Habemus Sacerdotem

On Monday May 24th, the Diocese of Cheyenne received a new priest! Fr. Tim Martinson was ordained at St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church in Worland. Over 40 priests of the Diocese of Cheyenne, 10 deacons, and several of his classmates were also present in addition to a full church and Fr Tim's mother, three brothers, and their families. This was Bishop Paul D. Etienne's first ordination as a bishop. Fr. Tim entered the seminary right out of High School and attended Conception Seminary College for four years. He entered St. John Vianney Theological Seminary for five years and was assigned to St. Patrick's parish in Casper for a Pastoral year. Many of those who ministered with him in Casper made the trip as well.

Fr. Tim celebrated his first mass on Tuesday May 25th the Memorial of St. Bede. Fr. Tim was assisted by two deacons: Deacon Bill Hill of Jackson and Deacon Ken Pitlick of Newcastle. A priest's first mass is truly a remarkable event as he acts "In persona Christi Capitis" for the first time liturgically making present the paschal mystery for the salvation of God's holy people. The Gospel for the mass was from Mk 10:28-31, "Peter began to say to Jesus, 'we have given up everything and followed you.' Jesus said, 'Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and for the sake of the Gospel who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age: houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come." These words accurately capture Fr. Tim's journey, and every man's journey to the priesthood or consecrated life as well as every woman's journey to consecrated life, as well as every baptized person's expectation of discipleship. What hope could be seen as the Holy Spirit acted through Fr. Tim and consecrated bread, wine, and a people into the body and blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ!

Now Fr. Tim enters into the life and ministry of the Catholic Priesthood! He has become a "public person" a "man for others" and will be for us all a living witness of the joy of answering God's call! How very precious the love of God truly is, here is a gifted young man willing to persevere through 10 years of formation, in order to answer Jesus' call to the priesthood. What inspiration and hope for us all when the cross seems extraordinarily heavy in our lives, or the road of discipleship seems interminable, when prayer seems dry and inconsequential. What a witness to love! Just as Jesus "laid down his life for his friends" so too has Fr. Tim given his life for the local church, the Diocese of Cheyenne. How can we do any less? How can we give into timidity or selfishness and not answer God's call ourselves, or tarry along the way? The same Holy Spirit that animates and illumined Fr. Tim's journey is part of our faith journey too!

Let us all rejoice in the Priesthood of Jesus Christ! Let us rejoice in the priesthood of Jesus that touches our lives through the priests in our lives! Let us pray for our seminarians and those discerning God's call to priesthood, diaconate, religious life, marriage, and the single life! Let us rejoice in God's particular love for us, and for the call God makes to each of us to holiness!

Transition!

St. Francis of Assisi once said, "Always preach the Gospel, and if you have to use words." From May 9 to 16 I had the honor and gift of traveling with 14 college students and their campus minister to Oklahoma City to work with Habitat for Humanity for five days. Pictured above are Aaron McRee, Ted Cramer, Mike Kline, and Brian Neely. Aaron has been our liaison and guide for this mission work for 15 years. Fr. Carl Gallinger started this mission trip 15 years ago as a vocation trip to offer the opportunity to transition from the academic year into the summer with a view toward the bigger picture through the lens of service. A powerful image of this in my mind is that the first mission trip happened just a month after the Oklahoma City bombing. In the midst of chaos and destruction a group from Wyoming brought love and unity. Now all these years later Habitat for Humanity and many others look forward with great expectation for the Newman Center group from St. Paul's to come! These young people continue to evangelize in powerful way. "What a great joy it has been for me personally and for us at Chaparral Energy to have been a witness to God's hand through each and every one of you!!! To volunteer a week of your time on the Habitat projects before beginning your summer break or your new job is admirable. The positive impact which you have directly provided to each recipient of a new home will be immeasurable. But, I think you know that. Otherwise you would not be here. What you may not realize is the impact you had on us at Chapparal." This was sent by email from Mike Maly the CEO of the Oklahoma City based Chaparral Energy Corporation!

This was also a powerful pilgrimage in faith. Transitioning into the summer from the rigors of the academic year in this way affords a last opportunity to spend time with dear friends with whom God has worked in profound ways. As a priest, and as a Vocation Director, I was so taken with the joy, faithfulness, and maturity of each of the members of the group. Conversations that I had with each one around tenets of faith or living patiently with others or persevering through difficult tasks (we worked in lots of rain and mud, and with lots of different personalities) were a reminder to me of the subtle but powerful way that the Holy Spirit guides and sanctifies us.

