In my Potter's Hands...

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Main » 2013 » August » 3 » The call
2:04 PM
The call

If I tell you that I have always wanted to be a priest, I would be a huge liar. I wanted to be cardiologist ever since I was in my middle school. I opted for science with maths, devoted almost all my time to books but for the 30 mins I was attuned to the He-man Show every single day!  Things changed when I started visiting the Blessed Sacrament after school. Thanks to Fr.Bernard Lawrence, the then parish priest, who initiated 2000 hours of adoration to mark the birth of the new centenary. The Lord invaded me, kept me glued to him. I could not think of a better way of spending time. A desire to stay close in his presence took root and the next thing I knew I wanted to be a priest. My nerves wrecked at the very thought of proposing this to my parents for I am their only son and they had huge dreams for me.

Finally, I told my parents. It was a night, we retired after a long day, and lights were put off. I mustered all my courage and said, "Appa, I want to be a priest”. My dad got up, switched the light on, turned to me and said in a husky voice, "Seruppu Pinjidum, paduthu thoongu” (Chappal tearing, go to sleep).

I never raised the subject again for like three months. Then I planned revenge. I stopped studying, did poorly in maths in the cycle test. The public exam was just three months away. I got my teachers, the principal and parents to stop and ask me, "Now what is happening?.” I knew that was my chance. I told them I can’t think of anything else except joining the seminary.”

Fr. Arputha Samy, the then parish priest, was pulled in. The sweet man that he is, put me to a serious test, when he said, he would recommend my enrollment only if I scored above 90 percent in my +2 exams. I panicked, returned to my books and started studying seriously. I scored 89. When I asked him to excuse me for losing 1 percent, he smiled, patted my shoulder and said he would.

The Right Road:

The Lord wanted to add a little more spice to my simple call story when he fixed the vocation camp to be held at the Sacred Heart Seminary, Poonamallee on the exact date of my entrance exam for professional courses, to be conducted in Veltech college, Avadi. I was riding pillion on my dad’s bike.  We reached Kamarajar Salai. He turned to me and asked, "Which road should I take?” The left was to Veltech and the right to Poonamallee. I told my father, "Dad, take the right road”. Thank God, it has remained my right road for 13 years now.

Formation:

It has been an unpredictable run since then. Life introduced me to its sweet surprises, agonizing moments, tough situations, never-imagined cities, villages, slums pleasant and not-so-pleasant people, exciting studies, philosophies and ideologies. Each of them has played a role in making me what I am today and so I am grateful to them all.

I fondly remember my rectors: Fr G J Antony Samy, Fr Amal Raj, Fr Jude B Pragasam, Fr Ornelius Couttino, Fr Pradeep Sequira, Fr Joe Antony and Fr Francis Gonsalves. 

Views: 461 | Added by: Charles | Rating: 5.0/1
Total comments: 1
1 Babu  
0
The story so far is really wonderful to read. I am certain that this 'journey of faith' will bear abundant fruit. God has given you great gifts ( You know them - so I'm not listing these here) and you are using them to bring a freshness into your priestly ministry.

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