Keeping Faith 2011

Greetings from Mundelein Seminary as I share with you a story about a miracle that occurred on our campus last spring.

Matt, a second year seminarian, was exercising in the basement of the seminarian residence(s) where we have a fitness center.  We encourage our men, as they develop their intellectual and spiritual disciplines that they also make their physical fitness a priority.

Suddenly, in the middle of his regular exercise routine, Matt collapsed.  Immediately, a fellow seminarian, who in his prior life was a doctor, began CPR in an attempt to restart Matt’s heart.  Then a defibrillator, donated by a generous couple, was brought to attempt to shock Matt’s heart into beating.

The paramedics, there within minutes, took over working on this 23 year old, previously healthy, young man and they were successful in getting a heartbeat.  Matt was transported to our neighboring hospital and was placed in an induced coma with a prognosis of “wait and see.”

After a few days it looked grim and the doctors and nurses were very guarded in providing us with any hope that Matthew would ever regain consciousness and if he did there was a question about what level of brain and/or permanent heart damage had occurred.

Members of our seminary community joined Matt’s family and faith community in prayerful vigil; yet there was no significant progress and no indication of a recovery.

The prayers continued as our hope dimmed.  Then it occurred – our miracle.

To the utter amazement of all, Matt showed some faint signs of life over the next week and eventually regained consciousness.  As his eyes opened, one of his friends, who last year was ordained a priest, then reported what he heard.

With Matt’s eyes open and sitting up in bed, he uttered his first words!

“Can I still become a priest?”

And there was God’s great miracle – from near death to life with only one desire clearly stated:  Matt’s desire to serve with all his heart as a priest of Jesus Christ.  This was indeed such a miraculous moment that the nurses spoke of wanting to tend to Matt because they saw and experienced God’s love in action through this young man’s miraculous recovery.

I invite you to join in prayer for Matthew.  I am happy to report he has rejoined his fellow seminarians and continues his journey this fall at Mundelein Seminary which will lead him one day to serve the faithful as a priest of Jesus Christ.

All of us receive a call by God to live a grace-filled life – as priest, brother, religious sister, husband, wife, father, mother, brother, sister, daughter, son or friend.  We are all called to grace.  We are all called to spend our lives for Christ.  Like Matthew we must ask the question each day – Dear Lord, how can I serve you as your disciple with all of my heart?

As we begin a new academic year at the University of Saint Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary I thank God for Matt’s recovery and his deep belief that God is calling him to a life of grace in the priesthood.

My heart also is filled with gratitude for your ongoing prayers and support for our seminarians as they pursue their call to grace.  We are partners on this journey to support our seminarians in their preparation to serve the faithful as priests.

This day and every day I pray you will embrace your call to grace in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ as I also pray these fine young men will embrace their call to priesthood and a life of service in our Lord Jesus Christ.

With confidence in God’s great goodness and your generosity, together we embrace our call to grace – a call which will lead us all, one day, to dwell with Jesus Christ for all eternity.

God bless you for all you do for our seminarians and Mundelein Seminary.

Gratefully yours in Christ,