Building the City of God - Msgr. James Reynolds

Nicknames:

“Baby, baby” for his trademark line; “gangplank Jim” for his frequent sailings on cruise ships; “God’s little bookie,” a moniker he shares with his two long-time secretaries, because “they help me make reservations for our exciting shows.”

What he did before becoming a priest:

He was an usher at Ebbett’s Field when the Brooklyn Dodgers played there. He sold lamps at Abraham and Strauss, worked in the machine shop at Sperry Gyroscope Co. and worked for a division of the Shell Oil Company in the RCA building in New York. As a seminarian, during summer vacations, he was a lecturer on the Gray Line sightseeing buses in New York City –“uptown in the morning, downtown in the afternoon, Chinatown at night.” He also worked for the Martin Travel Co. in the Empire State Building, escorting tours to Canada.

When he knew he wanted to be a priest:

At age 19 or 20: “I was impressed by the joy that priests seemingly possessed.” Seeing the movie “Going My Way” with Bing Crosby clinched it, as did his work as a tour guide. “In leading people to exciting locations on earth, I thought I might be able someday to escort people to heaven and manage perhaps to get in through a side door myself.”

What he would be doing if he had not become a priest:

“Certainly not show business—I’d starve.”

‘I might be able someday to escort people to heaven and manage perhaps to get in through a side door myself.’

What he does on his days off:

“I save them up and then sail away as a chaplain on a cruise ship.”

His love of the stage:

“I always admired entertainers… They can get before an audience and touch the hearts and minds of people of all faiths and all races.”

Where he learned to dance the cha cha and the mambo:

“Misspent youth—spent with a lot of misses.”

A priestly stereotype that he feels should be discarded:

“That a priest is above the rest of the people or better than the rest of humanity.”

Favorite priestly assignment:

“Here at the family of St. Henry. I’m hoping it will never end.”

Greatest disappointment:

“Not taking advantage of the opportunity to learn to play the piano.”

Most difficult aspect of being a priest:

“As a young priest, having to count the collection. As an old priest, receiving negative rather than constructive criticism.”

When he knew he wanted to be a priest:

"In the third grade or fourth grade, when I was an altar boy in church." His uncle is a priest. "I think that kind of inspired me." At the time, however, he wanted to join the Salesians. "They had these youth centers and kids playing soccer all the time. That's what I thought. At that age, I was more interested in sports." His uncle vetoed the idea and told him to become a diocesan priest. "God has a way of making things work out. I ended up being a missionary here, which is nice."

What he would be doing if he had not become a priest:

"I think I would be a teacher. I like being with children, probably middle school."

Favorite TV series:

"I like comedies. I still watch Seinfeld whenever I get a chance. It's about nothing, they say, but it's interesting."

Last book read:

"The DaVinci Code," a thriller in a church setting. "Fiction, of course. There is no fact to it."

Hobbies:

"I like to travel. I like to see places. I like to enjoy God's creation."

Favorite part of being a priest:

"Going into the CCD classes and meeting children in the classrooms and talking to them."

"There are many times in life, when you feel concerned and worried and a little bit weak in your faith, the faith of your people inspires you."

Has it been difficult to start a parish?

"No. Not really. Because I met so many nice people here. They're the ones who build the parish. They make the parish here every Sunday."

On last year's sex abuse scandal:

"As priests, all of us were not having good days (back then). But I started meeting people and they picked up my faith. That's the most amazing part of being a priest - faith supplies. There are many times in life, when you feel concerned and worried and a little weak in your faith, the faith of your people inspires you. That, I experienced last year in the parish."

Most difficult aspect of being a priest:

"You feel like you are so limited. Many things you find are beyond your control. You feel powerless."

Born in a storm:

“His birth took place “during the middle of Hurricane King. When I was growing up in Lake Worth my mother would talk about how difficult it was to get to St. Mary’s Hospital in West Palm because of the rain, wind and downed power lines.””

When he knew he wanted to be a priest:

Sometime during the third grade “I began telling people that I wanted to be a priest.”

Person or event that triggered his vocation:

“I am not sure, but one memory I have is when I was in the second grade my parents took me to the wake of our pastor, the priest who baptized me, Msgr. James Cann. (His nephew is Father Carl Morrison, a Miami priest). ... I still remember vividly seeing him laid out in the casket in church and what impressed me was the fact that he was dressed in his vestments as if he were about to celebrate Mass. ‘A priest forever…’”

What he would be doing if he had not become a priest:

“It’s hard to say – since I’ve always had a hard time imagining me doing anything else. Nothing else ever held the allure or the excitement that priesthood offered me.”

Favorite priestly assignment:

“Perhaps the one I did the longest. I spent 18 years as a parish priest among the Haitian communities of south Florida. ‘Favorite’ doesn’t mean it was necessarily the easiest but it afforded me the opportunity to work among the poor and disenfranchised and to be in a sense ‘a missionary priest’ in my own backyard.”

‘Nothing else ever held the allure or the excitement that priesthood offered me.’

Most difficult aspect of being a priest:

“When John the Baptist introduced his disciples to Jesus he said, ‘He must increase and I must decrease.’ I think that’s always been for us the challenge - to get out of the Lord’s way so that our failings, our idiosyncrasies, our own ego does not distract our people from encountering Jesus in and through our ministry.”

His description of the ideal priest:

“The ideal Christian, priest and bishop I have encountered has been John Paul II. He was a man happy in his own skin, proud of his ethnic and cultural identity as a son of the Polish nation, and totally given over to Christ.”

What he does on his day off:

“A lot of times, since I am so busy on my days ‘on,’ I just like to chill and do nothing; but, if I have the time and the weather is good, a motorcycle ride helps clear the ‘cobwebs’ from the mind. It’s exhilarating and, believe it or not, relaxing.”

When he knew he wanted to be a priest:

"I have a vivid memory of being in second grade and telling my mother that I wanted to be a priest. It was a feeling that never left me. When I was 16 years old I went on my first youth retreat/ encounter. That did it for me; it propelled me to follow my vocation."

Person or event that triggered his vocation:

"My mom. … She was a servant to others; she was always charitable and kind. She was a great example to me and my five siblings. She always took us to church, fed the hungry, donated her time and money to those in need and never said no. She was always willing to help."

Person most surprised by his vocation:

"My friends. In high school I was a very good student (4.0 GPA) and they thought I was going to be an architect or an engineer. When I told them I wanted to become a priest and I was going to enter the seminary, they didn't understand why I would leave everything to become a priest."

What the seminary did not prepare him for:

"I think I was in the seminary during a great time. We had wonderful world-renowned theologians come and speak to us. I learned so much. If I have to say something I would say the administration — how to run a parish. I have had to learn that on my own through time and by experience."

'I like to be around people, to talk and to share with others.'

What he would be doing if he had not become a priest:

"I would have been a math teacher. I enjoyed and was very good at calculus and algebra."

The most difficult aspect of being a priest:

"Having had to live by myself. When I was a parochial vicar at a parish, I lived with other priests and it was nice to have someone to speak with, eat dinner with or just watch TV with. As a pastor I have had to live twice by myself."

His description of the ideal priest:

"He would be humble, compassionate and would show people how Christ lived through his actions."

What he does on his day off:

"Sleep in! I like to visit other priests, friends. Go out to eat, watch a movie or go for a walk in the mall."

Father Carlos Vega is shown here visiting Madrid during a trip to Spain in July 2010. While he was there, the Spanish national soccer team won the World Cup.

What he did before becoming a priest:

He studied at a business school in Cuba and worked as a bookkeeper.

Current responsibilities:

He celebrates weekend Masses at St. Martin de Porres Parish in Leisure City and is spiritual director of the Christian Family Movement. As director of the Family Enrichment Center, he oversees English-language marriage preparation programs, works with the ministry to divorced and separated, Pre-Cana II (for couples entering second marriages), ministry to widows and widowers and parents who have lost children, natural family planning classes and other services to families. The Family Enrichment Center also coordinates talks in the parishes regarding the annulment process and marriage convalidations, and hosts an annual Mass for couples marking wedding anniversaries.

"I feel very happy, at peace and with a great sense of gratitude."

Vocation moment:

After completing the required military service in 1969 or 1970, he attended a Mass marking the end of a vocations awareness day at a church in Santa Clara. “The priest who was leading the day told us that Cuba's young people needed to step up and say 'yes' to God to be priests. He told us that without priests there is no Eucharist, and without Eucharist there is no church because there is no community. Right then and there I went to the sacristy and offered to be a priest.” He was 17 at the time. The priest suggested that he wait until finishing high school. “I started receiving spiritual direction and served as a catechist while going to school. During my second year in high school, I felt the call to be a priest more profoundly. I accompanied a priest to the escuelas de campo (where teenagers are sent for mandatory service in Cuba's farmlands) and I decided to enter the seminary when I was 21.”

What he does on his days off:

“I have Prince, my Sheltie dog. I live with my uncle, my sister, my brother-in-law and my nephew, and I enjoy time with my family. I shop for groceries, take clothes to the dry cleaners and do other chores around the house.”

You were in hotel management before becoming a priest. Why did you switch?

"I didn't consider it a switch. I'm still in hospitality. The essence of hospitality is service. As an ordained priest, I continue practicing hospitality by bringing Christ to others. Hospitality is no longer a business to me but a mission."

Person or event that triggered his vocation:

"One event that opened my eyes was when I was still in Peru. I decided to join a young adult group that helped Vincentian priests who were evangelizing rural areas in the mountains. I thought you needed to be an accountant or lawyer or businessman to be important in the life of people. That experience opened my eyes to see that the ministry of a priest is basic to the life of communities."

Did it feel strange to enter seminary when you were almost 30?

"Not when I entered. A lot of guys were in my situation, entering the priesthood as a second career. There was a flight attendant, an accountant and a teacher. They'd worked in the secular world and decided later in life to follow the steps of the priesthood."

'I'm still in hospitality. The essence of hospitality is service.'

Did your business training help you as a priest?

"It gave me a lot of tools to be a good administrator. I learned to deal with people one to one."

Was it a shock to come to America and see the difference in the society?

"My first impression was that people who were Catholic were more involved than people in my home country, maybe because we're not the majority here. I especially saw lay people proudly participate in the life of a parish. I never saw that in Peru. There, it's more cultural than actual personal devotion. Now, throughout the years, that continues, but I've also been exposed to the secularism that prevails all over the world. People are very critical of many things, including the Church. "

Hardest part of being a priest:

"What really breaks my heart is when I see people in parishes criticizing the Church. Of course we are allowed to critique constructively. But many people criticize for the sake of criticism."

Priestly stereotype that should be discarded:

"Most of what you see in movies and soap operas, especially for Latinos. In most telenovelas, the priest is always a dummy, self-centered. And in American movies, he's usually celebrating a wedding or funeral and he's clueless."

What he did before becoming a priest:

He worked as a bank teller while pursuing a degree in architecture. He ultimately received a two-year degree in drafting.

When he knew he wanted to be a priest:

Even though his family was religious and attended Mass faithfully, the thought never entered his mind. "I wanted to be married, have a lot of kids and be an architect." Then a friend from the youth group at San Isidro Parish insisted he attend a vocations retreat in Conyers, Ga. "I didn't know what a vocation was. … I went to the retreat just to get him off my back." By the last day, "I decided, I've heard so much, I like this. So why not try it out?" He began the discernment process and entered the seminary at age 20. "They told me, at any point, you can leave. You don't commit until you reach ordination. That was a sense of relief for me. I had nothing to lose. I said to myself, 'I'll give it a chance.'"

"They told me, at any point, you can leave. … That was a sense of relief for me. I had nothing to lose."

Person most surprised by his vocation:

"My father was adamantly against me being a priest" and did not speak to him for a year after he announced his decision. In part, his father feared the priesthood would take him too far from his family; in part, his objections were rooted in the anti-clericalism that exists in the Mexican culture. "We don't like priests but we go to Mass." Father Garza's vocation "healed a lot of my family's misconceptions about the priests and the nuns" and his father "eventually became my greatest support and my best friend." Ironically, Father Garza has remained geographically closer to his dad, who died in 2000, than any of the other children, who moved to other states. His dad is buried at Our Lady of Mercy Cemetery in Miami. When he visits there, Father Garza likes to remind him, "Here I am again; your only son who's here."

What the seminary did not prepare him for:

Parish administration: "A parish is almost like a business. You have to run it. You have to make decisions and if you're not prepared, you're going to make bad decisions."

What he would be doing if he had not become a priest:

"I probably would have pursued architecture. I still read and I have my drafting table. I still draw."

The most difficult aspect of being a priest:

"Dealing with the fact that you can't please everybody."

His description of the ideal priest:

"A priest who loves and forgives as Christ does; who does not judge."

What he did before becoming a priest:

At age 6: “My uncle was ordained then. He was a Columban missionary” who, along with two dozen others, was being sent to the Philippines and Korea. Young James and his family were at the docks seeing them off. “I can remember them sailing away. We were waving my sister’s diaper, which was nice and big. I heard 25 people say ‘Goodbye, James’ from that ship. It was literally impossible for the voices to travel that far. But that’s what I heard. I made up my mind at that time that I was going to follow them.”

His arrival in Miami:

“I had never set foot in the United States before.” He remembers being surprised because “it rains warm water here. I found that quite extraordinary.”

‘ I love to do funerals more than anything else. ’

What he would be doing if he had not become a priest:

“I’d probably be in business.” His dad was a businessman as well as both of his grandfathers. “It’s kind of in my blood. I wouldn’t have a problem being the CEO of Publix.”

What the seminary did not prepare him for:

“Dealing with the pain in people’s lives.”

Favorite priestly assignment:

“I love to do funerals more than anything else. I think at funerals there’s a reality that’s not present at other times. Mourners are going to listen to the Scriptures with a lot more intensity than people do on a Sunday. There’s a hunger for God’s word present at a funeral that you don’t see anywhere else.”

On funerals:

“I immerse myself in the pain. I grow from that. I’d like to think I’ve been preparing for my mother’s death for a long time. … I treat that casket and that family as if it were my mother.”

The most difficult aspect of being a priest:

“Unrealistic expectations on the part of just about everybody, from the bishop down to the people.”

His description of the ideal priest:

"A priest that can overcome that human element (such as crying babies and ringing cell phones) and still celebrate each sacrament with joy.”

When he knew he wanted to be a priest:

Probably around the fifth grade: "You'd be serving at Mass and there was just something very special about all that." He would also lock up the church and set out the vestments for the next morning. "The priests that I knew trusted me. ...I learned how to drive in the church truck when I was 12 years old because Msgr. (Rowan) Rastatter let me drive the truck around the parking lot. ...He was my hero."

