This week is Finals week in Laramie! Lots of projects and endeavors coming to conclusion. Last weekend I traveled to Green River and celebrated masses with the parishioners of Immaculate Conception parish. Their pastor is Fr. Tom Sheridan, who is our last active Irish born priest! He has been a priest for 46 years and is currently able to retire. It was a wonderful gift to spend time with this community. I gave the last "Vocation Homily" of the year which brings to conclusion a cycle of travels and homilies in this Year for Priests. For seven years I've had the privilege and responsibility of encouraging men and women to consider giving their lives away in service of the Gospel. While I was in Green River I met Sr. Betty Lorenz, OLVM, who has been in Green River for 17 years! During that time she has been the point person for evangelization efforts of the parish, in 17 years she has been an essential factor in over 80 people entering the Catholic Church! What a legacy!
I returned late Sunday night so that I could prepare the end of semester vocation dinner for Finals Week. I enlisted the help of my cousins Dennis and Petra Fink, my cousin Carrie Brumbaugh, and Teresa Viapondo and we made my signature stuffed enchiladas. We served about 45 students as they took a break from studies. Hard to believe that the semester is coming to a close but what a blessing to see so many fruits of community and faith among the students and residents here at St. Paul's Newman Center. Community is always a constant call to selflessness and attentiveness to others. Particularly since what has brought us together is divine life in the person of Jesus!
It seems to me that the end of the semester, and in this case the academic year, is always a time to be grateful for the hard work that led to this point and an opportunity to recommit to the "mission" entrusted to us as members of the Church. So much planning had to happen in order for me and others to be available for service here in Laramie and in all the parishes I've visited this year. A motto of the Benedictines of Conception Abbey and the seminarians at Conception Seminary "The love of Christ urges us!" serves as an apt description of what motivates everything we do so that others can come to discover their vocations and to live them for the glory of God. May this month dedicated to Our Lady be a joyful time of "doing whatever he tells you."
This week is Finals week in Laramie! Lots of projects and endeavors coming to conclusion. Last weekend I traveled to Green River and celebrated masses with the parishioners of Immaculate Conception parish. Their pastor is Fr. Tom Sheridan, who is our last active Irish born priest! He has been a priest for 46 years and is currently able to retire. It was a wonderful gift to spend time with this community. I gave the last "Vocation Homily" of the year which brings to conclusion a cycle of travels and homilies in this Year for Priests. For seven years I've had the privilege and responsibility of encouraging men and women to consider giving their lives away in service of the Gospel. While I was in Green River I met Sr. Betty Lorenz, OLVM, who has been in Green River for 17 years! During that time she has been the point person for evangelization efforts of the parish, in 17 years she has been an essential factor in over 80 people entering the Catholic Church! What a legacy! 
I returned late Sunday night so that I could prepare the end of semester vocation dinner for Finals Week. I enlisted the help of my cousins Dennis and Petra Fink, my cousin Carrie Brumbaugh, and Teresa Viapondo and we made my signature stuffed enchiladas. We served about 45 students as they took a break from studies. Hard to believe that the semester is coming to a close but what a blessing to see so many fruits of community and faith among the students and residents here at St. Paul's Newman Center. Community is always a constant call to selflessness and attentiveness to others. Particularly since what has brought us together is divine life in the person of Jesus! 
It seems to me that the end of the semester, and in this case the academic year, is always a time to be grateful for the hard work that led to this point and an opportunity to recommit to the "mission" entrusted to us as members of the Church. So much planning had to happen in order for me and others to be available for service here in Laramie and in all the parishes I've visited this year. A motto of the Benedictines of Conception Abbey and the seminarians at Conception Seminary "The love of Christ urges us!" serves as an apt description of what motivates everything we do so that others can come to discover their vocations and to live them for the glory of God. May this month dedicated to Our Lady be a joyful time of "doing whatever he tells you." 
