Chemo, Ordination, and St. Patrick's Day!

Another March 17th has rolled around and I almost went throughout my entire day in Jerusalem wearing my green flannel shirt visiting the various churches on the Mount of Olives (Church of All Nations, Dominus Flevit, Pater Noster) before I remembered that 9 years ago I began my first of 12 chemo sessions to battle against Hodgkin's Lymphoma.  It's amazing how fast 9 years can go by!  And yet I reflect on those 9 years to see the Lord's hand drawing me to priesthood.  

I can be pretty stubborn (don't believe me ask my family), and no matter how many people told me that I would be a great priest, I was not going to have any of it!  It wasn't until I was diagnosed with cancer that I was willing to give the Lord a chance to work on my heart toward the priesthood by entering the seminary!  Even in the seminary, however, the decision was still in my court and anytime people asked me about my future ordination I would say, "God willing." Knowing that "God Willing" meant that God had to do something really, really big; he had to change my will!

And yet the Lord is patient.  Over the 9 years the Lord has moved my heart and will in ways that I can only grasp as miracles to myself!  In small surrenders in ministry and mission work, to now a surrender that is onlay 10 days away: my Diaconate Ordination!  

Please continue to pray for me as we finish our trip in Jerusalem and make our way back to the states!

Joliet Seminarians to be Ordained on March 27th to the Diaconate at the Sanctuary of Palms Church in Bethphage (the place where Christ sat on a colt to ride into Jerusalem)