St. Francis of Assisi Blog

About three years ago, I took a big leap of faith.  I took a job as an outside hire with a college campus ministry organization whose mission is to build a tight-knit Catholic community on campus that typically hires from their former students.

You read that right. I have the perfect youth ministry. There are only 5 youth in the program, but these kids are gonna change the world. We have a small budget. But, we meet every day of the week. You wanna talk relational ministry? I spend HOURS with these kids.

Even so, my heart was heavy and I couldn’t shake the sense of loss. How can there be that level of evil on Easter Sunday? As a Catholic, it felt personal. It always does.

Over that weekend, I was questioning everything. Am I in the right job? Am I in the right career? Heck, am I even in the right country?! Monday morning, as I walked into my office, I prayed a quick and simple prayer: “Jesus, I need to have a good day today.”

So, fellow pilgrims, in what’s remaining of this Lenten season, let’s all pick up our personal tempo a bit and resume ‘practicing’ this incredible faith that we’ve been blessed with and work to improve our proficiency in our vocation for eternity!

As a Church, we (everyone that belongs to the parish) have to assume that anyone that walks through the doors hasn’t been to our church before.

I’m talking about the most basic sainthood there is — being a citizen of heaven. Did you know that everyone in heaven is a saint? It’s true! There are millions of souls in heaven that we may never know about in this life that are enjoying the fullness of the presence of God right at this moment.

I personally know three of the previous pastors of your parish, and they only have good things to say about the community at St. Francis of Assisi. I am aware of the amazing job that Fr. Flynn did as your pastor. I know that he is a hard act to follow, and I have big shoes to fill. I hope to rely on the Lord and in your support in my ministry at St. Francis of Assisi.

And what I have come to realize above all else is this – one thing NEVER changes. Jesus Christ. And more specifically, His desire for a personal relationship with each and every one of us.