Perhaps the most enduring aspect of this mission trip and of the Church herself is the power of community. We priests generally live alone or with one other person, but for 8 days to be part of a 16 member family was a true encounter with Trinitarian life. Thinking of others, relishing particular qualities, hearing each other's stories and aspirations, trials and experiences of resurrection and faith. I am certain that the times we prayed Mass together were a major aspect to this and animated and illuminated the "thanksgiving" that was lived in the moment. This was the first trip I've taken since the announcement that I'll be leaving vocation work July 1st to return to parish ministry. It was a good way for me enter into transition from a way of ministry I've known for 7 years and beginning something new. It is such a grace to remember that God is with us always, that we encounter Him through the sacraments, and live the Good News in community, particularly community in service! "Always preach the Gospel, and if you have to use words!"

Finals Week

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."

Discernment Dinner with Bishop Etienne

Last evening Bishop Etienne joined nine young men for mass, prayer, dinner, and to guide them as they consider God's call in their lives. The readings for the mass aptly captured the liberating urgency of God's call, "But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice, as he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out..." (Jn. 10:1-10) Jesus continues to call each of us by name to the fullness of life through a particular vocation: to the priesthood, religious life, marriage, the diaconate, or the single life. What was particularly amazing was that we were hearing the Gospel from our Good Shepherd, Bishop Etienne! Bishop Etienne earned a Licentiate in Sacred Theology from the Gregorian university in Rome with a specialty in Spiritual Direction. He offered some very helpful suggestions to the men who attended after he shared his own vocation story.

The Bishop assured us that every time we pray, even if we are not aware of any feelings of God's presence, that God is in fact with us. The challenge and the call is to remain faithful to a personal life of prayer. Basic keys to prayer are a regular time for prayer, a consistent location for prayer, and perseverance in prayer. Also important are reconciliation and mass, especially daily mass as often as possible. These are the regular channels of grace for us. The bishop mentioned that each vocation is unique and a mystery. God calls us to look for the places where His peace is noticeable to us and to be aware in the everyday of the ways that God tugs at our hearts. Adoration can be a very important encounter for us with God.

It was a real blessing to have the Bishop share his discernment journey with us and to offer encouragement for the times when discernment or saying "yes" to God's call can be a real trial. He mentioned that the cross is at the center of every vocation and that the presence of trial, anxiety, difficulty may in fact be a sign that we are on the right track! It was so obvious that the Bishop is truly joyful at being a priest and also at being a bishop. He repeatedly told the young men that the priesthood is absolutely a life of joy and fulfillment! What good news! To hear from Jesus and our bishop that the journey of discernment will ultimately yield the fruit of peace and joy!

World Day of Prayer for Vocations: "Witness Awakens Vocations"

This weekend, April 24th and 25th, we celebrate the 47th annual World Day of Prayer for Vocations! The entire Church is called to pray that Jesus' call to "follow Him" will be heard in the hearts of the young men and women who God is calling to the priesthood, religious life, marriage, the diaconate, and the single life lived for the Gospel. The theme for this year is: "Witness Awakens Vocations" Pope Benedict wrote, "Every priest, every consecrated person, faithful to his or her vocation, radiates the joy of serving Christ and draws all Christians to respond to the universal call to holiness. Consequently, in order to foster vocations to the ministerial priesthood and the consecrated life, and to be more effective in promoting vocations, we cannot do without the example of those who already have said 'yes' to God and to his plan for the life of each individual. Personal witness, in the form of concrete existential choices, will encourage young people for their part to make demanding decisions affecting their future."

I have definitely experienced this to be true! I've been so blessed in my life to have strong, prayerful, wise, and passionate priests and religious women in my life that inspired me to become a priest! Among them is Fr. Carl Beavers. Pictured above on the far left, Fr. Beavers has mentored me for nearly half of my life and all my priesthood. I still have my class notes from his Senior Theology class in High School. Many people including myself consider him to be a hero. Doesn't hurt that he is a Denver Broncos fan! What I admire about Fr. Beavers is his prayerful dedication to the God, the Blessed Mother, and the Church. I've always known him to be a man with "fire in the belly" for the things of the Kingdom. He's spoken and written about topics that affect not only the parishes he's served, but have guided our diocese, influenced politicians, called all to deeper appreciation for the Gospel's power to influence for the better the common good. His homilies and witness have been a light and a call to holiness. I think also of Fr. Michael Carr my pastor during my High School and seminary years and his gentle wisdom that has taught me so much. Fr. Vernon Clark's wonderful vitality and generous pastoral ministry also were instrumental in my saying 'yes' many times to the seminary. Every priest, religious, and deacon I've know has been an encouragement in one way or another for me to "find (my) delight in the Lord, He will grant your heart's desire."

This year I've invited several religious orders of women to come to St. Paul's Newman Center to speak to the young women who are open and searching for a meaningful way to give their lives in service to God and the Church. I realized in years past that I cannot provide the witness they need as young women so I turned to those heroic women who are living that beautiful call. What a powerful impact that has had this year! Not only on the young women but on me!

As we enter this "Good Shepherd Sunday" let us be grateful to God for the priests, religious men and women, deacons, married couples, families, and dedicated disciples who walk with us and inspire us to find the way of service God has planned for us! Let us also be open to the way that our personal witness can guide and encourage our peers, our children, and others to "give it all for the love of God!"