What he would be doing if he had not become a priest:

"I haven't the vaguest idea. There isn't anything else that I ever think about being. ... I could just as easily be bagging groceries at Publix."

Why he never wanted to be a missionary:

"I wanted to be a priest and Holy Family would do just fine. To this day I get nervous going to Broward County."

What he does on his days off:

"Take a deep breath. I'll go and spend the day with a friend. Go to a movie. Get off by myself and read.

Hobbies:

"I've played at tennis. To say that I was a tennis player would dishonour the sport."

"I learned long ago that I'm not the Messiah. We only had one of those."

Best memory:

"The morning we went up to celebrate Mass with the Holy Father." He was one of the 38 priests studying at the North American College in Rome who gathered in the pope's private chapel on Nov. 30, 1989, at 6:30a.m. When it came time for the homily, the pope simply said, "'Today we let Jesus speak.' And he sat down. We all reflected on the Gospel for seven minutes."

Greatest frustration:

"Not being able to do all the things people would like me to do."

Greatest joy:

"The people who are here with me at St. Louis. I pray to God I never abuse that trust."

What he did before becoming a priest:

He worked for nine years as a technical manager for Canada Dry in Malta. "I was a workaholic 36 hours straight work without going home."

When he knew he wanted to be a priest:

After attending World Youth Day in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, in 1989.

Person or event that triggered his vocation:

"The World Youth Day in Santiago de Compostela in 1989. The words of John Paul II in his homily, 'Do not be afraid to be holy,' opened a new perspective to life for me."

What the seminary did not prepare him for:

Press conferences.

His hobbies:

"I always enjoy a good fishing trip."

Most difficult aspect of being a priest:

"Comforting someone who has lost a loved one; when no words can fill that void and we can only offer to be present and share their suffering."

'The words of John Paul II in his homily, "Do not be afraid to be holy," opened a new perspective to life for me.'

His description of the ideal priest:

"Does not exist."

Favorite movie:

"Preferisco Il Paradiso" based on the life of St. Philip Neri.

Favorite sport:

Soccer.

Last book read:

"Jesus of Nazareth: The Infancy Narratives" by Pope Benedict XVI.

What he does on his day off:

"Day off is only a term."

Person he most admires:

"Blessed Pope John Paul II, because he changed my life and was instrumental in my calling to the priesthood."

A native of El Carmen de Atrato in Colombia and the second of three siblings — his older brother will be ordained next year for the Diocese of Brooklyn — Father Agudelo studied art in Barcelona, Spain, and mass communications in his native Colombia. He is a certified expert on Old Masters paintings and even owned an art gallery in Coral Gables. He also is an expert on the conflict in the Middle East, a region he has visited countless times. He settled in Miami 21 years ago and began attending Little Flower Church in Coral Gables.

“I was a Catholic ‘light’,” he said. “I went to Mass because of the obligation.” In the meantime, he lived a “very agitated social life,” indulging a taste for nightlife, travel and luxury cars.

That changed in 2005, when Telemundo shut down its Miami-based, 24-hour news operation. He took a job with Univision in Sacramento, California, but the city bored him.

One morning, on his day off, he took a walk around the neighborhood and wound up in a Catholic cemetery. Sitting in one of the mausoleums, he told himself, “I’m going to pray an Our Father for each of these souls.”

Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder. It was the groundskeeper. The cemetery was closing. He had sat down to pray at 10 a.m. and it was 7 p.m. “But I liked it,” he recalled, so he kept coming back and spending hours in prayer.

Within months he had quit his job, returned to Miami, and practically “ locked myself up,” praying for as many as 12 or 13 hours a day. He took the 2 to 3 a.m. adoration slot at St. Raymond Church in Miami, where his companion was often the pastor at the time, Father Jordi Rivero.

One night he got up the courage to ask: “Father, is it very hard to be a priest?” To which Father Rivero replied: “You’re ready. Go to the vocations office.”

“I’ve never in my whole life been happier than I am now,” Father Agudelo said.

After earning a degree in English from FIU, he worked at a marketing firm and other “odd, English-related jobs.” He also “abandoned” himself to the world. He didn’t question his faith. He didn’t search for truth. He just became convinced that “it was impossible to live like Christ has called us.”

But “the world is an unfaithful lover,” he said. “It doesn’t treat the ones who give into her very well.”

At 25, prompted by the death of Pope John Paul II, he made a radical return to the Church. He decided to become a monk and spent three months at a Trappist monastery in Conyers, Georgia. “I thought I was going to shut myself away from the world to do penance for my sins.”

When that didn’t work out, he began attending Mass at St. Augustine Church and Catholic Student Center in Coral Gables. Soon, he was leading the young adult group and serving as sacristan. He continued to discern the call to priesthood, and sensed the Lord assuaging his fears, letting him know that “this time it will be different.”

His story, he said, is biblical. “The prodigal son returns and knows who he really is.” He hopes that experience will make him a better priest, one more open to people’s need for God’s mercy.

“I have an intimate knowledge of sin and an intimate knowledge of the hunger for God,” he said. “I think I understand why that hunger (exists) in others. And the banquet that’s been offered to me, I would invite them to share it.”

Then he went on an Emmaus retreat. “That’s when this life of service kind of began to attract me,” he recalled. “I asked God for signs.”

The biggest came through his parents. He remembers his mother’s reaction when he told her, “I think the Lord is calling me.” She lowered her head, said “thanks be to God” and whispered, “Now I understand.”

When he asked her what that meant, she replied: “Something in my heart told me about a month ago to pray that one of my three sons be consecrated to the Lord.”

“That’s when I looked up and said, ‘God, that was a good one,’” Father Flores said.

The same thing happened when he told his dad. “I had a dream” that you were already a priest, his dad told him. “That was like a two-by-four in the back of my head, from God,” Father Flores says now.

He also understands that he had to walk away from his own plans and desires to answer the call to priesthood.

“My understanding of marriage was different than the understanding of marriage that God had for me. God wanted me to have an even greater wife — the Church. He wanted me not to have two children, but many children of all types, of all races,” Father Flores said.

His first assignment was to Little Flower in Coral Gables.

An adventurous and competitive soul, he took evening culinary classes at Johnson & Wales University in North Miami and opened his own catering company. He’s run the Tough Mudder and 17 half marathons, ranked as a “power seller” on eBay, won a key lime pie-eating contest in Key West and a Honda Element from a local radio station, and even applied to compete on the Food Network’s “Chopped.”

“You won’t catch me watching TV,” he said. “Twenty years from now I can say my life is colorful. I have a lot of stories to tell.”

He began discerning a vocation to priesthood in 2009. The trigger came one night as he was closing the church after a wedding. Alone in the dark, he was walking back to the sacristy when he looked at the crucifix on the altar. “It was the only thing lit. And then suddenly I said, what if you become a priest?”

He had completely forgotten that, as a child, he used to play at being a priest, using the white cardboard under the lid of a Nescafe jar as the host.

“I want challenges,” Father De Los Santos said, and fate has obliged. He left everything behind to enter the seminary, where he was always the oldest of the men. His mother and one sister died during his first three years of study.

“Challenges are still coming, and God is helping me a lot,” he said. “God was with me all those years and will always be with me.”

But he also felt called to medicine, and got a full academic scholarship to Duke University in North Carolina. His first year there, “I really started feeling very strongly that desire to priesthood.” His thought: “There are plenty of people who want to be doctors but I haven’t met any who want to be priests.”

He spoke with his pastor about it, the late Father James Murphy of Our Lady of the Lakes. Father Murphy suggested he finish his bachelor’s degree and then consider the seminary. So he returned to Miami and earned his bachelor’s degree in biology from FIU while getting more involved in his parish. He finds it ironic that his stint at Duke convinced him of his vocation.

“I had to go back to where I was born, to North Carolina, to realize what the Lord wanted,” he said. “There was a lot of worry before. Am I doing the right thing? But when I said yes, there was such peace.”

He noted that Father Murphy offered “very good advice” in suggesting he continue his studies in biology. Along with everything French, it remains a passion in his life. He sees no dichotomy between science and faith.

“Contemplating nature and creation is like watching the mind of God at work. That can be prayer,” Father Rivera said.

He taught statistics and world economics before discerning a vocation to the priesthood. After thinking about it for three or four years, he entered the seminary in Bangalore, India, in 2002. A motorbike accident made him miss four years of study and left him with a slight limp. It also modified his vocation, to one focused on service to the disabled.

That’s what brought him to the U.S. three years ago, after finishing his master of divinity degree at Christ University in Bangalore. He joined a fledgling religious community, the Dominican Missionaries for the Deaf and Disabled, and has spent the last three years learning American Sign Language and perfecting his English, in Texas, New York and Missouri. He also served at Schott Communities in Cooper City.

“It is really hard for me to come to America,” Father Thomas said. None of his family could come from India for his ordination. But he looks forward to hearing confessions and celebrating Mass in sign language.

Many deaf people are joining Protestant congregations in Palm Beach County, he said, “because we don’t have any Catholic priests here” to serve them. His ordination should change that.

Father Thomas has been assigned to St. Paul the Apostle, Lighthouse Point.

“I had ideas to get married, ideas to get a career. But nothing concrete.” Although he had joined a Neocatechumenal Way community at 13, “there wasn’t an inclination to the priesthood.”

Then he attended a retreat, and at the closing Mass, the priest preached: “If you feel a call, don’t be afraid. And what do you have to lose? I was thinking about my life and I thought, I have nothing to lose. Why don’t I try it?” Father Arriola recalled.

Neither the eldest nor the baby in his family, he said he often felt like “the forgotten one.” But now he realizes God “brought me to that point to show me that he loves me.” And once he experienced that love, “he showed me that this vocation is for me.”

He entered Blessed San Diego Luis de San Vitores Catholic Theological Institute for Oceania, which is affiliated with the Lateran University in Rome. When the Neocatechumenal Way’s Redemptoris Mater Seminary opened in Miami in 2011, he was chosen as one of its first 12 seminarians.

“I always felt called to go out to the missions and experience other places,” Father Arriola said. About his vocation, he added: “It’s God showing his love for me so hopefully I can show his love to the world.”

He has been assigned to St. Katharine Drexel in Weston.

“I was 11 years old when I first felt the calling,” he said. “I decided to do other things.” But the calling never left. “God’s been calling for a long time. In my human weakness, I didn’t want to give him more.”

After obtaining an annulment in 1999, he became very involved in his parish, St. John Neumann in Miami. His pastor, Msgr. Pablo Navarro, kept asking him, “What are you waiting for?”

“I was afraid,” Father Maalouf said. “Am I running away from the world? Am I going to hide in the Church? If that’s the case, I didn’t want to do it.” After “a long prayer,” he realized, “I was not doing things to run away from the world. Actually, I was running to God.”

He entered the diaconate program in 2005. But within six months of his deaconate ordination in December 2010, the call to priesthood manifested itself. He remembers the exact moment. He was assisting as a deacon at a funeral Mass when “I felt my heart exploding with joy… I realized it was a calling to the priesthood. I was called to be there consecrating.”

Instead of studying in South Florida, he was sent to what is known as a “second vocation” seminary, the Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary in Weston, Massachusetts. The past five years, away from family, friends and his parish community have not been easy, but “all of my fears, all of my doubts, God took care of them.”

“That’s how I was attracted to try new horizons, new life, the American dream,” he said.

But his degree was worthless once he settled here, so he began working at a warehouse for $5.15 an hour — at first cleaning up, then keeping track of inventory, and eventually combining duties as a courier with bookkeeping tasks. He had a girlfriend, and attended Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Kendall. That’s when “God’s dream” began substituting for his own.

“I thought it was crazy that the Lord would be calling me,” he recalled. But one day, while praying before the Blessed Sacrament, he said “yes. If that’s what you want for me, open the doors. And (God) began to open the doors.”

Too quickly, it seemed. He met with the archdiocesan vocations director at the time, Father Manny Alvarez, now pastor at Immaculate Conception in Hialeah, and was informed that he would have to study for nine years, primarily philosophy and English. “I ran out,” he said, thinking, “This isn’t for me.”

By that time, he had changed jobs. Now he worked for his family’s bakery, making “pandebono” — a Colombian cheese bread whose name literally translates as “good bread.” A thought occurred to him: “I’m making this bread, and the Lord is calling me to priesthood. It’s another bread I’m going to be kneading.”

He met again with the archdiocesan vocations director, this time Msgr. Roberto Garza, now rector of St. John Vianney College Seminary in Miami. “You’re ready,” Msgr. Garza told him. Still, at every step in the process — filling out the application, undergoing the psychological evaluation — he kept thinking, “I’m going to prove that this isn’t for me.”

When he knew he wanted to be a priest:

"All my life I was around the brothers (Congregation of Presentation Brothers). All through school they influenced me so I eventually decided to join them. I was blessed with a second vocation. I guess you can say I went to the other side of the street. It really was Vatican Council II that influenced me to become a priest because of its effects on religious communities."

Person most surprised by his vocation:

"My family was most surprised when I became a brother first and not a priest. They always knew I would become a priest."

What the seminary did not prepare him for:

"Being a good preacher. I've always been told my Irish accent is too strong and I speak very fast."

What he would be doing if he had not become a priest:

"I always liked engineering. I liked to design. Not that I could draw very well, but I liked it."

Favorite priestly assignment:

"I've been equally happy at every assignment but I really enjoyed teaching CCD, hearing reconciliation and being available to the people. I was at the airport in London once and a woman asked me to hear her confession after another woman asked me to bless her baby."

The most difficult aspect of being a priest:

The challenge to holiness.

'A priest isn't a superman; he's fully human with ups and downs.'

His description of the ideal priest:

"Simplicity and availability. I chose as my motto, 'He must increase, I must decrease.' I honestly believe that and have tried to live it."

A priestly stereotype that he feels should be discarded:

"A priest isn't a superman; he's fully human with ups and downs."

What he does on his day off:

"Up until a few years ago (before Hurricane Katrina) I used to play tennis and golf, but now I enjoy listening to music and reading."

Favorite movie:

"Life of Don Bosco" (1936).

Favorite TV series:

"I'm not into TV; I listen to music over the TV now and really only watch sports."

Last book read:

"I prefer religious newspapers and magazines. I read Our Sunday Visitor."

The priest as an artist:

"I was always the kid who was doing the posters for everybody. But I didn't take (art) seriously until I was a priest. ... It came out of a need to pray and to mature in my spirituality. Art has been an integral part of my maturing."

