1994

Roman collar models: collar on, collar off, collar on but off all at once

The picture above is a shot (of a picture) of Fr. Kent (l), Fr. Aedan Manning (RIP), and me in 1994 at some youth thing. Thus I am holding a baton. Because youth in the 90's loved balloons and batons.
And acid washed jeans.
And Candlebox.

I was a priest for maybe 2 months before that picture was made.

Today I am 19 years a priest. I don't know why this is such a BIG DEAL but for some reason, over most any other year, I'm pretty happy about it. Maybe it's because it's SOOOO close to the 20th or perhaps that ol' creeping phobia that I won't make it to 20. Doesn't matter. 19! Woo hoo!

Although I'd certainly had times I wanted to do anything other than priesting, this has been my number one thing. I haven't been a perfect priest or perfect servant. Sometimes I really suck at it but this is mine to suck at and mine to perfect.

This vocation, like any vocation in Christ, perfects me. It makes me holier than I would be without it.

I'm grateful for that.

And not willing to pass the baton just yet...



See? I worked in "baton".