A Texas-sized call
A young man prays during Eucharistic Adoration during Quo Vadis on July 26, 2024 at Montserrat Jesuit Retreat House. More than 80 young men attended the day-long Quo Vadis retreat this year. (NTC/Juan Guajardo)
I’ve been reading the amazing book “Through Fire and Flood” by James Talmadge Moore that details the history of the Catholic Church in frontier Texas. One thing that stands out to me is how few priests covered the vast missionary territory of Texas during the 19th century. With the threat of Comanches, plagues, famine, searing heat — these missionary priests put themselves in harm’s way and gave everything to bring the sacraments to the early settlers of our great state.
Like those early days of Texas, our diocese is vast — almost the size of Ireland — without an abundance of priests to meet all the pastoral needs of our local church. Thank God for our priests in religious orders who come from different parts of the world to help!
St. John Bosco and St. Alphonsus Liguori said that in general, for every three children, there is one vocation! Given the number of Catholics in our diocese and the number of seminarians and religious we have, we are nowhere close to that ratio.
The fact of the matter is, we need priests! We need men willing to offer their lives for the Church! Like those frontier Catholics, our local church needs the sacraments and to hear the Word of God preached authentically! Who will provide for them in 10, 20, 30 years?
No doubt, priesthood demands many sacrifices. But what vocation doesn’t demand great sacrifices? What saint got to heaven without denying himself, taking up his cross and following Jesus every day?
One thing keeping men from considering priesthood is the fear of suffering. But Our Lord revealed to St. Bridget that for he who perseveres through the first stings with patience and courage, these stings become roses. Our Lord told her, “The treasure of my graces seems surrounded with thorns; but for him who overcomes the first stings, all is changed into sweetness.” There is no greater peace, no greater joy, than a life pleasing to God. “O taste, and see that the Lord is sweet” (Psalm 34:8).
One example of this sweetness happened recently. I was in a rural part of our diocese, celebrating multiple Masses for a community without a pastor at the time. I had not eaten anything that day and was pretty tired. I decided to offer confessions after Mass and almost the entire church wanted the sacrament, taking a little over two hours. The sweetness and peace of the Lord outweighed any hunger or tiredness I had. I experienced great consolation and joy knowing I provided for the spiritual needs of that community and this sacrifice was pleasing to the Lord.
Every priest has countless stories like this and will tell you no temporary suffering compares to the immense joys and peace of serving the Lord.
Please excuse my Texas plain speaking, but to the young men: Think you’re not called to the priesthood because you’re weak and a sinner? “You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do” (Mark 8:33). God calls sinners and weak men so that they can be relatable!
Think you are not called to priesthood because you want to get married? Congratulations, you are a man and are normal! Having a desire for marriage is not necessarily a sign from God that you are called to marriage. We need to first discern what God’s will is.
Think priesthood is lonely? I am around people pretty much 24/7! I look forward to my days off and being alone! Priesthood is very busy, and no two days are the same.
If you are a Catholic male, talk to your pastor or Vocation Director Father Brett Metzler () about priesthood. Ask questions. And be open to the possibility of God using you as His instrument to offer the sacraments to the people of God, not unlike those missionary priests in Texas almost 200 years ago.