Q: Could you share some of the happy moments in your priesthood life?

Priest: A religious vocation in the Rosminians for me personally has brought a varied life, as a teacher at school for some years, a teacher at seminary for some years. I was sharing the direction of the Order for a while at our central house, and arranging training for our students in various countries. I enjoyed my years based in Italy with all that mediterranean living to share with student communities and with parishioners. I served a little in East Africa, in Venezuela where our community shares the deprivations of the people there but found great spirituality also as we ministered in a retreat house, led by Rosminian Sisters. Recently I was for some years in Florida and our communities there deal with the huge divisions in that nation. The real poverty among the affluence, and the frequency of violence on the streets. Yet the American people are very generous to the needy. Led by the Rosminian lay members, they are funding projects in our Venezuelan missions.

Q: What are the challenges that priests are facing these days?

Priest: Challenges for priests are not hard to find. The Church will not prosper with out collaboration with parishioners, ever more so as the number of priests is falling Vocations are not popular as the celibate life challenges many and the lack of personal wealth challenges others. Priests need companionship with one another also for life's varied.

Q: Will there be hardships after became a priest?

Priest: Oh yes. A lot, a lot. It will never be easy. And that is the sign that we are on the right track, and because Jesus said that the path to Heaven is narrow, is stormy. And if you feel that your life is comfortable, then you should seriously think: Am I really on the right track?

Q: Do I need to be 100% certain of my vocation before I apply for the seminary?

Priest: I don’t think you need to be 100% certain, because there is nothing in our life which we are 100% sure. Even if you only have 1% thought about it, because it is a seed of God; you should give attention to it, pray with it, speak to somebody, you can also go to a seminary. When you go to a seminary, if that seed is really belonging to that climate and that soil, it will grow. If that seed does not belong to that climate and that soil, it will die. So do not wait for 100% sure because…you are giving time for demon to steal it.

Q: What do you find most rewarding in priesthood?

Priest: Intimacy with Christ