Still a Baby Priest

There we are – Ernie, deacon at St. Martin's, me, and Rick, lay assistant. So why did Rick bring me a cupcake with a single candle? Because I was chief celebrant this morning in celebration of my first year as a priest (as Rick called it, "Father's Day"), even wearing again the first chasuble I ever wore as a celebrant. It was just a year ago I was ordained and that I began to share this experience of (relatively) ordered ministry with my first post.

It has been a year of celebrations and lamentations, sometimes with both celebrations and lamentations mixed together. St. Martin's has been a great place of support and prayer, and where I have been able to get steady as celebrant – though it hasn't been without some unsteady moments! Outside St. Martin's, it has been a hard year, as many of you know. It's just plain difficult to discover what you don't want to be doing with your life long before you're finished doing it.

As for my big announcement, I haven't received the word yet about broadcasting the news. Stay tuned!