The Day the Lord called me to Ministry

The Day that the Lord called me to Ministry

It would be easy for anyone to pinpoint a moment when they felt the Lord called them.  Identifying what that call was like might vary for each person, but it would mean something that later in life will have memories of how this progression evolved.  

I have heard different priests relating how each felt inspired to play the role of a priest pretending to celebrate Mass in their own way.  It is interesting that the Holy Spirit inspires young men to emulate themselves as being the principle figure that is reaching far beyond the imagination of a young boy.  We cannot uncover the years that seem to move one young boy to receive grace that will place them on the altar, and some becoming bishops later in their ministry.   Bishop David Bonner revealed this scenario to the parish while still at St. Bernard in Mt Lebanon.   You could easily recognize this call in his demeanor as a priest and how he was very contemplative at Holy Hours.  There was no doubt his call was valid and holy.

As I wrote in my autobiography my call was not as spectacular as some of the priests I am familiar with but the stages that became inputs into my years from pre-teen to the age of my late twenties.  The Novena to the Immaculate Mother Mary in December of 1960 was the change that began a path to the diaconate and the many instances that were eye-openers with the Sacred Heart of Jesus.  

One Saturday evening my father and I were waiting for my mother to come out of Church after Confession.  My father sent me to a corner store to get the Saturday evening newspaper of the Pittsburgh Press for Sunday.  When returning to the car I told my father that the clerk gave me too much change for the dollar bill used to buy the paper.  He told me to go back and give the excess change back to the clerk.  As I did so another young boy, older than me, said, “look at holy Joe.” I always remembered that as a sign that honesty is one blessing that we all should adopt.

While sitting at the novena I thought of what I should ask for as a request at that portion of the prayer.  A woman’s voice, very succinct, spoke to me saying, “Why not ask for wisdom?”  I did and 14 years later in 1974 I was ordained with 25 other men as a permanent deacon.  Of course there were other attributes that affected my growth leading to ministry in the Church after that suggestion during Advent Mass in 1960.  By the way, that same woman again answered a question when I was praying on a Sunday evening during June of 1964 regarding the next week for the Sacred Heart and what I could do as an additional sacrifice for Jesus.  She said, “Why not quit smoking?”  It was a struggle as the first fast day would be Wednesday of that week.  The first two days found me trying but failing.  Tuesday evening I told Jesus I could not do this on my own.  If you wanted me to quit, he would have to do it for me.  Wednesday morning I got up without any desire to smoke and 61 years later I never have even had a desire to smoke.  That was Jeus answering my request.  

That success in trusting the Lord was also the impetus to believe in the Faith I hold dear to understand the grace the God gives to me and the same for all who believe.

Ralph B. Hathaway