What he did before becoming a priest:

He entered the seminary in ninth grade: "It was a different time. I would not recommend that for anybody right now."

Who was surprised by his vocation:

Everybody: "People are surprised now."

Doubts about choosing the priesthood:

"All along. Doubts never cease. Doubts are part of life. I don't consider doubts to be the opposite of faith. Doubts are part of faith. The opposite of faith is fear."

Priests who inspire him:

The late Father Daniel Sanchez of Corpus Christi, the first Cuban exile to be ordained a priest in the archdiocese; and Msgr. William Dever, pastor of St. Helen in Fort Lauderdale, where Father Sardiñas served before going to the University of Florida.

What he does on his days off:

"I hang out at my art studio, or take my dog to the dog park, or I go to the beach and have dinner with friends."

What he would be doing if he had not become a priest:

An architect or a veterinarian: "I love animals."

Greatest disappointment:

"My disappointments have been mostly with myself, by not appreciating at times how blessed I've been."

"Doubts are part of faith. The opposite of faith is fear."

Greatest joy:

"The two places where I'm most at home, where I'm lost in time, are when I celebrate the Eucharist and when I'm in my art studio."

Most difficult aspect of being a priest:

"The public side of it. Being constantly under scrutiny. I'm a very private person. People look at what color shirt you're wearing, what kind of car you're driving, what haircut you have. ... And today, with the shortage of priests, simply overwork."

What he did before becoming a priest:

He worked for nine years as a technical manager for Canada Dry in Malta. “I was a workaholic 36 hours straight work without going home.”

When he knew he wanted to be a priest:

After attending World Youth Day in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, in 1989.

Person or event that triggered his vocation:

“The World Youth Day in Santiago de Compostela in 1989. The words of John Paul II in his homily, ‘Do not be afraid to be holy,’ opened a new perspective to life for me.”

What the seminary did not prepare him for:

Press conferences.

His hobbies:

“I always enjoy a good fishing trip.”

Most difficult aspect of being a priest:

“Comforting someone who has lost a loved one; when no words can fill that void and we can only offer to be present and share their suffering.”

‘The words of John Paul II in his homily, “Do not be afraid to be holy,” opened a new perspective to life for me.’

His description of the ideal priest:

“Does not exist.”

Favorite movie:

“Preferisco Il Paradiso” based on the life of St. Philip Neri.

Favorite sport:

Soccer.

Last book read:

“Jesus of Nazareth: The Infancy Narratives” by Pope Benedict XVI.

What he does on his day off:

“Day off is only a term.”

Person he most admires:

“Blessed Pope John Paul II, because he changed my life and was instrumental in my calling to the priesthood.”

On studying for the priesthood:

"When I was a kid I was not much attracted to studies. I said to the Lord when I graduated from high school, the shorter the career, the better. Like always, the Lord has a good sense of humor. So he said, 'Oh, yeah, you're going to study eight years for the priesthood.'"

Why the priesthood:

"I wanted to serve people. Really, the life of the priest did not interest me. What attracted me was the service that the priest does for the community."

Seminary life:

"It was my first time away from home and I was learning English. God wanted me to stay, because it was a terrible year, difficult to adjust."

Good advice from a fellow priest:

"You cannot live better than your parishioners." - Father Juan Lopez, pastor, Sts. Peter and Paul Parish, Miami.

Good advice from a fellow priest:

"You cannot live better than your parishioners." - Father Juan Lopez, pastor, Sts. Peter and Paul Parish, Miami.

What he does on his days off:

"I go to Miami and eat with friends.

Favorite TV series:

"Friends" (he has a collection of episodes) and "The Golden Girls": "I learned English watching 'Golden Girls.'"

How he makes decisions:

"I always go to the tabernacle and pray to the Lord."

What he would be doing if he had not become a priest:

"I probably would have finished accounting and be in business - maybe selling, like my father."

Greatest frustration:

"Some of our regulations are a little strict for our people. But it's part of our faith. It's part of our tradition. And you have to follow them."

"I don't want someone to leave the church because of me."

Difficult moment:

During the height of the priestly sexual abuse crisis in 2002: "Do I need to be in this? I can be an active parishioner like my father is. I don't need to be labeled as one of them."

Most difficult aspect of being a priest:

"To always make sure that what you do, you do it right ... I don't want someone to leave the church because of me."

Why he came to the United States:

“To come, work, save, help my family and go back after six or seven years." His father had died in 1984, and the family had moved to Guatemala, partly due to the political troubles in Nicaragua. The family's pharmacy had been looted; their grandfather had been kidnapped.”

What he did before becoming a priest:

“He was one of the first cooks at the McDonald's on S.W. 87th Avenue and 24th Street in Miami. He also worked at Burger King and as a busboy at the Radisson Hotel. At one point, he held three jobs simultaneously. "I'm very proud of it. If you want to work, you will find work. If you want to get ahead, you can get ahead."”

When he knew he wanted to be a priest:

“He first asked his mother for permission to enter the seminary at 6. At 14, he attended a charismatic retreat for young people. "I remember saying, 'This is what I really want to be.'" His father's response: "Over my dead body." He tried to enter the seminary in Guatemala but his mother asked him to wait. After coming to Miami, "I knew I didn't want to stay (in the United States) to make money but to serve the people. I saw the need here. An immigrant can best understand an immigrant."

‘It's almost like God brought me here...’

What he does on his days off:

"I like to go to the beach. I like to go to the gym. I spend a lot of time working in the garden. It puts my mind at ease."

Favorite movie:

"The Lion King."

Favorite TV series:

"The Golden Girls", "Touched by an Angel" and the Discovery Channel.

God's plan:

"It's almost like God brought me here and opened the doors because in less than two years I was in the seminary. It couldn't have been more clear that God wanted me to be here."

What he did before becoming a priest:

“During my college years I had a part-time job as a bank teller at then-NationsBank. I was also very involved in the youth group and the youth choir in my home parish (St. Joseph, Miami Beach).”

When he knew he wanted to be a priest:

“I started considering the possibility of becoming a priest when I was around 20 years old.”

Person or event that triggered his vocation:

“I did a retreat that changed my life when I was 16, but I did not consider the priesthood at that time. Then when I was in college, a new priest came to my home parish. He inspired my vocation. Although he never spoke to me about the vocation to the priesthood, he showed me with his example how fulfilling the life of a priest could be. I then began to ask God if he could be calling me to this lifestyle.”

Person/persons most surprised by his vocation:

“Because I was so involved in Church at the time, I think the decision to enter seminary surprised very few people.”

What the seminary did not prepare him for:

“It’s impossible to learn everything in the seminary. It certainly did not prepare me to be a seminary formator something I did for four years.”

‘I greatly admire the example that Pope Francis is giving the whole Church.’

What he would be doing if he had not become a priest:

“Perhaps I’d be a psychologist or a teacher.”

The most difficult aspect of being a priest:

“Having to deal with administration, handbooks, financial concerns, managing staff, paperwork, etc.”

His description of the ideal priest:

“The ideal priest is someone who is a man of deep communion with the Lord. His prayer leads him to action in ministry and vice versa. Someone who makes himself available to the people of God and tries to respond to their needs as he walks the journey of faith together with them.”

A priestly stereotype that he feels should be discarded:

“That a priest is above the rest of the people or better than the rest of humanity.”

What he does on his day off:

“Rest, watch a good movie, read and/or visit my family and friends.”

Favorite movie:

Frank Capra’s “It’s a Wonderful Life.”

Favorite TV series:

“24.”

What he did before becoming a priest:

He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in theatre and spent a decade as an actor and director,doing theater, television commercials and films: “Blink-and-you’ll-miss-me kind of things.” He then spent 15 years as a teacher and coach at his alma maters, Sts. Peter and Paul School and La Salle High School in Miami.

When he knew he wanted to be a priest:

“When I had matured enough … I dated enough that I could have married. I thought about it a couple of times. But I thought the lifestyle was too restricted. … I always felt that I needed to be freer to engage in ministry. I would have driven my wife nuts.”

What he would be doing if he had not become a priest:

“The same thing I was doing before, teaching and coaching. I loved it. It wasn’t like I became a priest because I was miserable doing what I was doing before. I just felt called to do this.”

Who was most surprised by his vocation:

“Myself. It’s funny, not too many people were surprised. … At one time I had a girlfriend who would say to me, ‘Stop talking to me with that priest’s voice of yours.’”

What the seminary did not prepare him for:

“I haven’t been too surprised by anything I’ve seen in ministry. I spent 10 years in the entertainment industry and worked with coaches. I was ready for anything.”

‘I admire Jesus, the way he lived, the fact that he was a regular guy, a people’s man. He found joy and life in the little things and helped people discover that. ’

Favorite priestly assignment:

“They’re all good. As long as you give me people, I’m happy.”

Greatest joy:

“Hanging out with Jesus; hanging out with people; enjoying the little things of life. That’s what it’s about.”

His description of the ideal priest:

“You need to be a regular guy. … What gives credibility to the faith is not what you do but how you relate to people. Jesus changed history not so much because of what he did but because of the way he related to the people who came to him. He showed them that within every ordinary event, the extraordinary was hidden there. That’s my whole spirituality, finding the extraordinary in the ordinary.”

When he knew he wanted to be a priest:

"I tried going into the seminary right after high school and it didn't work. I was too young, too immature." Years later, he began questioning his choice again: "During a New Year's Eve party in which I was having the best time, I stopped and looked around and said, is this what I want? And the answer was very clear. No. That is not for me."

Later still, during a visit to the missions in Honduras, he realized his call was to the priesthood:

"Coming in contact with the dirt poor people made me want to make a difference. The priesthood came up as the way to make a difference. Of course, there are other ways. But that was my way, the gift being offered to me."

His description of the ideal priest:

"First of all, a human being filled with love for life and God and deep faith that, in and though that broken humanity, God blesses the world. You have to be filled with life, definitely.":

What he would be doing if he had not become a priest:

"A teacher or a pilot. I love to tach and I love planes."

"I am successful when I know that the person has been touched by the spirit of Christ - when I have facilitated that encounter. You see the fruits. You see the change. Those are moments of sucess."

Greatest disappointment:

"9/11. Disappointment at our own humanity, that we are capable of doing something like that."

Greatest joy:

"9/11. I was so angry in the morning, and by the afternoon, I saw how human beings are capable of the highest, heroic choices."

Person he most admires:

Gandhi. "I think he was an incredible man who was able to free a country without shooting a gun."

When he knew he wanted to be a priest:

"I started thinking about it when I was in eighth grade. Throughout high school it was an idea that kept coming back to me. Sometimes yes, sometimes no, but it definitely kept coming back. While there were many things that I could do and do well, this was the one thing where I felt I could give the best I had to give and be the most fulfilled."

What he would be doing if he had not become a priest:

His intended major in college was education. "It's very interesting that, these many years later, the church has come to me and asked me to fulfill a need by studying special education. So it's come full circle. In a sense, I gave that up to enter the seminary and now it has been given back to me."

Greatest disappointment:

"If you turn disappointments over to God, they don't become great. So I don't worry about those."

Greatest joy:

"Sharing with people in the important moments of their lives, the joyful ones as well as the sorrowful ones."

Most difficult aspect of being a priest:

"Being unable to meet the overwhelming needs that are being presented to you. Being unable to be in three places at once and wanting to meet those needs."

Priestly stereotype that should be discarded:

"That priests are supposed to be angels in human form rather than human beings who walk with the community."

"In a sense, I gave that up (a career in education) to enter the seminary and now it has been given back to me."

How others describe him:

"I've been told I have a raucous laugh." When he was at Epiphany, "it was a vocabulary word and the kids were not getting it. So the teacher said, 'Father Michael has a raucous laugh.' And the kids got it."

When he knew he wanted to be a priest:

Probably around the fifth grade: "You'd be serving at Mass and there was just something very special about all that." He would also lock up the church and set out the vestments for the next morning. "The priests that I knew trusted me. I learned how to drive in the church truck when I was 12 years old because Msgr. (Rowan) Rastatter let me drive the truck around the parking lot. He was my hero."

What he would be doing if he had not become a priest:

"I haven't the vaguest idea. There isn't anything else that I ever think about being. I could just as easily be bagging groceries at Publix."

Why he never wanted to be a missionary:

"I wanted to be a priest and Holy Family would do just fine. To this day I get nervous going to Broward County."

What he does on his days off:

"Take a deep breath. I'll go and spend the day with a friend. Go to a movie. Get off by myself and read.

Hobbies:

"I've played at tennis. To say that I was a tennis player would dishonour the sport."

"I learned long ago that I'm not the Messiah. We only had one of those."

Best memory:

"The morning we went up to celebrate Mass with the Holy Father." He was one of the 38 priests studying at the North American College in Rome who gathered in the pope's private chapel on Nov. 30, 1989, at 6:30a.m. When it came time for the homily, the pope simply said, "'Today we let Jesus speak.' And he sat down. We all reflected on the Gospel for seven minutes."

Greatest frustration:

"Not being able to do all the things people would like me to do."

Greatest joy:

"The people who are here with me at St. Louis. I pray to God I never abuse that trust."

When he knew he wanted to be a priest:

He felt the call in fifth grade at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic School in Chicago, where he was an altar server. He would have entered the high school seminary had it not been for the advice of the school's new principal who suggested he attend a "prestigious" public high school instead that focused on math and science. "The whole background of my family being in medicine came back again and I went back to medicine. Priesthood was out of the picture for those years."

Vocation moment:

In 1976, his first year of medical school, there was a huge explosion at a sugar mill in the Dominican Republic. "The 400 men who were burned kept asking for a priest. The only priest was away at a mission. It was very clear to me, seeing all of the doctors and the nurses and 123 men dying, that there was more need for priests than there was for doctors." He decided to quit medicine, but again was advised not to by the seminary rector, who told him "the best thing to do was to finish medical school because that would always be in the back of my mind. God would call me later." God did - in 1983 in New Orleans. "I was giving a keynote speech at a cardiologists' convention. These two gentlemen walked up to me and said, 'Are you a priest?' They were Jesuit physicians." They told him: "Your whole empathy for the patient almost speaks of you being a priest already."

On making the final decision:

"I needed to prove to myself that I could be a good physician - New Orleans was that proof. It was the pinnacle of medicine. So next, I needed to prove that I could be a good priest."

"It was very clear to me, seeing all of the doctors and the nurses and 123 men dying, that there was more need for priests than there was for doctors."

