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MyCatholicVoice

Fr. Joe Sharbel, Pastor of St. Gabriel Archangel School

I cannot say that from my earliest memory, I wanted to be a priest.  No, as is much of a vocation, it was something  organic and  growing that urged me closer to this path of life.  For many years, I'm certain, God spoke in my life; giving me signs of His presence and where I fit into that plan.  It was not until my college years at Rockhurst that I truly began examining that call seriously.  At that point it was one instance after another (bringing communion to the sick, lectoring, retreats) that began to cement my response to "come and see."  And that's what I did and have never looked back.

There have been moments, like all of us I suspect, when the response to the call to priestly service has been easier and harder to accomplish.  However, it seems that whenever a rather difficult time comes my way, God will send me someone who will prop me up.  Sometimes I feel very much like Moses, needing  helpers to keep the arms raised high.  And my prayer of thanks is constantly for those helpers.
 
Sometimes those helpers come in very unexpected people.  In my years as a priest I have had the privilege of having 4 different schools in my parishes.  All were very different and  wonderful in their own ways. Each one provided some of those helpers in fulfilling my commitment to God.  Whether that was the Principal that I used to sit for endless times trying to figure out the Pastor, or the School Board Chair that talked to me about his desire to be a Deacon or the F.I.R.E. student that shares a birthday with me - all have come to impact my "yes" to God. 
 
My years of formation in Catholic education may not have transformed me into this priest of God I am today, but it did give me some good eyes to see the hand of God working in my life from some very different and divergent points.  I thank God for that gift of critical thinking and openness to the working of the Spirit.  I pray that the same Spirit may work to give the children, parents, and  staff of our parishes that same vision to see the wonderful power of God all around them.