September 4, 2009
The Bishop's Forum
The Year for Priests: From whence is the priest?
by Bishop Gerald A. Gettelfinger
First in a series
For those of us who are priests, we are greatly honored by the attention given to us not only this year but day by day. Daring to write for my brothers, we are especially grateful for the prayers and daily support afforded us.
There is not one of us priests who does not recognize that without our families and their prayerful support throughout our discernment, we would not have been ordained. There are few, but real exceptions to this. Even so, we priests are the sons of our parents and a brother to our siblings.
Throughout this year, I will be insistent in whatever I say and do about vocations, that our vocation crisis for religious life and priesthood has its source as a family crisis.
In short, if we wish to pray for vocations to the priesthood and religious life, we must pray first for healthy families. Marriage is the source of all vocations! If marriages and family life are not healthy, we cannot expect to experience sons and daughters responding to God’s call to priesthood and religious life.
To be very personal about this, you will note that on my coat of arms is a band of nine gold stars in its center. They represent my parents and my seven siblings. They were and have always been my first support group as a seminarian, priest and bishop.
I left home for the seminary as a boy of 13 years of age. My dad was the younger brother of two priests. He entered three seminaries, one for a year, another for three months and yet another for three weeks before deciding it was not for him. He later married my mother. Thanks be to God!
I am the fourth of eight children. My father wisely insisted that if I wished to go to the seminary he would approve — with the condition that I must stay for one full year. After that, he said I could decide to go whatever direction I wished. I gave a 13-year-old’s personal and sincere consent.
So it was! I entered St. Meinrad Minor Seminary on Sept. 9, 1949 at the age of 13 years.
Next week I will continue the story of my family’s support of my priestly vocation.