adult Christian and as an ordained priest, is clearly rooted in my earlier years of formation, beginning with my life in the Methodist church. Those earlier years have greatly influenced my sense of what is good worship, good preaching and the importance of actively engaging the assembly in the process. No matter where I have been at any point in my life, going to church on Sunday has always been of primary importance to me. Everywhere I have been (including four years of travel in military service), I have found myself being somebody’s church musician.

I came from a family with a long history (and heritage) of well-known preachers and church musicians — Methodist (on my mother’s side) and Baptist (on my father’s side). So, I have always been comfortable worshiping in churches of various denominations. Every bit of the Vatican II document, “The Decree on Ecumenism,” made perfect sense to me! Most importantly, the ongoing church involvement and the variety of worship experiences that it brought have nurtured my faith life in powerful ways, keeping me open to God’s will and God’s way in my life. In many different and unexpected circumstances, it was my faith that gave me the courage to say “Yes!” to what I believed God was asking me to do at that particular time. For me, this is what it means to live “in divine order!”

For whatever were God’s reasons at the time, I was called to a preaching ministry four years before receiving the call to ordained priesthood. I purposely use the term “called” because that is precisely the experience of hearing God’s voice that I had. In my prayer life, I know that there are a variety of ways in which God and I commune. However, I can honestly say that God speaks to me directly at certain times, and I understand clearly what God is saying. The call to preaching ministry happened when, one day out of the “clear blue” I heard God say to me: “Prepare yourself!” That’s all I heard. Of course, I inquired what I was to prepare for. There was no further response. This did not happen at a time when I was in prayer or engaged in worship, so it was quite unexpected for me. After giving it some thought, the only thing I could figure was to clear some other involvements out of my life and keep myself available for whatever was to come next.

Sure enough, the minister of a small church were I was currently the organist approached me and told me that she felt it was time for me to preach to them. I bitterly protested the whole idea and quickly reminded her that I was the church organist, not one of the assistant ministers. She left it up to me to think it over. I took the matter to God with the “Why me?” prayers. Naturally, there was no response from God about that. So, I very reluctantly decided to do this one Sunday-just to prove to everyone that I’m not the one to be preaching. I was sure that once I did this, everyone would leave me alone about the matter.

I must admit that preaching (for the first time) had to be one of the most traumatic experiences of my life! To this day, I could not tell you what I preached about! I remember feeling like I was standing in the middle of an empty football field, speaking out loud with no one there to listen. As soon as I finished, I quickly turned around to head for my seat. I distinctly remember taking a long sigh of relief and saying to myself, “I am so glad that I will never have to do this again as long as I live!” (Famous last words!)

Needless to say, my own resolution of the above matter has not proven to be the case! Within just a few months of that first preaching experience, a series of circumstances connected me with a cousin and an uncle (both in Texas) who were pastoring their own (Baptist) churches in the same town. When I visited with them some time later, both got into an active debate about whose church I was going to preach in that coming Sunday! Although I was not the one who was asked beforehand, I did agree to “do my best” at one of their churches. Thus began a four year period of travel and preaching in churches of different denominations. During that period, I never once sent out any announcements to anyone that I was available for any preaching assignment, but the invitations kept coming anyway! That told me whatever was going on was happening “in divine order”!

One should not be surprised when I say that the call to priesthood happened in the same way. I have often been asked, “When did you decide to become a priest?” Frankly, such a thing was not on my mind nor in my prayer. I was enjoying a very successful career in the business world and, at the same time, I felt I was doing everything I needed to be doing well in my spiritual life. It happened in the middle of a casual visit with a priest (while I was in Houston, Texas) that God spoke clearly to me and said: “Priesthood is for you!” At this point in my life, I had begun to pay more attention to what God was doing in my life. I had come to realize that the four years of preaching was taking me somewhere, but I just didn’t know where! When I heard God say “Priesthood” to me at that moment (although I had not given it any thought), somehow it just made a whole lot of sense. I was not sure, however, where I was to go and how I was to pursue this. So, I just began to clear more things out of my life and be that much more available for whatever direction this would take me. I was now able to better recognize and trust more “divine order” in my life!

The other question I have often been asked is, “What brought you to Kentucky?” Well, it certainly wasn’t my own choice to pick Kentucky as the place to spend the rest of my life! I was quite familiar with a number of dioceses on the East Coast (where I spent most of my adult life) in which I could pursue priesthood. In all my travels across the United States, I had never set foot in Kentucky! Furthermore, I had no family here. Once again, a set of circumstances brought me here at the right time when I was “shopping around.” A friend of mine (who is a Kentucky native) called me while he was living in Louisiana. When I told him that I was going to Kentucky for the first time to do a music workshop at a parish, he readily suggested that I look at Louisville as a possible diocese where I might apply. I wasn’t crazy about the idea, mostly because I knew nothing about the local church here nor the people in this area. In addition to this, the five options I had already settled on seemed to be enough to worry about. Without taking his suggestion too seriously, I agreed to write a letter to the Archbishop of Louisville. Well, as they say: “The rest is history!” The final decision to come to Louisville (as opposed to all the other places with which I was much more familiar) was based on the simple fact that it “felt right.” Certainly, coming here was no more my idea than was pursuing priesthood! However, I had learned the importance of being in touch with (and trusting) my true feelings. This is where I know God speaks to me. This is how I have come to discover what “divine order” really is!

