When my friend was a teenager, he entered a diocesan seminary. He considered his professors to be excellent teachers and wonderful diocesan priests. However, he soon learned that his professors were actually Vincentians. After praying and contemplating about his future, he thought that he, too, would like to teach young seminarians after he was ordained. So he eventually left the diocesan seminary and made his way to a Vincentian seminary.
He began his teaching career before he was even ordained and continued to teach after his ordination. And as many young teachers soon discover, he was assigned to teach the subjects none of his more senior associates cared to teach. However, his enthusiasm and love of teaching overcame this minor obstacle, and he plunged right into his work.
My friend also had the pleasure of working with many members of the other branches of the Vincentian Family throughout his career. He was deeply impressed by the Daughters of Charity and their dedication to the poor when he had chances to work alongside them.
He was also able to spend some time in Kenya, teaching young men studying for the priesthood. And he’s also worked as a parish priest, ministering to Catholics in a pastoral setting. He’s had many other interesting experiences in his life, and as he told me at the conclusion of our visit, “It’s been a great ride.”