Who was most surprised by his vocation:

"Some of my medical colleagues. They didn't understand it. But in the long run they have come asking for help at times and are glad that I'm there for them. The friendships have remained."

What he did before becoming a priest:

“During my college years I had a part-time job as a bank teller at then-NationsBank. I was also very involved in the youth group and the youth choir in my home parish (St. Joseph, Miami Beach).”

When he knew he wanted to be a priest:

“I started considering the possibility of becoming a priest when I was around 20 years old.”

Person or event that triggered his vocation:

“I did a retreat that changed my life when I was 16, but I did not consider the priesthood at that time. Then when I was in college, a new priest came to my home parish. He inspired my vocation. Although he never spoke to me about the vocation to the priesthood, he showed me with his example how fulfilling the life of a priest could be. I then began to ask God if he could be calling me to this lifestyle.”

Person/persons most surprised by his vocation:

“Because I was so involved in Church at the time, I think the decision to enter seminary surprised very few people.”

What the seminary did not prepare him for:

“It’s impossible to learn everything in the seminary. It certainly did not prepare me to be a seminary formator something I did for four years.”

‘I greatly admire the example that Pope Francis is giving the whole Church.’

What he would be doing if he had not become a priest:

“Perhaps I’d be a psychologist or a teacher.”

The most difficult aspect of being a priest:

“Having to deal with administration, handbooks, financial concerns, managing staff, paperwork, etc.”

His description of the ideal priest:

“The ideal priest is someone who is a man of deep communion with the Lord. His prayer leads him to action in ministry and vice versa. Someone who makes himself available to the people of God and tries to respond to their needs as he walks the journey of faith together with them.”

A priestly stereotype that he feels should be discarded:

“That a priest is above the rest of the people or better than the rest of humanity.”

What he does on his day off:

“Rest, watch a good movie, read and/or visit my family and friends.”

Favorite movie:

Frank Capra’s “It’s a Wonderful Life.”

Favorite TV series:

“24.”

What he did before becoming a priest:

He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in theatre and spent a decade as an actor and director,doing theater, television commercials and films: “Blink-and-you’ll-miss-me kind of things.” He then spent 15 years as a teacher and coach at his alma maters, Sts. Peter and Paul School and La Salle High School in Miami.

When he knew he wanted to be a priest:

“When I had matured enough … I dated enough that I could have married. I thought about it a couple of times. But I thought the lifestyle was too restricted. … I always felt that I needed to be freer to engage in ministry. I would have driven my wife nuts.”

What he would be doing if he had not become a priest:

“The same thing I was doing before, teaching and coaching. I loved it. It wasn’t like I became a priest because I was miserable doing what I was doing before. I just felt called to do this.”

Who was most surprised by his vocation:

“Myself. It’s funny, not too many people were surprised. … At one time I had a girlfriend who would say to me, ‘Stop talking to me with that priest’s voice of yours.’”

What the seminary did not prepare him for:

“I haven’t been too surprised by anything I’ve seen in ministry. I spent 10 years in the entertainment industry and worked with coaches. I was ready for anything.”

‘I admire Jesus, the way he lived, the fact that he was a regular guy, a people’s man. He found joy and life in the little things and helped people discover that. ’

Favorite priestly assignment:

“They’re all good. As long as you give me people, I’m happy.”

Greatest joy:

“Hanging out with Jesus; hanging out with people; enjoying the little things of life. That’s what it’s about.”

His description of the ideal priest:

“You need to be a regular guy. … What gives credibility to the faith is not what you do but how you relate to people. Jesus changed history not so much because of what he did but because of the way he related to the people who came to him. He showed them that within every ordinary event, the extraordinary was hidden there. That’s my whole spirituality, finding the extraordinary in the ordinary.”

When he knew he wanted to be a priest:

“I must have been either 11 or 12 years old.”

Person or event that triggered his vocation:

“My aunt was instrumental. She spoke to me about it quite a bit. She must have seen something in me. There was also a missionary who after hearing my confession asked me if I would ever consider the priesthood.”

Persons most surprised by his vocation:

“No one. … My mother may have tried to tell me to consider a career in business to help support the family. My father died in 1973, only a year before I entered the seminary. My mother was left caring for my four older sisters and two younger brothers.”

What the seminary did not prepare him for:

“They could have done more to teach us how to run a parish, deal with the finances. I had to learn a lot on my own. Also, they did not prepare us enough on how to deal with social situations. In my case, in Burundi we never discussed in the seminary the problems of the country and how to deal with them as a priest.”

What he would be doing if he had not become a priest:

“Either a businessman or a teacher. I felt a strong calling to teach during my high school years until my call to the priesthood became too strong to ignore.”

"Celibacy is difficult but beautiful."

The most difficult aspect of being a priest:

“Celibacy is difficult but beautiful. Obedience is also a challenge. As priests we pledge our obedience to our bishop. In Africa it was challenging to be obedient because situations change so often.”

His description of the ideal priest:

“He would love God very deeply, love his people. … In loving your people you must live their joys and sufferings. You must be part of it. A good priest must also be well educated and know and teach the faith.”

A priestly stereotype that he feels should be discarded:

“Priests should avoid being put on pedestals. We should be brothers among brothers and sisters. If people saw us that way then maybe they would have a better understanding of the priesthood and be willing to pray more for vocations and their priests.”

His journey to the priesthood:

He entered the seminary in Madrid, Spain, at 17, and left at 21. "It was the early 1970s. We were revolutionaries. We went to live in the poor neighbourhoods of Madrid, in groups of five. (We) decided that we had to study theology among the people." Eventually, he left theological studies altogether. "I had a crisis of faith. I wanted to discover what it was to live life. I wanted to prove that I could be successful in business and be a normal person."

What he did before becoming a priest:

He started his own business, transporting and delivering newspapers. Before that, in order to support himself as an "in-the-world" seminarian, he worked summers as a bellboy and waiter in Geneva, Switzerland. He also briefly drove a cab. "The tourists would get mad at me because I didn't know the streets of Madrid, and they thought I was cheating them."

A knock on the door:

By age 27, he had built a successful business, owned a large house in Madrid and "lived really well." One night, while he was getting ready to throw a party, an elderly couple knocked on his door, suitcases in hand. They needed a place to stay. He tried to shut the door on them "but it wouldn't close. It was like something was stuck. I remembered the Gospel passage, 'Whatever you do to the least of my brothers' I thought of my parents in the same situation." He relented, but warned the couple that it was only for one night. They stayed with him for two years. "I wanted to know nothing about God. When they came to my house and knocked on my door, they gave me back my vocation."

"I had a crisis of faith.I wanted to prove that I could be successful in business and be a normal person."

Why he ultimately became a priest:

"I found out that money didn't bring me happiness. I was looking for something that would give meaning to my life. When I entered the seminary the first time, I thought I was missing something, and I didn't want to be a frustrated priest."

Being one with the people:

At his first assignment, the predominantly Cuban Sts. Peter and Paul Parish in Miami, he strived to fit in. "I would invite myself to eat in (parishioners') homes," telling them that he loved "peccadillo" and black beans. After the first two weeks of eating that every night, he got up on the pulpit again and said, "I would like to change the menu."

When he knew he wanted to be a priest:

"I started thinking about it when I was in eighth grade. Throughout high school it was an idea that kept coming back to me. Sometimes yes, sometimes no, but it definitely kept coming back. ... While there were many things that I could do and do well, this was the one thing where I felt I could give the best I had to give and be the most fulfilled."

What he would be doing if he had not become a priest:

His intended major in college was education. "It's very interesting that, these many years later, the church has come to me and asked me to fulfill a need by studying special education. So it's come full circle. In a sense, I gave that up to enter the seminary and now it has been given back to me."

Greatest disappointment:

"If you turn disappointments over to God, they don't become great. So I don't worry about those."

Greatest joy:

"Sharing with people in the important moments of their lives, the joyful ones as well as the sorrowful ones."

Most difficult aspect of being a priest:

"Being unable to meet the overwhelming needs that are being presented to you. Being unable to be in three places at once and wanting to meet those needs."

Priestly stereotype that should be discarded:

"That priests are supposed to be angels in human form rather than human beings who walk with the community."

"In a sense, I gave that up (a career in education) to enter the seminary and now it has been given back to me."

How others describe him:

"I've been told I have a raucous laugh." When he was at Epiphany, "it was a vocabulary word and the kids were not getting it. So the teacher said, 'Father Michael has a raucous laugh.' And the kids got it."

What he did before becoming a priest:

"I began working when I was 15, went to college and became an elementary school teacher for the public school system in Miami-Dade County."

When he knew he wanted to be a priest:

"At age 19 I thought of becoming a Franciscan brother. The call to become a priest was not in the beginning, it developed slowly under spiritual guidance. I didn't begin the seminary until I was 28 years old."

Person or event that triggered his vocation:

"After I read the life of St. Thomas de Celano (one of the first followers of St. Francis of Assisi) and reading about the radical decision to leave everything behind and follow the Lord. Being involved in parish ministry fueled my desire to serve the Church."

Person most surprised by his vocation:

"My family at first because they didn't understand; also the principal at the school where I taught. I remember she said, 'I have goose bumps,' when I told her I was going into religious life."

What the seminary did not prepare him for:

"I would have benefited from learning more about the fundamentals of the biblical languages and Latin since we are committed to read, study, preach and teach the sacred Scripture as part of our way of life."

'I do thank God for calling me and using me as his instrument in spite of my unworthiness.'

What he would be doing if he had not become a priest:

"Teaching elementary school and special education. I was very happy doing that!"

Favorite priestly assignment:

"Serving the poor in the inner city and serving the Virgin Mary."

The most difficult aspect of being a priest:

"This question reminds me of John 15:20: 'No slave is greater than his master, if they persecute me they will also persecute you.' The hatred and persecution that Jesus suffered is also our own suffering as priests."

A priestly stereotype that he feels should be discarded:

"People think that in order for a priest to be truly happy he needs to be married, and that simply isn't true."

A 3-year-old Msgr. Oscar Castañeda is pictured here dressed as a cowboy in his native Moron, Cuba.

Why did you leave a secular career to become a priest?

“When I went to college, I volunteered to lead rosary at lunch. A priest told my mother I should be a priest. I thought that was strange. In Miami, I got involved at St. Agatha and became friends with Father (now Bishop Felipe) Estevez. People kept saying I should become a priest. I decided I’d go to seminary; if I didn’t like it, I’d leave. But when I got there, it just felt right.”

Person/persons most surprised by your vocation:

“My family. My mother asked if I had to do it. I partied a lot. I wasn’t wild and crazy, but I danced a lot. I had a fun-loving life.”

Did the priesthood make you give up fun?

“I have fun in different ways. I like lively Masses. I’m always bobbing with the music.”

‘ I like lively Masses. I’m always bobbing with the music.’

Favorite priestly assignment:

“Everywhere. The culture is so egoistic that if we’re unhappy, (we think) it’s because of the people around us. Happiness comes from making the best of the surroundings.”

How do you like to spend time off ?

“Sometimes I go with friends to movies or dinner. For restaurants, I always like to try something new. And I like gardening.”

“‘Lincoln.’” He said, ‘Your compass may be true north, but you may have to go there by an indirect way.’ The lesson was that to get to a goal, you have to compromise.”

Last book read:

“‘The Infancy Narratives of Jesus of Nazareth,’ by Pope Benedict XVI. He comes with insight, speculating into the minds of the Gospel characters.”

Other interests:

Football. The Hurricanes and the Dolphins. “I like to go to the games at Sun Life Stadium just down the road.”

Person you most admire:

Person you most admire: “One is Nelson Mandela, for how he brought South Africa from the brink of civil war.”

Your most memorable spiritual experience:

“My ordination. I was tired because I’d been doing a lot of work. When they put me on the floor, I was afraid I’d fall asleep. But just after Archbishop (Emeritus John C.) Favalora anointed my hands, I felt a peace come over me.”

When he knew he wanted to be a priest:

When he was between 4 and 6 years old, he was impressed by the “extreme kindness” of Father Joseph Lepevedic, a priest who was very close to his family. “He gave the last rites to my grandmother and when he gave her the last rites he said, ‘Bye, and I will see you in heaven.’ A couple of days after my grandmother died, he died. … That is when I said I want to be somebody like that when I grow up.”

What he did before becoming a priest:

“I made more money at interior design so that is what I did after high school.”

Who was most surprised by his vocation:

“Nobody really. I ran into a friend that I have not seen in about five years, and she told me, ‘Everybody always knew that you wanted to be a priest.”

Current responsibilities:

“Because this is a community that needs to be built up (physically and spiritually), I am involved with everything. I scrape, I mop, I do educational things.”

What he does on his days off:

“I don’t have any. If I have spare time, I do garden work around the church.”

Favorite movie:

“Quo Vadis” (1951)

Vocation moment:

“My whole life I have been very close to the church. Because of my situation with my family (I had) to postpone going to the seminary to become a priest. But (the idea) was always there.”

"Somebody who has his feet on the ground; being yourself and knowing yourself."

What he would be doing if he had not become a priest:

“A design consultant, a large-scale operation that would deal with all phases (of design).”

Favorite priestly assignment:

“It is difficult to choose just one” but first on the list is the migrant ministry in Virginia, where he worked when he was a seminarian. “You had to be there to defend the people when they were being mistreated.”

Greatest disappointment:

“The outlook you get in the seminary is completely different from what comes outside. Life outside is a big adjustment.”

Titles of his doctoral dissertations:

Moral theology: "The Fetus as Medical Patient: Moral Dilemmas in Prenatal Diagnosis From the Catholic Perspective." Genetics: "The Relationship Between the Structure and the Function of Chromosomes."

What he did before becoming a priest:

After graduating from FIU, he got a job taking care of tropical aquarium fish at a fish farm on Sunset Drive in Miami. "It was a lot of fun. I would take care of the fish all day. The weekends I would be sailing and diving and dating and dancing – and I was getting paid for it."

What he would be doing if he had not become a priest:

Marine biologist.

"My best recommendation for TV is to shoot it before you throw it out the window."

Vocation moment:

"I love nature. Through nature, I had a deeper relationship with God." As a teacher, he also "wanted to reach the teenagers at a deeper level, a more spiritual level; especially to try to help them not commit some of the mistakes that I had made when I was a teenager." Finally, taking care of his bedridden mother for more than a year "brought forth a generosity in my life." Until then, "I would have said 'I'll be a nun before I become a priest.' Those were the chances."