Finally, as I reflect today on my almost 16 years of ordained priesthood, I can honestly say that I know I am exactly where I am supposed to be and doing exactly what I am supposed to be doing. I was quite happy with my earlier life as an adult, as well as the professional career I was blessed to have. More importantly, there was never a period in my life when I did not feel close to God or feel that God was not close to me. The whole idea of being called into priesthood just tells me that God has a better idea! I look back on every aspect of my growth and development — my gifts and talents, my knowledge and experience — and it seems that in the call to priesthood, God was saying, “Take all that I have given you in your life and through your priesthood, share all of it with everyone you meet!” This is what I have been trying to do for these past sixteen years.

In my priestly life and ministry, I have found a much deeper sense of satisfaction in what I do and more fulfillment in my life now than I could every imagine discovering elsewhere. The unfolding of “divine order” continues to this very day! Through the many wonderful experiences and new opportunities in which I have been able to minister, my trust in God’s will and God’s way just gets stronger and stronger. Perhaps the greatest “new” discovery of where God has taken me is evidenced in the ministry I have been doing in East Africa for the past eight years. So much of what has taken place there and all that I have been blessed to accomplish in ministry there has proven to be far beyond anything I could ever have imagined, let alone asked for!

I live a life of gratitude to God because of how God has chosen to use me to touch the lives of others and enrich them with the “good news” of redeeming grace. Like anything else, priestly life and ministry has its successes and its challenges — its highs and its lows. However, I am always consoled and assured by the fact that this has always been God’s idea, not mine! I trust God completely because I have come to see that everything that has occurred and everything that continues to unfold is truly “in divine order!”

Reverend John T. Judie

There are some moments of my priesthood I would like to share. Each impressed me because of the unexpected and unlooked-for impact they had on people’s lives. There was the widow whose hand I took as I gave her the Eucharist (she felt much-needed support in her grief); the man whose child returned to church (I told him not to make an issue of it); the service at the funeral home in which the young granddaughter was the source of comfort for her mother and grandmother. I didn’t have the greatest part in any of these moments, but I feel that I was privileged to witness something more happening.

Finally, there was the child whose parents were taking him out of church for misbehaving. Since I had dinner with the family earlier in the week, he must have figured he could call on me for assistance. So as he was carried out the door, he yelled out: “Father Tony, save me!”

Father Tony Olges

A Reflection on Vocation

“Young man, keep your mouth shut and your bowels open!” With this pithy piece of advice from my beloved pastor, I was sent off to the seminary and began the great adventure toward priesthood. It seemed that I would never complete twelve years of training, but despite hard work and harder discernment, I was finally within two years of ordination, and then lighting struck!

This “lighting” took the form of the Second Vatican Council, whose vision of a renewed church captured my imagination and has consumed my pastoral energies these past thirty five years.

The journey “toward priesthood” was nothing compared to the journey “into priesthood.” The latter has been incredibly richer, more diverse and more challenging than I could ever have imagined. The move from an idealistic young priest “ready to save the world” to a more seasoned veteran humbly seeking God along with every one else — and doing it as a public vocation — has been one full of “God’s mysterious ways.” It has taken a while to figure out that God did not expect brilliance or perfection, but only faithfulness. The “…mouth was not always closed and the bowels were not always open…,” but the years have been characterized by a sincere desire to remain faithful and committed, even in dark days and periods of wonderment.

I had no earthly idea why I was called to priesthood then, and I’m sure there were a lot of mixed motives along the way, but I realized more and more than I would have chosen my own. I never heard the voice of God in my head saying, “Be a priest!”, but I have heard the voices of God’s people supporting me in that choice, then and now. I have felt that many of the demands and expectations were beyond my capabilities, but I have also discovered that perceived strengths were not always my friends and perceived weaknesses were not always my enemies. It ultimately came down to figuring out whose “will” I was trying to do.

The priesthood is a noble calling, as is marriage or parenthood. Each has its unique challenges and rewards. Each demands an uncommon faithfulness in a society that desires everything and treasures little. I remain a priest today not simply because I have accumulated thirty-five years of service or couldn’t do anything else at this age, but rather because I still feel newly ordained in many ways: Because I am more and more convinced of the need for quality community leadership with our church. Because I still believe that, despite its sins and shortcomings, the church is still the best hope the human family has for a voice of compassion, justice and care for one another.

I still want to be part of something (or Something) bigger than myself that can, and most often does, enhance people’s lives and make them better. Everyday reminds me that I have made only small steps into the total self-giving priesthood of Jesus Christ, but I will keep trying and will pray “…that what we offer to God will be truly pleasing and acceptable to the Father Almighty!”

