FROM SPREADSHEETS TO SACRAMENTS
June 5, 2021
A seminarian prepares for priesthood
There are a few common questions I have received since I began telling people I was going to the seminary, such as, “What did you do before seminary? What did you study?” Invariably, when I tell them I studied finance and economics, people reply with something like, “I’m sure that will really help you as a priest.”
IS IT BAD TO BE A PERFECTIONIST? Is it bad to be competitive? Perhaps these are odd questions to ask. If perfectionism is the desire to do things well and competitiveness is the desire to win, then one may rightly…
What do you want to do? We ask this question all the time, especially when we talk about the future of those who are in high school or recent graduates. We ask what they want to do with their lives…
“And perhaps the going forth from God is still more divine than the return home to God.” …
The Latin hymn Ecce quam bonum has great significance for the priests of the Grand Rapids Diocese. We sing it together after every funeral of a brother priest. As our brother is brought out of the church and placed in…
By Father Andrew Ayers ‘I stand on holy ground’ On June 1, 2019, I was ordained a priest, and I am still the same person I was before that date. I still go to confession. I am still intensely poor…
Challenging times remind us to pray for vocations As I begin writing this article, it is a surreal time. Moments ago, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued her shelter-in-place order. I have heard from many people about this unnerving time. “Father, I…
“A vocation comes from an encounter with God that changes your life” By, Thomas Curry As a young Catholic man, and someone who actively practiced my faith, I was eventually asked by some people: Are you going to…
God wants to fulfill our heart's desires Recently, I was with my good friend Father Colin Mulhall. I said to him, “Hey man, you know what sounds good right now? An almond croissant.” We went to purchase our healthy snack…
A couple of years ago, I was greeting people after Mass as I normally do. A young man and his mom approached and asked if I would bless their dog. The young man recently had some unfortunate circumstances happen in…
This year, our diocese was able to bring 28 young men to St. John Vianney College Seminary at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota, for the Vianney Visit. The annual visit is an opportunity for high school-…
