Thank you, St. Francis (and Fr. D)

            The Feast of St. Francis-I love this feast day! It always brings back amazing memories of my Alma mater.

            I loved being at Fran.ciscan University in the fall. That campus in the fall was beautiful!

I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to attend Fran.ciscan and I am grateful for all of the ways that it changed my life. I learn a lot about St. Francis and his spirituality. I even had the opportunity to tour Assisi with our study abroad program.

One of the things that I am most grateful for is all of the Franciscan friars that gave up their lives to bless ours. How many people have the chance to go to college at a place that has so many holy men (and women!).

They could always be found celebrating one of the four daily Masses, sitting in the Port adoring the Blessed Sacrament, hearing confessions on the benches outside of the Chapel, or even playing Frisbee on the hill by the field house. They were amazing.

I had the honor of working for one of the friars for several years. Fr. D was such a huge part of my faith journey. He guided and instructed me in a way that made God so real to me. He was my boss, my confessor, my spiritual director, and my friend. I have so many fun (and hilarious) memories of Fr. D, including him flying from Austria to marry me (well, not me, but you know what I mean!). In fact, he is probably part of the reason God sent me the husband that he did! From the first meeting I had with Fr. D, I begged him to ask God to send me a husband (at the whopping age of 18…it took a while!) and I can guarantee you that Fr. D is probably praying for me to conceive. He has helped me to become the person I am today, and for that I am so very thankful.

Fr. D- I am so grateful for your yes to God’s call in your life. Thank you for your yes to the Priesthood and for being an example of a Godly man. I am offering all of my struggles of this day for you. I hope that today you are blessed and that you know how much we love and appreciate you!

Fr. D at the Georgia Eucharistic Conference