NEW FRIARS IN MINISTRY
FR. MATTHEW PAUL
I am Parochial Vicar at St. Vincent Ferrer Catholic Parish in River Forest, IL.
When was your solemn profession? If ordained, when was your ordination?
What is your favorite part of your ministry/what excites you the most about your ministry?
My solemn profession was 11 August, 2022 and my priestly ordination was 18 May, 2024.
I love any part of my ministry that puts me in contact with my congregation: preaching, leading OCIA (formerly RCIA), pastoral counseling, and--of course--hearing confessions!
What's an unexpected challenge you faced in your ministry?
I might say that the overwhelming sense of unworthiness is a challenge for which a brother in formation cannot be prepared before he experiences ordination and the beginning of a new ministry. To know that I am still a sinner and yet I must try to lead the people of God (often holier than myself!) to Heaven with myself can seem very daunting. However, the reality of God's grace is the only thing to which we can cling, as priests--his merciful care for his people for whom I am sure I will be a very imperfect minister. Praise be to God for that!
What's an unexpected joy you experienced in your ministry?
An unexpected joy, in my ministry, was the immense pleasure it gives me to hear confessions. I knew I wanted to be able to meet this need as I approached ordination, but I had no idea how satisfying and joyous it would be to pronounce those words, "I absolve you from your sins..." and know that it truly happens by God's grace, through my action as a priest. If only people knew that the worse the sins, the more joy the priest has in forgiving them!
FR. PETER
I am a parochial vicar and campus minister at St. Thomas Aquinas parish at Purdue University.
When was your solemn profession? If ordained, when was your ordination?
What is your favorite part of your ministry/what excites you the most about your ministry?
Solemn profession was August 14, 2021
Ordination to the priesthood was May 20, 2023
I love the organic conversations about the faith that happen in a campus ministry. I'm also consistently blown away by God's mercy as I hear confessions.
What's an unexpected challenge you faced in your ministry?
It's difficult to balance the demands of ministry with our life of prayer, community, and study, not to mention our basic human needs for rest, friendship, and exercise.
What's an unexpected joy you experienced in your ministry?
Even in a smaller community of friars than I'm used to, we still form strong bonds founded on prayer and our common life.
FR. JORDAN
I recently began my first assignment as a priest, serving as a chaplain at Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Michigan. In that role, I work in Campus Ministry and also teach a theology course for undergraduates.
When was your solemn profession? If ordained, when was your ordination?
What is your favorite part of your ministry/what excites you the most about your ministry?
I made solemn vows on August 14, 2021, and I was ordained a priest on May 20, 2023.
My favorite part of ministry is seeing people come alive as they encounter Christ, whether that's in the confessional, learning about the faith, or growing in friendship and community.
What's an unexpected challenge you faced in your ministry?
An unexpected challenge of ministry has been how quickly I've become "old." My references don't always land, and I don't always get what the students are talking about.
What's an unexpected joy you experienced in your ministry?
An unexpected joy of ministry has been the community at Aquinas College. There are about 1100 students, along with faculty and staff, which means that I'm running into the same people across campus and able to form deeper connections with students, faculty, and staff.