Father Nick Rice
Our Lady of Lourdes Church
Louisville, KentuckY

Why I Do What I Do; What Leads Me; What Sustains Me

The reasons for my vocation as priest today thirty years after my ordination are much more complex than they were on my ordination day in the Diocese of Trenton, New Jersey.

Thirty years ago, my reasons could be summed up this way: I wanted to be a priest because I had a desire to “work” for God, to assume a place of leadership in the church, and be part of a changing church after Vatican II — living with God’s people and doing whatever ministry God and my bishop presented to me. I assumed that everyone else being ordained with me felt the same way.

Reality hit me when one of my ordination classmates refused his first assignment in a face-to-face encounter with the bishop. At that point I knew that we weren’t all on the same page.

Since those first days of ministry, my reasons for remaining in the active ministry as a priest have matured. My vocation as a priest is not a career. I do not “work” for God or the church as an employee seeking recognition, pay advances and a good retirement plan. My vocation as a priest is my life. What I do is the mystery of God’s handiwork with me. In a plan I do not fully understand, God has placed me in situations that required my presence as a priest. These situations have not always been easy and in many cases were horrible, painful experiences with other believers who were struggling to make sense out of the nonsense of their life. My vocation is to be in the midst of other believers as a strong witness, approachable and compassionate, and faithful to the promise of God that where two or three gather in his name, he is present.

A vocation to be a priest is not about what I do as much as who I am. I am a man of prayer. I strive to live my life as healer. I preach the Word of God first to myself and then in the presence of others. I cannot be faithful to God without being faithful to God’s people. In my words and actions, I ask them to hold me accountable for what I say and do. I enjoy my life. I am surprised by what unfolds and humbled by what God presents to me for action.

What sustains me in ministry? The single most important dimension is my ongoing love affair with Jesus Christ. Without an ever-deepening relationship with Jesus Christ, I could not honestly remain a priest. In this relationship, I am both comforted and challenged. But without this relationship my life would be meaningless and without ultimate purpose. I maintain this relationship by actively listening in my prayer to the voices around me from others in my life (friends, professionals and parishioners) and through the active ministry of my personal spiritual director.

Father Paul A. Scaglione
Director, Office of Pastoral Care
Pastor, Saint Augustine Church, Louisville

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

Catholic Roots

I have always attributed a great part of my vocation as a priest to the deep Catholic roots of my family. My parents were born, raised and married in Marion County, which boasts the highest percentage of Catholics per population of any county in Kentucky (53%). Both of my parents are products of large Catholic families. Not surprisingly, given the fact that I have ninety first cousins, one of my cousins is also a priest in Louisville. I was born in Louisville, but spent the better part of my grade school years in Marion County, where I also made my First Communion at St. Joseph Church. We moved back to Louisville when I was approximately eleven years old.

As a child, I was always intrigued by the life of a priest. In middle school, I began to be more aware of social justice issues. As I got older, I began to ask myself how my life could make a difference in the lives of others. Since I had always gone to Mass with my family, the notion of being a priest came to mind as one answer to my question. While I would consider the idea of priesthood from time to time, I played sports and dated in high school and college. After graduating high school in 1979, I attended Bellarmine College with a goal of obtaining a degree in Accounting and then going to law school. However, during college I began to give more thought to the priesthood. I graduated Bellarmine in May 1983 and entered Saint Meinrad School of Theology the following August.

Looking back, while I did not think about it during my years of high school and college, spirituality has always been a very important aspect of my life. The need for prayer and solitude has always been vital to any sense of happiness in my life. While growing up, my family attended Mass each Sunday and prayed the rosary each night. But I especially enjoyed being outdoors, particularly in the country, taking walks in the fields and just reflecting. My seminary experience at Saint Meinrad instilled in me an even deeper appreciation for prayer, both communally and personally.

I was ordained a priest in May 1987. After serving as Associate Pastor to St. Joseph Proto-Cathedral in Bardstown for three years, I was sent to St. Paul University, in Ottawa, for studies in Canon Law. I obtained my licentiate, a master’s degree, in May 1992. I believe that my studies in canon law actually enhanced my own pastoral ministry and service as a priest. Since that time, I have served in various archdiocesan and parish capacities. I currently serve as Pastor to Holy Trinity Parish in Louisville while teaching canon law at Saint Meinrad and providing other canonical services.

My spirituality continues to be nurtured by the celebration of the Eucharist, reflection on Scripture, daily prayer, regular spiritual direction and my monthly priest support group. I try to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation every six weeks. The Eucharist is clearly the center of my life, ministry and service. This is clearly the focus of my intimacy with Jesus Christ, which gives purpose and meaning to all I am about as a priest and a Catholic Christian person. As such, I have found great satisfaction in practically every facet of ministry as a priest.

Father Chuck Thompson