Vocations - Fishers of Men

Vocation Sunday (4th Sunday of Easter) was this past weekend. Often times, we think that discerning the vocation for our lives is just discerning whether or not to be clergy (namely a priest/ nun) or a layperson. That discussion usually takes place in our heads and basically amounts to, "I like girls," or, "I like boys," and that's that ;). Hopefully we all learned from this past Sunday's joint CM class that vocations is about the importance of learning to hear God's voice in our lives and that it's about living out of that relationship in its specificity and uniqueness for our lives.

For the guys, Joe Kim brought that home for us and clarified where the discernment for the priesthood plays a part in that. We watched "Fishers of Men" which is a video that was put out by the USCCB. With so much scandal coming to light in the recent years, Catholic priests have gotten a bad rap. This video really captures the essence and brings us back to the heart of the priesthood in an extremely compelling way.



I know I'm going out on a limb here seeing how hard it is to get you guys to talk in class, but what are your thoughts?

Pray for Fr. Rick

(From the Chair Board of SJCCC)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ:

Recently, doctors have discovered that Fr. Rick, our pastor of the St. Clare Parish, has prostate cancer. He wrote an article, titled as "What to avoid when you have cancer", on the bulletin flyer of last week. While holding complete faith and trust to God, he requests our prayer to him as "God's will be done". The article expresses his deeper appreciation of what the experience may bring us a greater solidarity as a human family, let's extend our prayer for a full recovery of his health.

God Bless,
SJCCC Chair Board

For those of you who do not know Fr. Rick, that might be because it is quite a busy job pastoring all the different communities who call St. Clare's Parish home. However, Watermark has been blessed immensely by his tireless work behind the scenes. I highly recommend you read his article and definitely join me in praying for his recovery.

Proverbs 18

The fool takes no delight in understanding,
but rather in displaying what he thinks. ~ Proverbs 18:2

I was struck by this verse because sometimes, it's really important for me to display what I think. Sometimes I need to display what I think by getting the last word in or other times I do it because I want people to see how much I know. The author is pretty smart because in both cases, the display is more about asserting myself than trying to understand the situation or the other parties involved. Both of these can be deadly in a romantic relationship...

The words of a talebearer are like dainty morsels
that sink into one's inmost being. ~ Proverbs 18:8

Haha, this sounded like a positive thing when I first read it, but then I realized that I wasn't sure what talebearer means. According to the free dictionary, talebearer means: "One who spreads malicious stories or gossip." So then malicious stories and gossip are like dainty morsels that sink into one's inmost being? Yikes! From experience, I agree with that. I think that's one of the reason why gossip is often described as "juicy." It's so tempting to want to hear and then when we hear it, it can be sort of pleasurable, which is probably why it's so tough to curb. Gossip can be positive ("oooh, did you know that this person is dating that person?") or mostly negative ("omg, did you see what she wore today? it's so like last season and i was like o_O"). ...

One of the reasons I think it sinks so deep is because it hits at the core of who we are, but in a way that betrays how God wants us to be. The pleasure comes from comparing ourselves to others and we are comforted because at least we're not that bad or at least other people are like that too. It also gives us a semblance of power and control because we're "in the know." If we realize these things, then we must beware the talebearer's words because they're like that extra cupcake when you're on a diet.

He who finds a wife finds happiness;
it is a favor he receives from the LORD. ~ Proverbs 18:22

I thought of celibate priests first when I read this. But then I realized that this applies to them too! They marry the Church! And they have TONS of spiritual children! w00t! Colin, care to elaborate?

Time to Answer the Call

This guy has some major courage to walk away from a professional soccer career to enter the priesthood. I think this article fills out Hilgenbrinck's journey pretty well and I'm glad his VP and coach were supportive. My favorite quote from the article is, "Delayed obedience is disobedience." Straight up.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=555353&sec=mls&&cc=3888

*EDIT 7/16*
I was discussing the concept of delayed obedience with a friend from college. She pointed out that it isn't so cut and dry like that and that from an eternal stand point, God's favor and sovereign will still rests on you even if you delay in your obedience. For example, in Matthew 21:28-32, the Parable of the Two Sons, The first son who disobeyed at first, but then later changed his mind was favored. However, the issue of consequences and the reality of reaping what you sow come in to play where your life can be permanently altered as a result of disobedience (ie. children out of wedlock, personal injury, emotional scars, etc). In the story of Jonah, he chooses to directly disobey God's direction and he found himself chillin' in the stomach of a big fish. Only after his repentance and agreement to go to Nineveh, the fish "spewed Jonah upon the shore." Stealing a bit from Pastor Paul of Abundant Life, Jonah could have gone to Nineveh looking fly with his Sunday suit all pressed bringing the Word and them bangin' pagan chicks be jockin' to meet him. Instead, he ended up going to Nineveh smelling like whale poo with seaweed all up in his hair preaching the Word. Makes you sorta wonder if it was the smell and the look that changed their hearts ;). Anyways, maybe to tighten things up a bit, delayed obedience is still disobedience at the point in which you choose to delay and you are really playing it very dangerously. However, there is nothing you can do to put yourself outside of God's love and forgiveness if you would only repent and obey. Better late than never.
*END EDIT*