Celibacy:

"That was a big sacrifice, and it is daily," although it has a practical advantage: "just being available for the people."

Favorite sacrament:

Confession, "because I've had to use it a lot. But seriously, to think that people, total strangers, come to us with their conscience in their hands. They tell us things they don't tell their spouse. It's a very privileged moment that we have."

What he does for fun:

Scuba diving and sailing.

Favorite movies:

"It's a Wonderful Life" and "The Passion of the Christ."

When he knew he wanted to be a priest:

"I tried going into the seminary right after high school and it didn't work.
I was too young, too immature." Years later, he began questioning his choice again: "During a New Year's Eve party in which I was having the best time,
I stopped and looked around and said, is this what
I want? And the answer was very clear. No. That is not for me."

Later still, during a visit to the missions in Honduras, he realized his call was to the priesthood:

"Coming in contact with the dirt poor people made me want to make a difference. The priesthood came up as the way to make a difference. Of course, there are other ways. But that was my way, the gift being offered to me."

His description of the ideal priest:

"First of all, a human being filled with love for life and God and deep faith that, in and though that broken humanity, God blesses the world. You have to be filled with life, definitely."

What he would be doing if he had not become a priest:

"A teacher or a pilot. I love to tach and I love planes."

"I am successful when I know that the person has been touched by the spirit of Christ - when I have facilitated that encounter. You see the fruits. You see the change. Those are moments of sucess."

Greatest disappointment:

"9/11. Disappointment at our own humanity, that we are capable of doing something like that."

Greatest joy:

"9/11. I was so angry in the morning, and by the afternoon, I saw how human beings are capable of the highest, heroic choices."

Person he most admires:

Gandhi. "I think he was an incredible man who was able to free a country without shooting a gun."

Vocation moment:

An altar server since fourth grade, he attended a high school with a “very vibrant Catholic atmosphere.”

One day, the librarian, a nun, asked him what he wanted to do with his life. His reply, “I'll probably be a teacher.” Her reply, “You're going to be a priest. I am going to pray for you every day so that you'll be a priest.” Another time, he was playing golf with the priest who was principal of the high school who told him, “You just might have what it takes to be a priest.” He gave up a full scholarship to the University of Dayton to enter the seminary at 17. “I went in willing to give it a try, one year at a time.” By senior year, “It was obvious this is what I wanted to do.”

Who was most surprised by his vocation:

“My father: He was a nonpracticing Catholic during all my growing up years.” After Father Davis was ordained, “he started going to church and is now a daily communicant.”

"Sometimes I feel like Obi Wan or Luke Skywalker with the light saber, battling the forces of evil."

What he would be doing if he had not become a priest:

“I wanted to be a dentist, an astronaut for NASA, a pilot for Delta Airlines.” He also could have followed in his father's and grandfather's footsteps - both of them were local golf professionals - and joined the PGA.

Greatest disappointment:

“I have not been able to be directly responsible for someone going into the seminary” even though he has worked hard at Archbishop Carroll High School to create “an environment where vocations are possible.”

Hobbies:

“I do love to travel. I've been to all 50 states and like to go to other countries. I find that a spiritual experience, to discover God in new places.”

Favorite movie:

“I'm not a movie buff. I love “Star Wars” though. I have all the DVDs.”

His biggest challenge:

“To maintain the spiritual disposition of the priesthood in an otherwise secular job description. Most of what I do (as president and principal of a high school) does not require me to be a priest.”

His description of the ideal priest:

"Someone who prays and knows how to teach others to do that. Also, someone who is able to help people make the connection between God's word and their life."

Greatest joy:

"It's a repeat experience. When somebody comes and is able to express to me that my ministry has made a difference and enabled them to connect with God."

Priestly stereotype that should be discarded:

"That the priest has a better or more direct connection with God than lay people do."

Times he has failed as a priest:

"When I spoke too quickly, too harshly. Mostly cases of putting my foot in my mouth. Depending on the circumstances, you don't always get a second chance."

What the seminary did not prepare him for:

"The seminary gives you a foundation of theological knowledge. But the priesthood is mostly on-the-job training."

" It's a repeat experience. When somebody comes and is able to express to me that my ministry has made a difference and enabled them to connect with God."

Person, other than Christ, that he most admires:

"The late Msgr. Dominic Barry, my pastor as a kid at Immaculate Conception Parish in Hialeah. He was the epitome of a good pastor, an excellent image of what a good shepherd should be."

Thing he most fears:

"Nothing. We're in God's hands. God holds us and sustains us. There's no place we can go outside of God's providence. So I don't know that there's anything I fear."

What he does on his days off:

"I sleep late. I either go to the movies or watch videos. I catch my breath."

Hobbies:

Wrestling and rugby. He used to coach wrestling at Columbus High School and play rugby on the weekends but he cannot do that anymore. "It works on a teacher's schedule. It doesn't work on a parish priest's."

What he did before becoming a priest:

He worked part-time and during the summer delivering newspapers, cleaning up in a pizza parlor, pumping gas, bagging groceries and making deliveries.

When he knew he wanted to be a priest:

About a year-and-a-half after graduating from high school, while studying pre-med at Miami Dade College. "I had a conversion experience.I saw the need for priests."

What he would be doing if he had not become a priest:

"I always wanted to be a doctor or in medicine." He still keeps up with topics in bioethics.

His Greatest joy:

"Being able to be present to people in moments of need.You can make a difference in people’s lives."

Most difficult aspect of being a priest:

"Being open to the person that you have before you, being non-judgmental. We have a tendency to judge and to solve and give the correct answer right away. We just have to listen and walk with people."

His description of the ideal priest:

"There’s no such thing as an ideal priest, in a sense.
The ideal priest is the man who is able to be comfortable with himself, transparent before God and others, and be there for others."

"I turn out much better than I should have."

A priestly stereotype that should be discarded:

"That priests are know-it-alls and solve-it-alls. Unfortunately, sometimes priests believe that."

His harshest critic:

"Myself."

Who was most surprised by his vocation:

"My brothers and sisters - they know me. You’re never a prophet in your own home." One girlfriend told him his decision was "a waste of brains."

What the seminary did not prepare him for:

"The burden of the bills and the building fund and this whole reality that takes energy away from pastoral work."

When he knew he wanted to be a priest:

"From early on in high school I kept the idea only to myself as an amazing dream."

Person or event that triggered his vocation:

"I was very blessed as an adolescent to know 'Padre Aleido,' a very zealous and holy priest. One day he took my hands and said, 'These hands could consecrate the body of Christ.' I remained in shock and bewildered, not really understanding his words — it was a very sacred moment. Undoubtedly the seeds were then sown." That priest was Miami's retired Auxiliary Bishop Agustín Román, who has remained his friend and mentor for more than 40 years.

Persons most surprised by his vocation:

"My father. When I broke the news he felt let down, as I would feel if a son of mine would join the Hare Krishna. Within a year I could feel he was happy over the idea of becoming the father of a priest, an idea he had never considered."

What the seminary did not prepare him for:

"I was trained immediately after the Council of Vatican II. It certainly did not prepare me to deal with the very subtle crisis that came simultaneously with the great work of renewal of the Holy Spirit. I have a great gratitude for the great pontificate of John Paul II. His courageous leadership brought clarity and a vision which the whole Church needed at the end of the '70s."

' A pastor of a parish (is) the best job in the Catholic Church.'

What he would be doing if he had not become a priest:

"Signs point to being an educator, a university professor perhaps; also I would have chosen to contribute in the field of international development and world peace."

Favorite priestly assignment:

"A pastor of a parish, the best job in the Catholic Church."

Most difficult aspect of being a priest:

"To live immersed in a living paradox or in an immense gap: on one side being a channel of God's mystery, on the other side at the same time being a very limited fragile individual who is also a sinner. … St. Paul expressed it perfectly: 'We carry the treasure in earthen vessels that the all-surpassing power may be of God and not from us' (2 Cor 4:7)."

The future Bishop Estévez is shown here as a 4-year-old, playing with a goat in his native Matanzas, Cuba.

Most rewarding aspect of being a priest:

"The celebration of the Eucharist."

His description of the ideal priest:

"The ideal priest is really the holy, totally self-giving priest. The example is John Paul II — hard to match."

Hobbies:

He loves music, long walks during which he prays the rosary, tennis and baseball. His favorite team is the Florida Marlins.

What he does on his days off:

He plays golf year-round with three pastor friends: "The Tuesday game is almost sacrosanct."

When he knew he wanted to be a priest:

"In my fourth year of high school." His father wanted him to follow in his footsteps and be a teacher. "I squandered the money he sent me to apply for admission to teachers' training college."

What he would be doing if he had not become a priest:

An attorney or an engineer - his debate club experience would have been useful in a career in law and his love of math would have served him well as an engineer.

Favourite movie:

"The Paper Chase"

Favourite TV program:

"The O'Reilly Factor"

What the seminary did not prepare him for:

"The challenges regarding finances in parish administration, such as budgeting, fundraising and stewardship. You have to find your own way through that."

Favourite priestly assignment:

Recruiting seminarians from Ireland for the Diocese of Miami during the 1960s: "Every September it was a battle. About 20 to 30 diocese were vying to recruit seminarians." Among those he recruited: Father Peter Lambert (pastor, St. Clement, Pompano);, Father Gabriel O'Reilly (Pastor, St. David, Davie); Father Edmond Prendergast (Pastor, St. Bonaventure, Davie); Father Michael Quilligan (Pastor, Annunciation, Hollywood); the Dalton brothers, Father Brendan (Pastor, St. Bernadette, Hollywood) and Father Bryan (Pastor, St. Ambrose, Deerfield Beach); Father James Murphy (Pastor, Our Lady of the Lakes, Miami Lakes); Father Timothy Hannon, (Pastor, St. Anthony, Fort Lauderdale).

"I fear retirement. I don't know what I'd do."

Most difficult aspect of being a priest:

"Being chained to a desk & enmeshed in administration."

His description of the ideal priest:

"One who is engrossed in apostolic work founded on a prayer life to which one devotes sufficient time. One's energy flows from an adequate prayer life."

Priestly stereotype that should be discarded:

"The expectation or concept that priests deserve special treatment or privileges in the ordinary affairs of life."

When he knew he wanted to be a priest:

At age 18, and then again at 34: “Every couple of years I would have the urge to go back but I would say, no, I’m enjoying my life.” Finally, while working at a hotel in Florida, a Jewish lady who knew nothing of his background said to him, “Have you ever thought of becoming a priest?” A year later, “I made a deal with God. I’ll call (the seminary). They’ll tell me I’m too old. And then you’ve got to leave me alone.” It didn’t work out that way: “If God wants you, God gets you.”

What he would be doing if he had not become a priest:

“I would be doing hotel management, which I loved.”

What he does on his days off:

“I like to be able to sleep late in the morning and go out to dinner or lunch with friends.”

Favorite TV series:

“The Daily Show with Jon Stewart”

‘If God wants you, God gets you.’

Favorite priestly assignment:

“I love the parish because it’s varied. I’ve had it where I’m burying somebody in the morning and marrying somebody in the afternoon … In parishes, people let you into their lives at the most difficult and joyous moments. And this is a great gift of being a priest.”

Greatest disappointment:

“That there is still war in the world. I’m a big advocate of peace. I just see absolutely no sense to the violence.”

Greatest joy:

“My family.”

Most difficult aspect of being a priest:

“It seems there are not enough hours in the day to do everything. And those are the days you’re going to get these sick calls and have to go to the hospital. That’s when I remember the saying, ‘If you want to make God laugh, make a plan.’”

His description of the ideal priest:

“A man of prayer, a man with a sense of humor, and a man who can recognize Christ in everyone.”

On his delayed vocation:

“For the longest of time I resisted his calling. One day I said, why am I fighting? I thought money would make me happy. I thought fame would make me happy. I thought power would make me happy. When I chose not to be rich to become a priest, I became the happiest… Finally I was doing God’s will and not mine.”

Who was most surprised by his vocation:

“The one person in my family who was not surprised was my dad. He said, ‘I kind of expected it 20 years ago. What took you so long?’”

On being an attorney:

“I love the law. Having been a lawyer has helped me be a more effective priest, because I can get my thoughts across to people.”

On choosing criminal law:

“I like jury trials. I have to be with people. I just get energized by people.”

On becoming a canon lawyer:

“I thought that I was done with the law… I’m convinced God has an enormous sense of humor.”

On celibacy:

All the years he was a lawyer, he knew God was calling him to the priesthood. So he attended Mass daily and led a celibate life. “If you do not have the grace to live (celibacy) beforehand, then you should have the humility to decline.”

"When I chose not to be rich to become a priest, I became the happiest… “

On temptation:

“Just because we’re priests doesn’t mean we’re above it all.” He goes to confession at least twice a month, preferably once a week: “It is not because I’m in grave sin. It is because I wish to avoid sin.”

On obedience:

“I knew obedience was going to give me a lot of headaches, because I had been on my own so many years.” So before entering the seminary, “I sold my Mercedes. All of my properties I placed in trust for the benefit of my parents. I would allow only $50 a month for my personal expenses.… I had to physically tell myself, you have to enter this discipline.”

Priestly stereotype that should be discarded:

“We are not walking about in clouds or sitting on high pedestals. My connection with God is no different than the people I serve. In fact, I know that their connection is a better connection. Mine has static.”

On studying for the priesthood:

"When I was a kid I was not much attracted to studies. I said to the Lord when I graduated from high school, the shorter the career, the better. Like always, the Lord has a good sense of humor. So he said, 'Oh, yeah, you're going to study eight years for the priesthood.'"

Why the priesthood:

"I wanted to serve people. Really, the life of the priest did not interest me. What attracted me was the service that the priest does for the community."

Seminary life:

"It was my first time away from home and I was learning English. God wanted me to stay, because it was a terrible year, difficult to adjust."

Good advice from a fellow priest:

"You cannot live better than your parishioners." - Father Juan Lopez, pastor, Sts. Peter and Paul Parish, Miami.

What he does on his days off:

"I go to Miami and eat with friends.

Favorite TV series:

"Friends" (he has a collection of episodes) and "The Golden Girls": "I learned English watching 'Golden Girls.'"

How he makes decisions:

"I always go to the tabernacle and pray to the Lord."

What he would be doing if he had not become a priest:

"I probably would have finished accounting and be in business - maybe selling, like my father."

Greatest frustration:

"Some of our regulations are a little strict for our people. But it's part of our faith. It's part of our tradition. And you have to follow them."

"I don't want someone to leave the Church because of me."

