Fr. Fred Miller on St. John Vianney and the Priesthood
Fr. Mark & Doug Barry
Father Mark entered religious life in March of 1994 and was ordained a priest in October 2003. He grew up in Huntsville Alabama and attended the Colorado School of Mines. He earned a B.S. in Engineering Physics and worked for two years in Huntsville for a small company that specialized in defense contracts for the government. Father Mark is currently the Novice Master and chaplain for EWTN. He is currently host of Life on the Rock.
Fr. Fred Miller, a dogmatic theology professor at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary, shared with us some reflections on the great Cure of Ars and the priesthood. The Cure is the patron saint of priests, and Fr. Miller maintains that the French saint has great relevance today in renewing the priesthood. In all vocations and in working for the Lord, it is easy to wander from what we were originally called to do. We get caught up in distractions and are, maybe, not doing what the Lord is really asking.
In his zeal for the kingdom, St. John Vianney shows us the essence of the priesthood, what it means to be a priest. When we get back to basics, get back to the original call, we are revitalized. Those first impulses in following God’s call are a great thing, and at times, these inspirations need to be remembered and cultivated anew. These first impulses need to be guided by the witness of the saints, the mind of the Church and those have lived the vocation before us.