Encounter with God's Call Weekend

Encounter with God's Call weekend was celebrated April 17-19, 2010 at Conception Seminary College in Conception Missouri. Five young men participated from the Diocese of Cheyenne. We drove 600 miles on Saturday morning, braving severe fog from Laramie to Cheyenne. Almost as a commentary on the spiritual journey of discernment, the weather got brighter and clearer the closer we got to Conception Seminary College! This weekend was very much an experience of "Annunciation". 140 young men from over five states chose to allow God to use messengers to speak to them of His divine will. These were members of the 100 + seminarians at CSC, Priests, the witness of Benedictine Monks, and their peers. God's call manifests itself in unique and mysterious ways in each of our lives but at some point we are invited to "follow me (Jesus)" and for men considering the priesthood that means the choice to discern entering the seminary.

An amazing aspect of this weekend was the discovery by our young men that they are not alone in their desire to discover God's will for them and to enter into discernment of the possibility of the seminary. They got to spend time in recreational activities, to enter into the rhythm of the prayer life of the seminary, and to experience what daily life might be for them as seminarians.

One of the highlights of the weekend was to celebrate Sunday mass and adoration with the Benedictine monks of Conception Abbey in the Basilica. The beauty and enormity of the basilica of the Immaculate Conception provided an encouraging setting in which to experience the sacramental grace of the mass and the foundation of our spiritual life: relationship with Jesus and through Him relationship with the Father through the Holy Spirit.

Spring has appeared at Conception! The wonderful beauty of blooming flowers, trees, and the plethora of birds were signs of the fruits of the Spirit at work in each of these young men and in each of us. When we allow ourselves to brave the risk of answering God's call, new life always buds forth from silence, our active listening, and our cooperation with God's gentle hands molding us in His Son's image for service of the Church and humanity.

For (back row) Andrew Kinstetter, Lorenzo Maffin, Joshua Hewlett, Hugh Cook, (front row) Bob Rodgers, Jose Vigil, and Hiep Nguyen, Encounter with God's call was an opportunity to see what seminary life is like and to consider the profound call to serve the people of Wyoming after the example of St. Joseph and of Jesus Himself, the Good Shepherd. For me it was a homecoming and an opportunity for gratitude. 20 years ago I graduated from CSC after four of the best (not by any means the easiest) years of my life. As I reflected over all that I have experienced since then, and traveled with these young men, I rejoiced to rediscover the joy of Encountering God's Call and living it with the help of Grace and community!

1st Holy Communion and the power of the Eucharist

Last Sunday, Mercy Sunday, I had the privilege of celebrating my youngest niece's first Holy Communion at St. Mary's Cathedral in Cheyenne. Emily is the fourth of my brother's children that I have been able to "give" communion to. As a priest, I have been so amazed by the gift of celebrating the Mass and of being able to be an "altar Christus" for God's people. As I was reflecting after Emily and her classmates received our Lord in Word and Sacrament, I was

taken by the profound gift of God's life given to us through the sacramental life of the Church! I was particularly aware that it wasn't "uncle Ray" that gave Emily communion but Jesus Christ Himself! I was awash in gratitude as I saw my family, four generations, sitting in the balcony near the sanctuary: my maternal grandmother, my parents, my Godson and eldest niece Jazmine, and the next generation: my great nephew Santos. All of them given eternal life by the Lord that I get to serve and represent as a priest! I've been meditating about all the places

that I have had the opportunity to celebrate mass ranging from parishes in Wyoming: particularly in Lander as my first pastorate and Pine Bluffs as my second pastorate all the way to Vietnam, Rome, Lisieux France, Australia, and Canada. I can still remember my first Holy Communion at St. Joseph's Church in Cheyenne as I received our Lord with my brother through the ministry of the late Fr. Angel Ornelas. That day my entire life changed as I entered more

profoundly into the life of the Trinity and the Church. It was all I could do to fight back tears of joy, humility, and gratitude at the encounter that my niece now shares with me! Now she will have access to all the graces of the Eucharist as she matures as a disciple of Jesus Christ and as she discovers her own vocation. The challenge for me and for all of us is to live Eucharistic lives in the service of the Gospel and the people in our lives. This is not done with all the pomp and circumstance of dresses and veils but in the garments of the everyday-the invisible baptismal garment that we are clothed in. Most often in the ordinary trials, doubts, joys, and failures of daily life. I've always prayed that each mass and each communion be for me better than the first though I'm not always certain that this is my conscious experience. What a wonderful way to celebrate Mercy Sunday and finish the Octave of Easter! On April 25th my goddaughter Avery will get to share this experience though I will not get to be with her as I will be promoting vocations in Worland. Regardless of distance, new life continues to flow into the world through the Church and especially through the Eucharist!