Difficult moment:

During the height of the priestly sexual abuse crisis in 2002: "Do I need to be in this? I can be an active parishioner like my father is. I don't need to be labeled as one of them."

Most difficult aspect of being a priest:

"To always make sure that what you do, you do it right ... I don't want someone to leave the church because of me."

His early entrance into the seminary:

"I’m one of the last lifers." His first day of school in 1966 there were 36 in the class. "I was the only one out of the class to be ordained."

When he knew he wanted to be a priest:

"It first hit me when I was 10 or 11, when I started serving Mass." He played at Mass at home, wearing a Superman cape for robes and using nickel-size candy wafers as Communion. "It was a way of imitating what you saw at Mass. There was a majesty and a beauty (there)." Then he went to an ordination at St. Mary Cathedral and "I was just blown away by the dedication that I saw."

What he would be doing if he had not become a priest:

An architect or someone involved in politics. "Both work on building the physical and also building a better life for people, a better community."

What he did before becoming a priest:

At age 12, he played the organ at weekend Masses at Christ the King and Holy Rosary in Perrine. He left the seminary for a while and worked as a salesman in the commissary of an Air Force base, but he was not really good at it. "I always would tell people, this is a good deal or a bad deal."

"Once the priest thinks he’s better than the people, that’s the beginning of the destruction of his vocation."

What he does on his days off:

"I love going out to dinner with priest friends. Anything where you can relax and enjoy being with people who understand what your daily life is about."

Favorite TV series:

"I’m a newsaholic. I watch a lot of (talk shows) until my blood pressure goes up. That’s the political side of me."

Greatest joy:

"Celebrating the Eucharist."

His description of the ideal priest:

"Christ is the ideal priest. All we can attempt to do is be the alter Christi, try to be like Christ."

What he did before becoming a priest:

He worked at an A&P grocery store as a bagger,stocker and checker, even mopping floors onoccasion. He also helped his dad mow lawns andwas a caddy at a golf course. One summer heworked as a security guard at United States SugarCorporation - seven days a week, from midnightto 7 a.m., swatting mosquitoes and punching aclock when he made rounds every half-hour.

When he knew he wanted to be a priest:

“If anything I was sure I didn’t want to be a priestwhen I was in high school. I had a misconceptionthat it would be a very boring life, that the semi-nary would be the most boring place in the world.My vocation wasn’t a sudden revelation; it hap-pened sometime during my time in the seminary. I grew into (the idea of becoming a priest). Someof the most wonderful people I have met in mylife were at the seminary.”

What he would be doing if he had not become a priest:

Teaching.

Who was most surprised by his vocation:

“Myself. I really didn’t think I was going to lastmore than a couple of months in the seminary.”

"Life is difficult; it is the wiseperson who can embrace that truth."

Current responsibilities:

In addition to his duties as pastor, he is responsi-ble for St. Maurice’s religious education programand oversees 43 active ministries at the parish.Along with volunteers of the parish’s “WreckingCrew,” he helps mow lawns, pick up trash, trimweeds and clean bathrooms on Fridays andSaturdays. “There are so many different dimen-sions to (being a priest). You have to specializein so many different things.”

What he does on his days off:

“I visit friends and enjoy their company. I usedto play golf and tennis but had to give up thosesports because of weakness in my arms.”

Favorite movie:

“Midnight Cowboy.” “I like the story. It’s abouttwo very struggling people making their way inlife, how they help one another. They have thisdignity about them.”

His description of the ideal priest:

“Somebody who is very pastoral, very kind and agreat preacher, and someone who relates wellwith people.”

What he did before becoming a priest:

He was a disc jockey on a college radio station and during afternoon drive time on a “real” station, WETZ-AM in upstate New York. “That’s where the name ‘Happy Hoyer’ comes from. Someone said I was the happiest person they had ever met and the name stuck.”

Vocation moment:

Father Hoyer was taught by the Marist brothers in elementary school. “We had lots of interaction with priests of the parish and school.The nuns, priests and brothers looked for and prayed for vocations. Vocations were positively presented, and they were looked upon favorably in the home. Being a priest is never dull, always challenging and never boring. Where else could I have more fun?”

What he does on his days off:

“I try to catch up with work.” He also enjoys traveling, and has visited Europe and Greece, as well as Fatima and Lourdes.

Favorite type of music:

Disco

Favorite TV show:

“The Amazing Race.” “It’s nice to see places you’ve been to and you want to go to.”

Favorite movie:

“The Good, The Bad and The Ugly” starring Clint Eastwood. Although he enjoys movies, he reads the reviews before deciding which ones to see. “The bad language and the violence (of today’s movies) are real turn-offs.”

What the seminary did not prepare him for:

The financial rules, regulations and legal aspects of running a parish. He remembers taking a management course in the seminary and having a good comprehension of what was being taught because of his exposure to the “business world” - his family’s ice cream store, where he learned about payroll taxes, accounting and sales taxes. His father read The Wall Street Journal every day.

Favorite aspect of ministry:

Celebrating Mass with the children. “They are eager to listen and learn. The kids are good here.”

Most difficult aspect of being a priest:

Trying to be all things to all people and trying to satisfy everyone. “It’s very hard, you just have to prioritize. Pray and hope you make the best decisions.”

What he did before becoming a priest:

He worked for First National Bank in the marketing department, promoting one of the first ATMs. “They were called Quick 'n' Easy back then.”

When he knew he wanted to be a priest:

“I was looking for answers and I knew the Lord had them. I wasn't too happy where I was in my life and I definitely couldn't see myself promoting ATMs for the rest of my life.” Toward the end of his studies at FIU, “I would go to the Blessed Sacrament late at night. However, there really weren't any churches nearby that were open late, so I would stand outside the windows of the old church of St. Brendan, now the parish hall, and all I could see was the red glow from the sacramental candle. I would be there for a long while, looking for the answers I knew he had for me.”

After a while, he realized that St. John Vianney Seminary was right next door and did have late-night adoration. “So I drove up and walked in like I owned the place, and I wasn't leaving until I got some answers. I did that for a while before the rector was notified that I was doing this, and I wasn't even a seminarian.”

Over time, he discovered his call to be “with (Christ) and in him.”

" The reality is that you gain even more than you could ever sacrifice. The Lord gives so much. "

What he would be doing if he had not become a priest:

“Probably still marketing and promoting those ATMs.”

What he does on his days off:

“I own a little 25-foot sailboat, so I enjoy sailing. I get out there on the ocean. I really cherish it.”

Favorite TV series:

“I don't usually get to watch the programs when they're on, but I record them and watch them later. I enjoy political commentary shows.”

Greatest accomplishment:

“Realizing that it's not about my greatest accomplishment, but in helping others accomplish; accomplishing things together and growing in Christ.”

When he knew he wanted to be a priest:

At age 7, he was inspired by the example of his parish priest, Father Jean-Marie Vincent, who was murdered in Haiti in 1994. “He was a very down-to-earth priest” who played soccer with the kids, brought bands to the town and helped the peasants. “To me that was the perfect image of a priest who established a balance between the spiritual and the temporal.” He did not think about the priesthood again until age 19. “I was in search of meaning in my life. That’s when I began to discern a vocation.” He spoke to a priest in his hometown who gave him two books to read on the lives of Blessed Charles De Foucauld and St. Louis de Montfort. “I think that was the wake-up call in my life. After reading those two books, I felt that God was calling me.”

What he did before becoming a priest:

“I worked one year as an accountant for a French organization.”

Coming to Florida:

He entered the Montfort Fathers in 1989 and was sent to their novitiate in France, but realized he did not want to become a religious priest. While visiting family in south Florida in 1991, he met people who told him, “We need priests here. Why should you go back to Haiti?” He met Father Thomas Wenski (now bishop of Orlando) and spent the summer at Notre Dame d’Haiti, working alongside another young Haitian (now Father Robés Charles of Divine Mercy Haitian Mission in Fort Lauderdale). That’s when he decided, “The Holy Spirit knows what he’s doing. I’m going to let myself be carried by the winds of the Holy Spirit.”

"I believe that God is on my side wherever I go."

On language:

He spoke neither English nor Spanish when he entered St. John Vianney Seminary. He now speaks English and Spanish in addition to French and Creole, and is trying to learn Ibo, a Nigerian language. “The role of the church is to preach integration, not isolation or assimilation. … The more languages you know, the more world is open to you.”

What he does on his days off:

Visits his sister in Fort Lauderdale, who is a single mother of three. “I play a father role in the lives of my nephews.”

Greatest joy:

“Being a priest and being a servant of God and of his people. I think that is the greatest blessing in my life.”

When he knew he wanted to be a priest:

"It was only after I came here. I was doing everything else — pursuing a career, I had a girlfriend, I was involved in youth ministry and church. … There was a void in my heart calling me, as if this wasn’t enough.” The climax of his discernment came, by “God-incidence,” on the same date he would later be ordained a priest, May 15: “Jesus appeared to me in a dream. He said, ‘Chanel, come to me.’ I woke up from the dream; never slept the rest of the night. I called up the vocations director that morning and said, ‘I’m entering the seminary"

Person or event that triggered his vocation:

"It’s all a mystery to me. The seed was planted in my heart."

What he would be doing if he had not become a priest:

"Probably a college professor, teaching philosophy or something that has to do with humanity, with the arts. I love philosophy."

What the seminary did not prepare him for:

"There’s no way that I would imagine that I would end up being the chancellor of the archdiocese. The seminary doesn’t prepare you for that."

Most difficult aspect of being a priest:

"To stand in the threshold of being the very incarnation of God is so mind-boggling. Hopefully you know your limitation."

"To stand in the threshold of being the very incarnation of God is so mind-boggling."

His description of the ideal priest:

"To be able to satisfy the hunger that everyone has for the infinite, the divine, for God. That’s where I come in."

Priestly stereotype that should be discarded:

"I know people expect a priest to be a role model and a great human being. That’s as it should be. But we’re certainly not supermen. All of us have to struggle with our limitations."

What he does on his day off:

"He likes to go to the beach. “I simply enjoy the outdoors, read a good book."

What he does on his day off:

Favorite movie:

"Kingdom of Heaven,” “Gladiator,” “Avatar” and other epic-type movies whose message is, “What good would it be for a man to live in this world and not make it a better world?"

When he knew he wanted to be a priest:

He felt the call in fifth grade at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic School in Chicago, where he was an altar server. He would have entered the high school seminary had it not been for the advice of the school's new principal who suggested he attend a "prestigious" public high school instead that focused on math and science. "The whole background of my family being in medicine came back again and I went back to medicine. Priesthood was out of the picture for those years."

Vocation moment:

In 1976, his first year of medical school, there was a huge explosion at a sugar mill in the Dominican Republic. "The 400 men who were burned kept asking for a priest. The only priest was away at a mission. It was very clear to me, seeing all of the doctors and the nurses and 123 men dying, that there was more need for priests than there was for doctors." He decided to quit medicine, but again was advised not to by the seminary rector, who told him "the best thing to do was to finish medical school because that would always be in the back of my mind. God would call me later." God did - in 1983 in New Orleans. "I was giving a keynote speech at a cardiologists' convention. These two gentlemen walked up to me and said, 'Are you a priest?' They were Jesuit physicians." They told him: "Your whole empathy for the patient almost speaks of you being a priest already."

On making the final decision:

"I needed to prove to myself that I could be a good physician - New Orleans was that proof. It was the pinnacle of medicine. So next, I needed to prove that I could be a good priest."

"It was very clear to me, seeing all of the doctors and the nurses and 123 men dying, that there was more need for priests than there was for doctors."

Who was most surprised by his vocation:

"Some of my medical colleagues. They didn't understand it. But in the long run they have come asking for help at times and are glad that I'm there for them. The friendships have remained."

What he did before becoming a priest:

“My parents owned a fish market in Pembroke Pines and both my brother Joseph and I worked there when we were younger.”

When he knew he wanted to be a priest:

“I would say, the age of reason, 7.”

Person or event that triggered his vocation:

“By the time I had my first Communion, I knew I wanted to do what the priest did. I wanted to stand at the altar and make Jesus present. My vocation stems from the liturgy of the Church.”

What he would be doing if he had not become a priest:

“Probably work in the food industry, in some aspect of the seafood business. “Before I became pastor of Visitation Parish I was the fine dining food critic for the Miami Herald Broward edition for three years, from 2000 to 2003, and that was a lot of fun.”

The most difficult aspect of being a priest:

“Not living up to people's expectations, even though sometimes their expectations are unreasonable.”

His description of the ideal priest:

“A man who is faithful to Christ, the Church and the liturgy.”

‘My own human failure is my disappointment …’

A priestly stereotype that he feels should be discarded:

“I don't believe there are any, especially in this archdiocese, because we are all so diverse with such a variety of style.”

What he does on his day off:

“I like to cook, I like to fish (shallow water reef fishing), but mainly I like to relax at the parish.”

Favorite movie:

“The “Godfather” trilogy: “Yes, even Godfather III!””

Favorite TV series:

“House” and “No Reservations” with Anthony Bourdain.”

Last book read:

“I just re-read, 'The Leopard' by Giuseppe di Lampedusa and the biography 'John Adams' written by David McCullough.”

Favorite type of music:

"I enjoy music; I like having either classical or opera playing in the background. I have an appreciation for the human voice.”

What did you do before becoming a priest?

He worked at a Sony manufacturing plant. "We built mixing consoles for recording studios. … It was very tedious work. But I did it for eight years. It enabled me to get involved in a lot of ministries. I worked my eight hours and then went to churches."

When did you know you wanted to be a priest?

"Almost immediately after high school, because I just loved what I was doing for the church. … I just wanted to make a difference for God. To be honest, I didn't think that because of my disability, the seminary would give me one look."

Why didn't you continue being a lay person?

"As a lay person, I had been involved in as many things as I could probably be involved in. But it just seemed that God was calling me to something beyond that. I'm very glad I followed up on that because I've been very happy as a priest. I mean, you can only say you're a young adult for how long?"

What would you be doing if you had not become a priest?

"I really thought at different points that I was going to become a youth minister or a young adult minister. (The church) is such a part of my life, I can't imagine my life being not part of that."

What is your disability?

He has cerebral palsy. "It's probably because I was so premature. I was born in the sixth month, which, in 1962, it's quite amazing that I survived."

What is people's reaction to your disability?

"The first two weeks I'm in a parish, people are just so terrified I'm going to fall crashing to the ground.… It's how the Lord made me. I was born with this. I've always had to go through life knowing that there were certain limitations."

"I just wanted to make a difference for God."

