On June 19, 2009, the Feast of the Sacred Heart, Pope Benedict opened a year long "celebration" for priesthood in the Church. Calling this year ahead a "springtime of the Church", he invited all of us to dedicate some of our prayer time, as well as additional acts of sacrifice and prayer, to the support of priests throughout the world. We are to pray for continued conversion and fidelity of every priest to the life, will and ministry of Jesus Christ.

As a priest, I can joyfully offer to you, that your prayers and support are not only needed each day, but most greatly appreciated. I have chuckled many times when met with the reactions of those who seek my prayers, and in return I ask for theirs. It is almost as if they hadn't thought that I, who am called to be a man of prayer, could use the prayers offered by others. And I suppose that is just one of the reasons the Holy Father has invited us all to focus on prayer for all priests.

I can assure you that it has been the prayer of many of you, and others through the years, that has not only sustained me, but encouraged me, in following Jesus as priest. I have been blessed in this life with grace and riches beyond telling and am truly grateful to God for all that he has done both for and through me. But I know that I cannot do what I am called to do alone. To do so puts the priesthood I live at risk of becoming "my" priesthood and not that of Jesus Christ.

From time to time this year, I thought I might take this space to "speak" of various aspects of priesthood, and the idea of "vocation". Perhaps it might help in illustrating how much the priesthood depends on you and your prayers, in the work of support and conversion.

Even though the days of our priests being seen as separate from us in terms of place and experience are over, I do think that there are many who forget that we are like you in all things. Our wants and desires, needs and experiences are one with yours. We come from "normal" families, whatever that is, and grow up as every young man does. School, relationships, loves and growing pains are common to us all. We have dreams and expectations that are part of our lived experience and our hopes for our futures are similar in so many ways to so many other men of our generation. And some of us struggle with the "call" that we "hear" from God to become what he wants of us to be. Like any person of faith who seeks discernment of God's will in our lives, the priest's call is fleshed out over years of prayer and encouragement of those around him.

I have grown much over the years, both before ordination and after, through the conversations and support of countless friends, family members, parishioners and even those who may have been a little more than discouraging as I moved forward. The priest I am today is not the same one on the day of my ordination, nor will I be the same in the future. For the vocation of priesthood is one that is ever deepening, thanks to you who are willing to pray and encourage, support and challenge.