April Pastor Column

My dear Kirkland Catholics,

Our still less-than-a-year-old vocations committee has been meeting each month. On the weekend of May 2, the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia (also known as the Nashville Dominicans) will be on site to give a talk to young women about religious life. That visit—along with other conversations with the committee—made it clear that most people do not really have much of a sense of what a priest’s life is like. So, I thought it might be helpful to share, briefly, a glimpse into it.

My day off is Tuesday, and I really do take it off. I say Mass (usually at my mom’s house) and keep my normal time of prayer, but the rest of the day is spent skiing during the winter months or finding other enjoyable things to do—often outdoors, sometimes catching a movie or sharing a meal, frequently with brother priests. One of my best childhood friends is a
teacher, so during the summer we are often able to spend Tuesdays together as well.

Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday follow the same basic structure, though what fills that structure varies greatly. That is one of the reasons the life of a priest is so interesting—it never really gets boring. My day begins around 5:30am: coffee, a smoothie, and then time for prayer before getting ready for morning Mass (with confessions on Thursdays and
Fridays when I am at Holy Family). After Mass, the day can unfold in many different ways. There are some standing meetings with staff and with the Parish Leadership Team, but much of the rest is filled with individual appointments, preparation for teaching or preaching, visits to the sick and homebound, time in the school (I teach 8th grade a full period every other week), helping with retreat confessions, and—my least favorite—correspondence and the many decisions that need to be made each day.  There are a lot of other “one off” or monthly events that occur that are intellectually stimulating, fun and fulfilling.

Wednesday and Thursday evenings are consistently taken up with meetings or teaching OCIA. Fridays are intentionally left open from regularly scheduled meetings; when we first arrived, those Fridays were filled with dozens of meet-and-greets. Now, that flexibility often allows for dinner with friends, family, or parishioners.

Saturdays usually include one meeting or appointment, and on first Saturdays, morning Mass as well. Much of the rest of the day is dedicated to prayer and homily preparation. Fr. Val and I typically have dinner together after the Saturday evening Masses. Sunday is the day most parishioners see: celebrating Mass, greeting people, and spending time with the community. Sunday afternoons are often free—during football season, that usually means watching the Seahawks. By the time that season ends, Confirmation preparation is underway, and I am involved in many of those classes (a happy coincidence, not
something I planned!).

It is a great and deeply fulfilling life. The only part I truly do not enjoy is correspondence; everything else—even the more difficult moments—is filled with grace and is a joy. In nearly fifteen years of priesthood, I can count three truly bad days. For that, I am immensely grateful to the Lord. I am humbled by the privilege of serving you and of sharing in the
life of the Church as a priest.

Please continue to encourage young people to consider religious vocations. It is a path of profound blessing for those who are called to it.

With love in Christ,
Fr. Brad