What do you do on your days off?

"I read my comics. I do a lot of things that most people do on the weekend, such as go to the dentist, get my hair cut, go to the bank."

What is your favorite movie?

"Godspell" – "I memorized that entire album when I was 9 years old. I put it on and I still enjoy it."

What is the most difficult aspect of being a priest?

"Situations where you have to be in two places at once, and unfortunately, you can't do that … I've had the beeper go off when I'm doing weddings or at the cemetery. … People don't need a priest according to your schedule. They need one according to theirs.Unfortunately, you can't be two places at once."

What is your greatest disappointment?

"That probably falls under my greatest challenge – the times that I'm not able to be there for someone."

What he does on his days off:

"I don't have many days off, but when I do I like to read and shop. I like to go to Disney and the Keys. I played golf for 37 years, but I haven't played since 1992. I had a 10 handicap 30 years ago. Although I never played at Pebble Beach, I had lunch there last summer."

Favourite movie:

"A Man For All Seasons" - "I admire St. Thomas More."

Favourite TV program:

Old movies on AMC (American Movie Classics)

Who was most surprised by his vocation:

"My father and my friends and the guys I hung out with ... I went to the seminary right out of the blue. I didn't tell anyone. My father told me that if I ever wanted to come home, I'd be welcome with open arms."

What he would be doing if he had not become a priest:

"I have no idea ... I probably would have gone on to the university. I would like to have been a doctor, but taking a look at what they had to go through, I don't think I would have made it."

Favourite priestly assignment:

Starting a new parish, St. Cecilia in Fort Myers: "Many priests don't get an opportunity to do that."

"The older I get the more I admire the old priests for their faithfulness, by the grace of God."

Greatest disappointment:

"Every time I was transferred."

Greatest joy:

Celebrating the Eucharist & administering the sacraments.

Most difficult aspect of being a priest:

"Making sure you have enough money to pay the bills. Administration, when you're in it, it's hard to let go of it."

"I don't want someone to leave the church because of me."

His description of the ideal priest:

"Many times we forget that priests are human beings. I don't have an idea of what an ideal priest is. You have to face the aspect that not everyone will like you. I suppose a man who serves the people and in the process keeps his sanity."

Why he came to the United States:

"To come, work, save, help my family and go back after six or seven years." His father had died in 1984, and the family had moved to Guatemala, partly due to the political troubles in Nicaragua. The family's pharmacy had been looted; their grandfather had been kidnapped.

What he did before becoming a priest:

He was one of the first cooks at the McDonald's on S.W. 87th Avenue and 24th Street in Miami. He also worked at Burger King and as a busboy at the Radisson Hotel. At one point, he held three jobs simultaneously. "I'm very proud of it. If you want to work, you will find work. If you want to get ahead, you can get ahead."

When he knew he wanted to be a priest:

He first asked his mother for permission to enter the seminary at 6. At 14, he attended a charismatic retreat for young people. "I remember saying, 'This is what I really want to be.'" His father's response: "Over my dead body." He tried to enter the seminary in Guatemala but his mother asked him to wait. After coming to Miami, "I knew I didn't want to stay (in the United States) to make money but to serve the people. I saw the need here. An immigrant can best understand an immigrant."

"It's almost like God brought me here..."

What he does on his days off:

"I like to go to the beach. I like to go to the gym. I spend a lot of time working in the garden. It puts my mind at ease."

Favorite movie:

"The Lion King."

Favorite TV series:

"The Golden Girls", "Touched by an Angel" and the Discovery Channel.

God's plan:

"It's almost like God brought me here and opened the doors because in less than two years I was in the seminary. It couldn't have been more clear that God wanted me to be here."

His description of the ideal priest:

“Being a priest is the ideal. It’s not so much what you are supposed to do. It’s what you are supposed to be. You can bring this ideal about in your personal life and in the life of others.”

Priestly stereotype that should be discarded:

“That priests are unhappy and our life is a sacrifice and misery. That’s not true. I have so much fun being a priest it’s just incredible.”

What he did before becoming a priest:

While studying for his master’s degree, he used to support himself by playing the organ in churches in Toronto. “Italian churches – can you imagine?”

Favorite book:

“Don Quixote” by Cervantes: “His ability to see what a lot of people couldn’t see. To feel what a lot of people couldn’t feel. To be able to search and find goodness where a lot of people would not be able to find it. I think we need to do that also to believe in a human being so much that finally that person, seeing how much you believe in her, begins to believe in herself.”

Person he most admires, other than Christ:

“My 95-year-old father, a man of faith, of conviction, who cares deeply for the people and who would share the shirt off his back with anybody in need.”

" I discovered in the priesthood that you can do a lot of good. You can be a sign. "

When he knew he wanted to be a priest:

He thought about it after his first Communion. In high school, he considered becoming a musician or a doctor but the idea of the priesthood stayed with him. “My father and mother always prayed for vocations. They always ended their prayer with, ‘if it’s the will of God that a vocation should come out of the family, may the will of God be done.’ I don’t think they were thinking about me. When I began really to think about the priesthood, my father’s prayer became my prayer, basically: Lord, if it is your will that I become a priest, guide me, and may your will be done.”

Who was most surprised by his vocation:

His father, who jokes that he used to believe All Saints Day was the feast for deceased priests and religious until his son became a priest. “Now he knows better. But since I became a priest, I can never get him to call me by my name. He calls me ‘father.’”

What he did before becoming a priest:

“I was studying. I am not a 'late vocation.”

When he knew he wanted to be a priest:

“From an early age, probably around 8 or 9. But that was not a definite. When I became a teenager, I was not 100 percent sure if that was the way I wanted to go. I had some questions and wavering moments, but then, finally, it worked out this way.”

Person or event that triggered his vocation:

“No one, really, but there were people who wanted me to leave my vocation. … My father died when I was 21 and in our culture, the oldest son takes on the family responsibilities. So, when my father died, I was still in the seminary and some members of my family told me, 'It's time to leave the seminary, come home and take care of the family.”

What he would be doing if he had not become a priest:

“I would have taken electronic engineering. Electronics was my hobby. I loved building my own little gadgets.”

What the seminary did not prepare him for:

The business aspect of the Church, administration and finances. “And I don't blame them, because that is not a business school. … You learn things at the parish. That happens in any profession. I don't look at it as a negative.”

‘Electronics was my hobby. I loved building my own little gadgets’

The most difficult aspect of being a priest:

“Trying to please everybody. It's almost impossible.”

His description of the ideal priest:

“The ideal priest is, naturally, Jesus Christ. Can we imitate Jesus Christ 100 percent? We are human beings; we try the best we can.”

On compassion and the law:

“It is always a juggling act trying to be compassionate, understanding, loving, caring and yet to fulfill the requirements of the laws of the Church. Being a canonist, it makes it more difficult because I know the law.”

A priestly stereotype that should be discarded:

That priests have no faults or failures. “Priests are human beings.…They make mistakes.…I don't mean that priests should not be holy; they should be. But we do not always reach the ideal.”

What he does on his day off:

“I wear a different set of clothes and I work in my office during the morning, trying to catch up on all the things that I need to do, and all the paperwork. But in the afternoon, I try to relax a bit and go out for dinner.”

When he knew he wanted to be a priest:

When he left Cuba at the age of 9: “I wasn't sure, so I procrastinated.”

Vocation moment:

In his last year of college at Miami-Dade, he joined a charismatic prayer group: “I really experienced there a new awareness of the Lord and his love and his purposes for us. I had the peace in my heart to make the decision to go into the seminary.”

What he would be doing if he had not become a priest:

“Taking care of the environment.” Before becoming a priest, “I was concerned that we were wrecking our planet. I wanted to do something about it. But then through the prayer group I realized that the root of the problem is that we have drifted away from God. I became aware of Christ's lordship and his calling for us to be a new creation.”

His Navy experience:

After high school, “I was about to be drafted. I had a very low number,” so he simply signed up and put in his four years. “I was never on a ship. I was always in construction work.” After the Navy, he began studying chemical engineering at Miami-Dade College and was accepted to the University of Florida but did not attend. “That's when I decided to change and go into the seminary.”

" The measure of how well the parish is doing is how many people are confessing, because we are all sinners. "

Judging success:

“The measure of how well the parish is doing is how many people are confessing, because we are all sinners.”

What he does on his days off:

“I don't have a day off. I enjoy what I do so much that I don't see my time as being on the job or off the job. I'm just a priest every day.”

Web site:

A Web site he developed 13 years ago www.corazones.org - now has 1 million unique visitors each month, making it one of the top 12,000 of all the Web sites in the world. “I saw right away that this was the wave of the future.”

What he did before becoming a priest:

"I went to school. I worked for the University of Florida as an attorney. I also worked for Reisman & Brynn, a law firm that is no longer in existence, and I handled immigration matters for the Archdiocese of Miami."

Person most surprised by his vocation:

"My friends because they thought I could do good things as a lawyer. They did not see a need for me to be a priest. It seemed radical to them at the time. They are still my friends."

What the seminary did not prepare him for:

"Nothing prepares you for everything. The seminary gave me the tools I needed."

What he would be doing if he had not become a priest:

"I would probably be an attorney, working in legal aid or government work."

Favorite priestly assignment:

"Being the pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes. It is the universal Church in miniature. There are so many cultures. It is such an active community. There are always more things to respond to and develop. I never wake up bored. And the spirit of our community is extraordinarily positive."

The most difficult aspect of being a priest:

"It is seeing the suffering for those who do not respond to Christ. It is knowing that if they gave their life to Christ, it would change their lives. I know the stories of people intimately, and the desperation, hurt and struggle people face. If they would give their life to Christ and believe, it would change everything."

'If (people) would give their life to Christ and believe, it would change everything.'

His description of the ideal priest:

"He loves God and loves his people."

A priestly stereotype that he feels should be discarded:

"The thing about stereotypes is that they are partial truths. They are incomplete. Priests are as different as there are people in the world. People need to realize that."

What he does on his day off:

"I walk. If I have the whole day off, I walk a 15-mile circuit. I have walked El Camino de Santiago three times, and I have been on it a total of eight times. I also visit friends."

How his work with migrants influenced his ministry:

"With migrants, you come to realize what is really significant in your life. The day-to-day story about the migrants was survival — for rent, for food. They always gravitated to the Church. We also had to become their advocates for the state. All that opens you up to what it means to survive and be a human being. And how you're aided by the spiritual."

How alcohol addiction affected his ministry:

"It informs your whole life. I got into AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) and it gave me a whole new understanding of my vulnerability, and how you're not an island unto yourself. And (it provided) a new understanding of God the Father. Prior to that, it was 'Do you believe that God loves you?' But through AA, I experienced it. That influenced my relationship with God, and how I related to others."

What the seminary did not prepare him for:

"The professors had been educated in Rome, so through no fault of their own, they had no idea of the American Church and not much understanding what was going on in American society."

' You get the sense that (Pope Francis) knows how to run a parish.'

Culture shock on coming to U.S.:

"A big cultural shock. Suddenly, you're out here and totally free, and trying to manage your freedom in a responsible way. And how the people viewed Church and priests was very different. … You never saw a priest (in Ireland) except at Mass, and people stayed at a distance. Here, people saw the priest as approachable. They'd invite you to their house."

Hardest part of being a priest:

"Trying to be as available as possible, and trying to be all things to all people. That can eat you up over time. You hope you have enough spiritual life to sustain you."

Biggest challenge facing the Church today:

"To become relevant, to help people make sense of the Gospel message in their daily lives. That gets beyond a lot of the regulations and laws that some people can get caught up in."

Favorite vacation spot:

"Back home in Ireland, on the home farm. And I play a lot of golf, if weather permits. I tell people that overnight, I become the laziest person in the world."

Favorite TV series:

"I watch the news and golf and ESPN. I follow the Dolphins."

What he did before becoming a priest:

“I worked summers in various places while I was at the seminary. I entered the seminary when I was 15 years old. I have worked in libraries, banks and even in maintenance for a while during those summers.”

When he knew he wanted to be a priest:

“I always had an inclination toward the religious life. For a while I wanted to be a (Marist) brother, like those who taught me in school in Cuba. Later on, after I arrived in the Pedro Pan program and stayed in Miami, I decided to join the seminary, for which Msgr. Bryan O. Walsh was very happy.”

Person or event that triggered his vocation:

“Brother Modesto from the Marist School in Cuba and Msgr. Bryan O. Walsh.”

Person most surprised by his vocation:

“My parents and some of my schoolmates and friends.” In fact, he told his parents by phone about his plans, as they were still in Cuba. They suggested he wait until they arrived in the U.S., but that did not happen until 1967. By that time, he was halfway through his seminary years.

His experience in the seminary:

“That’s where I learned that I could sing, that I could write, and Latin and Greek.” When he attended the seminary, only 10 of 200 seminarians were Spanish-speaking. He spent four years at St. John Vianney - the last two years of high school and two years of college - and six more at St. Vincent de Paul. “I used to wake up and say, ‘I’ll never make it.’ Now, nearly 40 years have passed.”

What he would be doing if he had not become a priest:

“I would probably be a teacher. I love to teach and even if I am tired, still draw much nourishment from teaching a group or a class. Also, counseling and spiritual direction - I love that.”

'I love to teach and even if I am tired, still draw much nourishment from teaching a group…'

The most difficult aspect of being a priest:

“For me, as a pastor, knowing that I have to fire an employee, and the funeral of a child.”

His description of the ideal priest:

“A man who can balance prayer, teaching and administration in such a way that his life reflects the values of priesthood with peaceful serenity; a man who sees Christ in others and others see beyond his frailties the Christ that lives in him.”

A priestly stereotype that should be discarded:

“A ‘climber,’ someone who thinks he can ‘feel’ better because he is recognized with titles or positions; someone who displays more clericalism than pastoral outreach.”

When he knew he wanted to be a priest:

During his first year of business and pre-law studies at Stetson University, while attending a retreat: "It was as if a voice was saying to me, 'Be a priest, be a priest.' It was quite audible to me. It was just a very strong urge or message. Finally, I believe I actually said it out loud. I said, 'All right, damn it, I'll do it' ... That I am a priest, that I responded to that call, is one of the things that proves to me there is a God... Why would I have thought of it? Why would I do such a thing?"

Hobbies:

He is a runner (five miles about three times a week) and plays trumpet.

Favourite TV series:

"The West Wing": "It's probably the most accurate program you're going to see when it comes to the freneticism of government."

What he would be doing if he had not become a priest:

Definitely a lawyer, "possibly elected office." His father had been a city councilman and police commissioner in New Jersey.

