Single query nudged future priest toward God

Within the past couple of weeks I’ve had many visitors. Two of these were young priests from the Diocese of Harrisburg, PA.

One, Father Ted Keating, was ordained five years ago and was assigned to Father Phil Burger, ordained only 10 years ago and pastor of a parish in Shamokin, PA. The two of them have become good friends and came out to see me. Father Keating was the one whom I knew the longest.

When I was at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Md., his brother, Michael, was a student in the college. I knew their mother, Ann Marie Keating, and her family from my days in Troy, NY. On occasion, Michael Keating would drive me up to Lancaster, PA., where the Keatings lived, and we would have dinner on a Friday evening. Ted was a young high school boy at the time who would hardly look at me or give me the time of day.

Ted Keating finished high school and then finished at St. Joseph’s College in Philadelphia and had a job in sales. In 1986, I was pastor of St. Ambrose in Latham, NY. On a February day, Ted called me and said that he was in town and wondered if we could have dinner. I said that I would be delighted to. He came by the rectory, picked me up, and we went out to dinner. When he drove me back to the rectory I can remember sitting in the front seat of his car, and before I got out I looked at him and said: "Ted, have you ever thought of the priesthood?" He responded: "No, I haven’t." I then said to him: "Well think about it and pray about it."

On June 24 of that same year, 1986, I was ordained a bishop and on June 29 was received in the Cathedral at Lafayette, LA. On Labor Day of 1986 I was sitting in my office in the Diocese of Lafayette and the phone rang. It was Ted Keating. He called me to tell me that he thought he wanted to be a priest. I put him in touch with Msgr. Bill Richardson who, at the time, was the Director of Vocations for the Diocese of Harrisburg, PA. He assigned him to Mount St. Mary’s to finish his studies in philosophy, and then he was assigned to St. Vincent’s Seminary in Latrobe, PA., for theology studies. He was ordained, and I preached at his first Mass.

While he was here, he told me that the five years since he’s been ordained have been the happiest in his life. Before leaving he wrote me a beautiful note, and in that note he said, "I could not imagine what I would be doing, where I would be living, or how I would be doing if it would not have been for you. I feel I owe you so much for giving me direction in my life. I am ever so grateful. My heart, my love, prayers, best wishes are with you always. Love and prayers, Ted."

It was so good to see these two young priests interact. One was the pastor and one was the associate. It was so good to see them at prayer. It was so good to see them so very, very happy. It is my hope and prayer that all of us in this archdiocese will take that responsibility of asking our young people if they have ever thought of the priesthood or religious life.

God calls each person in a special way and each person is called to do something beautiful for God. Some are called to marriage or the single state. Some are called to the priesthood and religious life. All should listen to the call of God.

"Ted, have your ever thought of the priesthood?" "No, Father, I haven’t." "Well, think about it and pray about it."

Printed with permission from The Catholic Spirit.