Hilgenbrinck retires to enter priesthood
Associated Press

Updated: July 15, 2008, 3:25 PM UK

BOSTON -- When he was playing professional soccer in Chile, Chase Hilgenbrinck would seek comfort in the churches to satisfy his spiritual needs and remind him of childhood Sundays spent at Holy Trinity in his hometown of Bloomington, Ill.

Even after moving back to the United States last Christmas to play Major League Soccer -- a dream of his, but just one of them -- Hilgenbrinck felt the pull of his religion.

"I felt called to something greater," Hilgenbrinck said. "At one time I thought that call might be professional soccer. In the past few years, I found my soul is hungry for something else.

"I discerned, through prayer, that it was calling me to the Catholic Church. I do not want this call to pass me by."

Hilgenbrinck accepted the calling on Monday when he left the New England Revolution and retired from professional soccer to enter a seminary, where he will spend the next six years studying theology and philosophy so he can be ordained as a Roman Catholic priest.

"It's not that I'm ready to leave soccer. I still have a great passion for the game," he said in a telephone interview. "I wouldn't leave the game for just any other job. I'm moving on for the Lord. I want to do the will of the Lord, I want to do what he wants for me, not what I want to do for myself."

A 26-year-old defender who was the captain of the Revolution's reserve team, Hilgenbrinck will attend Mount St. Mary's Seminary in Emmitsburg, Md. After finishing his studies, he will report to his home parish in Peoria, Ill., for assignment.

"He said it was time for him, that he had been thinking long and hard," New England vice president of player personnel Michael Burns said. "Purely from a Revs standpoint, it's too bad. But a lot of players leave the game not on their own terms. He's clearly left on his own terms, which is great for him."

Raised in a Catholic family of regular churchgoers, Hilgenbrinck played soccer at Clemson and hooked on with the Chilean first division after he went unpicked in the 2004 MLS draft.

Far from home, he began to seek out familiar surroundings.

"I fell back on what I knew, and that was the Catholic Church," he said. "I grew up as a Catholic. I was always involved in the church, went to Catholic schools. It was when I got out on my own that my faith really became mine. I really embraced it. I didn't have to go to church any more, I was free to really believe what I wanted to believe.

"I looked to strengthen my personal relationship with Christ. And when my personal life started to flourish, I couldn't turn my back on that relationship."

Hilgenbrinck was signed and cut by the Colorado Rapids before he landed with the Revolution. He played in four MLS games for New England and started in both of the Revolution's U.S. Open Cup matches this month.

Although he has felt the calling for some time, Hilgenbrinck also knew it would be easier to continue playing soccer. He tried to convince himself that he was not ready, not deserving, or not in a hurry.

"I was putting up a bunch of barriers, saying I'm not worthy to be called to something like that," he said. "But, one by one, the barriers started to come down."

With a short window in which he will be able to play professional sports, he considered postponing the priesthood until after his career was over. But he decided with the same certainty that he could not allow himself to wait.

"Trust me, I thought of that," said Hilgenbrinck, who in his studies came across the saying, "Delayed obedience is disobedience."

"We are all called to do something. I feel like my specific call is to the priesthood. So, no, it was not possible to continue with soccer. It's absolutely inevitable."

Hilgenbrinck had his initial interview for the seminary last July, followed by a rigorous application process. There were written tests, personality screenings, background checks, fingerprinting and meetings with three different psychiatrists to make sure he had the right temperament to be a priest.

At first, he told no one, lest they influence him one way or the other: "I really wanted it to be a decision between me and God," he said.

There were more tests in January, and in March Hilgenbrinck learned he had been accepted to the seminary. A few weeks ago, he met with Burns and Revolution coach Steve Nicol.

"We weren't exactly sure what he was going to say, because it's not what you usually hear," Burns said. "When he said it, I was glad. I was glad for him. This is something that he clearly wants to do, and we wish him all the best."