Happiest times as a priest:

His ministry from 1984-1988 at St. Mary Cathedral in Miami, because of what he learned from the late Msgr. Gerard LaCerra's leadership, the bonds of camaraderie among the staff and the generosity of the parishioners. "We didn't have hot water in the winter. We didn't have air conditioning in summer. We used to fight the roaches for breakfast in the morning."

"The Gospel is not a bunch of words in the pulpit. It has to be brought into action"

Role of priests and laity:

"The clerics are in charge of running the business of the church. But the laity are in charge of running the business of the world."

His 10 years in child welfare:

"God has a weird sense of humour. He called me to be celibate and made me the father of hundreds of kids a year." The job entailed dealing with abused and neglected children and their parents: "We were the God committee. Because we had to decide very often who was going to be a family and who was not going to be a family... We were asked to play God."

On south Florida’s diversity:

“I remember (when) there were no Cubans in Miami. … I remember there was one Spanish speaking kid in my class when I was in grade school, St. Rose of Lima, and he was from Nicaragua.” Today, in Miramar alone, there are people from everywhere in the Caribbean, South America and Central America. “We have a recognizable Filipino community and a significant Nigerian community. South Florida has completely transformed into an international community. I’ve been here since 1955 and I’ve learned two extra languages (Spanish and French), and I haven’t moved.”

What he did before becoming a priest:

“Student. This is not a second career.”

What triggered his vocation:

“Probably my family. I was raised in a family of practicing Catholics. My parents were music teachers and involved in music ministry in different churches. I always kind of grew up very close to the Church and involved in it.”

What he would be doing if he had not become a priest:

“Maybe some social work program or teaching.”

Favorite priestly assignment:

“Where I am right now. … Father David Russell told me years ago, ‘The best job in the Church is being pastor of a parish.’ And it’s true.”

‘I’ve been here since 1955 and I’ve learned two extra languages (Spanish and French), and I haven’t moved.’

View of the priesthood:

“I’m happy, very happy being a priest, very happy with the choice I’ve made. I would make it again.”

Most difficult aspect of being a priest:

“Leadership through sharing vision, not by simply trying to give orders. It’s getting people motivated and directed, whether it’s in terms of spirituality or stewardship.”

His description of the ideal priest:

“Someone who is pastorally sensitive, a good liturgist and preacher, and a good administrator.”

A priestly stereotype that he feels should be discarded:

“That it’s the priest’s Church and the people are helping him run it. … We need priests; there’s no question there. But everybody has responsibilities. That’s the big thing about stewardship: We’re all in this together. It’s not my Church; it’s our Church, and we must find out the different gifts that everybody has, as well as the different responsibilities we can all fulfill.”

When he knew he wanted to be a priest:

“As far back as I can remember, I wanted to be either a priest or a spaceman. Weird combination, I know. Being a priest was probably more realistic. And when I was in first or second grade, Father Hugh Gallagher, the pastor at St. Monica (in Cleveland) said, ‘He’s going to be a priest some day.’”

What he would be doing if he had not become a priest:

“I probably would have gone into some branch of science and taught somewhere. I’m not sure, because once I’d selected the priesthood, I didn’t think of anything else.”

You took a master’s in theology, an academic degree, rather than a master’s in divinity, a ministry degree. Why?

“I have an inclination to be more academic and esoteric.”

Does that affect your ministry today?

“Yeah, I have a tendency to say things that I think are very connected, but they’re not to most people. One Sunday, I gave a homily and said, ‘Think of sin as a black hole. It sits out there eating and destroying.’ People just looked at me like ‘What are you talking about?’”

‘I have an inclination to be more academic and esoteric.’

The hardest part of being a priest:

“Listening to complaints. I try to be patient.”

What he does on his day off:

“I sometimes get away for a couple of days. I go to Cleveland to visit my brother and sister, but I hate traveling. I may also go to Mount Dora to do antique shopping.”

Hobbies:

“I like painting miniatures, especially from ‘Star Trek’ and ‘The Lord of the Rings.’ And I still have a collection of phasers (weapons from ‘Star Trek’) at the house.”

Favorite movie:

“One is ‘The Lord of the Rings.’ I’ve been a fan of (J.R.R.) Tolkien since the books became available in high school. Another favorite film is ‘The Haunting,’ the black-and-white version with Claire Bloom. It’s scary without being gory. A third is the most recent ‘Star Trek.’ They remade the ‘Star Trek’ universe.”

Last book read:

“Information and the Nature of Reality: From Physics to Metaphysics”: “It was on how information can become reality. And how it relates to our faith in God.”

Titles of his doctoral dissertations:

Moral theology: "The Fetus as Medical Patient: Moral Dilemmas in Prenatal Diagnosis From the Catholic Perspective." Genetics: "The Relationship Between the Structure and the Function of Chromosomes."

What he did before becoming a priest:

After graduating from FIU, he got a job taking care of tropical aquarium fish at a fish farm on Sunset Drive in Miami. "It was a lot of fun. I would take care of the fish all day. The weekends I would be sailing and diving and dating and dancing – and I was getting paid for it."

What he would be doing if he had not become a priest:

Marine biologist.

"My best recommendation for TV is to shoot it before you throw it out the window."

Vocation moment:

"I love nature. Through nature, I had a deeper relationship with God." As a teacher, he also "wanted to reach the teenagers at a deeper level, a more spiritual level; especially to try to help them not commit some of the mistakes that I had made when I was a teenager." Finally, taking care of his bedridden mother for more than a year "brought forth a generosity in my life." Until then, "I would have said 'I'll be a nun before I become a priest.' Those were the chances."

Celibacy:

"That was a big sacrifice, and it is daily," although it has a practical advantage: "just being available for the people."

Favorite sacrament:

Confession, "because I've had to use it a lot. But seriously, to think that people, total strangers, come to us with their conscience in their hands. They tell us things they don't tell their spouse. It's a very privileged moment that we have."

What he does for fun:

Scuba diving and sailing.

Favorite movies:

"It's a Wonderful Life" and "The Passion of the Christ."

What he did before becoming a priest:

“Many things, but the last two careers were flight attendant for Eastern Airlines for 10 years, and just before it went on strike I began studying cardiovascular technology. I was a cardiovascular technologist for three or four years.”

When he knew he wanted to be a priest:

At the age of 6, when he watched a movie about the life of St. Francis of Assisi.

Person or event that triggered his vocation:

When he was much older, the death of a friend. “His faith in God was so evident that at the moment of his death, I started wanting what he had – a personal relationship with God. As I began my journey to finding God … the desire to be a priest returned, so I had to act on it. Thank God I did!”

What the seminary did not prepare him for:

“If I had to pick one, I’d say administration. The rest has been an ‘on-the-job training’; it prepares you to learn on the job. The seminary did help me to become a better person and to listen to God, to trust his will and follow his lead.”

What he would be doing if he had not become a priest:

“I would be a cardiovascular technologist or be in a profession where I have to serve the public. All my life I’ve been geared toward people.”

" I have come to understand that everything that I have done in my life has brought me to where I am now. "

Favorite priestly duty:

“As a priest, what I enjoy the most, besides celebrating the Eucharist, is funerals. It is a moment when you bring hope, comfort and healing to the person who mourns the loss of a loved one. Sometimes it even triggers a conversion in members of the family.”

Most difficult aspect of being a priest:

“Accepting and loving everyone just as Jesus does.”

His description of the ideal priest:

“One who is down-to-earth, who recognizes his brokenness and offers it to God; one who is as loving and merciful to (God’s) people as he is able to be, with the grace of God.”

A priestly stereotype that should be discarded:

“That we are perfect and should never make a mistake.”

When he knew he wanted to be a priest:

During his first year of business and pre-law studies at Stetson University, while attending a retreat: "It was as if a voice was saying to me, 'Be a priest, be a priest.' It was quite audible to me. It was just a very strong urge or message. Finally, I believe I actually said it out loud. I said, 'All right, damn it, I'll do it' That I am a priest, that I responded to that call, is one of the things that proves to me there is a God. Why would I have thought of it? Why would I do such a thing?"

Hobbies:

He is a runner (five miles about three times a week) and plays trumpet.

Favourite TV series:

"The West Wing": "It's probably the most accurate program you're going to see when it comes to the freneticism of government."

What he would be doing if he had not become a priest:

Definitely a lawyer, "possibly elected office." His father had been a city councilman and police commissioner in New Jersey.

Happiest times as a priest:

His ministry from 1984-1988 at St. Mary Cathedral in Miami, because of what he learned from the late Msgr. Gerard LaCerra's leadership, the bonds of camaraderie among the staff and the generosity of the parishioners. "We didn't have hot water in the winter. We didn't have air conditioning in summer. We used to fight the roaches for breakfast in the morning."

"The Gospel is not a bunch of words in the pulpit. It has to be brought into action"

Role of priests and laity:

"The clerics are in charge of running the business of the church. But the laity are in charge of running the business of the world."

His 10 years in child welfare:

"God has a weird sense of humour. He called me to be celibate and made me the father of hundreds of kids a year." The job entailed dealing with abused and neglected children and their parents: "We were the God committee. Because we had to decide very often who was going to be a family and who was not going to be a family. We were asked to play God."

What he did before becoming a priest:

He worked for 16 years as an accountant at Florida Power and Light.

When he knew he wanted to be a priest:

“I always knew it, since I was 9 years old. I can’t say the specific date. The desire just kept growing within me.”

What he would be doing if he had not become a priest:

“Accounting, which I actually have to keep doing because I do the bookkeeping for the parish.”

Who was most surprised by his vocation:

“Nobody. Everybody more or less knew it, and they would tell me.”

What the seminary did not prepare him for:

“The administrative aspects (of the priesthood) but thank God I already had that.”

His current responsibilities:

“Everything involved in running a parish: Painting walls, changing lightbulbs, seeing people, keeping the books.”

" My greatest joy was when I was ordained. "

What he does on his days off:

“See friends, visit the mall, sometimes I go to the movies. Instead of being a day ‘off’ it’s a day ‘on’ because I leave everything for that day.”

Greatest joy:

“My ordination.”

Regrets:

“That I didn’t answer God’s call earlier.”

Favorite TV program:

“I don’t watch much television, but sometimes I watch A Mano Limpia (a local Spanishlanguage talk show) with Oscar Haza.”

Favorite movie:

“Marcelino Pan y Vino – it was the first storybook that I read.”

What he did before becoming a priest:

He worked in many different trades, from cleaning offices to delivering pizzas to stripping and waxing floors to telemarketing (where he lasted only one day).

What he does on his days off:

“I make it a point to always visit my father: I try to at least eat one meal with him on my day off.”

Favorite movie:

“Contact” starring Jodie Foster

Favorite TV series:

“The Cosby Show” and “Home Improvement”

"I see how God transforms and that thrill is more awesome than anything else in this life."

When he knew he wanted to be a priest:

He never really considered the priesthood seriously until a year or so before he entered the seminary, but he sees now “that was the end of a well-planned-by-God journey.” His family had always been very connected to the church and as a child he sometimes dreamed of preaching the word of God. At 18, he began to pray, “If it is your will that I become a priest, just show me. The answer was so obvious, so in my face, that I could not recognize it.” Finally, a good friend advised him to try it, reminding him that going into the seminary did not mean he would have to stay. When he first got there, he would wake up in the morning and ask himself, “What have I gotten myself into? But the initial fears and cautions became joyful assurance as the years passed.”

What he would be doing if he had not become a priest:

At first he thought of becoming a veterinarian, then an aerospace engineer, later a pilot.

Greatest disappointment:

“There is so much hurt in my heart when, instead of being a ‘bridge’ (to the divine), I have been in the way I relate to people, when I have been unfaithful to the call in my ministry or in the living of my Christianity a ‘rock of stumble’ for people’s faith.”

Greatest joy:

“When I see the word of God and his grace working with all the force of his mercy, power and majesty in the lives of people who have the courage to receive it.I see how God transforms and that thrill is more awesome than anything else in this life.”

Most difficult aspect of being a priest:

“The frustration I experience continuously is my incapacity to transmit my experience of faith. I see that the message of the Gospel cannot be explained or described. I have come to realize that the only way to share this Good News is to let God burn me and, as I am being consumed by that fire, allow the light of Christ to shine then, get out of his way. Letting God come through is my challenge, and many times, my frustration.”

When he knew he wanted to be a priest:

“When I was about 22 the thought came to me while sitting at Mass one day. I was looking at the priest celebrate Mass and knew in that moment God was calling me to it. It was a powerful, beautiful, frightening moment. Before that moment I had an inkling, so I began to find out more about my faith on my own. I read the Bible one chapter at a time, every night. It took a few years to finish.”

Person most surprised by his vocation:

“Me. I had always seen myself as a businessman with a wife and kids but the call (to priesthood) just couldn’t be ignored.”

Seminary life:

“From the first day in the seminary I knew I had made the right decision. I felt as if God was telling me, ‘I want you to be happy and if you follow me you’ll be more happy than doing anything else.”

Favorite priestly assignment:

“I have only had two, so far, and both assignments have been very different. As a parish priest I liked being involved in the day-to-day life at the parish and with the parish community; you get to develop solid relationships. I was always very moved by the example of faith. As vocations director I get to talk about the priesthood and how much I love it. I get to meet lots of people and travel to different parishes every weekend. I get to know both the pastors and the parish community.”

'(I) serve God, but I am not God.'

The most difficult aspect of being a priest:

“(I) serve God, but I am not God. I pray I bring God’s comfort and love to people, but wish I could help everyone. It is difficult to see human suffering. I pray I bring hope and Christ to people; I’m in the business of hope.”

His description of the ideal priest:

“Must have a solid relationship with Christ, be happy, approachable, friendly, humorous and can articulate the faith to people yearning to hear it. Must have a beautiful heart and love God and have an incredible grasp of Scripture.”

A priestly stereotype that he feels should be discarded:

“A lot of people think or view the priesthood as being a life without success or that it is a wasted or unhappy life. That tends to be a barrier to consider vocations. However, priesthood is filled with great happiness, joy and is fulfilling. I am reminded of Mother Teresa when she said, ‘God calls us not to be successful, but to be faithful’.”

Favorite TV series:

“MythBusters”

Last book read:

“Just finished reading the Sherlock Holmes mysteries on my e-reader and I’m now reading ‘The Divine Comedy’ by Dante, ‘Spirit of the Living’ by Pope Benedict XVI and ‘Pride and Prejudice’ by Jane Austen.”