A little competitive spirit between seminarians and priests
In a series of posts that Fr. David Michael shared recently on social media, we get to see a little competitive spirit between a team of priests and seminarians in a game of basketball. Spoiler: It's a good thing Fr. David Michael found his religious calling! However, he comes up with a great excuse, saying, "We priests are all better at making points in our homilies than we are on the court."
Not only does the athletic clergyman show his interesting approach to pre-game stretching, he also shows off his ideal pre-game breakfast. (Of course it's everything you wouldn't want your kids eating!)
But throughout the humorous interjections, there's a serious message: Sports are one way priests can reach out to the community. As he gamefully explained: "We lost the game but we're winning a lot of souls for Christ."
"Training" a replacement
In another video, the 28-year-old priest shows a more playful side with his fellow clergymen, and friends. In the short clip, Fr. David Michael determines to train the priest who'll be replacing him as vicar at the parish of St. Faustina parish in Texas. However, it's not quite the sort of training you'd imagine.
Firstly, Fr. David Michael, Fr. Chad, and the newbie, Fr. Christopher Meyer, are all at a restaurant and that competitive spirit strikes again. Who knew that priests call dibs on saying prayers at the table?
The usual banter occurs and Fr. David Michael discusses the essentials of being vicar of the parish: vlogging (check out Fr. Christopher's full name, it's all in the number apparently, according to Fr. David Michael), using a drone, going on a one-wheel without breaking his neck, and upgrading his vehicle.
This "training" might strike you as odd; it certainly wasn't what any of us would expect. Yet, as the fun-loving priest shared at the end in a more solemn moment, by welcoming his best friend as his replacement, it meant the men could celebrate Mass together; something they'd longed to do since their days in the seminary.
And as Fr. David Michael points out, sharing this moment with Fr. Christopher highlighted an important fact for him. When he first started out as a young priest, he thought he'd be "fighting this battle for souls alone." However, as he explains, "I had no idea God was raising up an army of young men to fight it with me."
But perhaps his parting words was the best advice he could have given his friend: "Take good care of the flock, man, they're going to love you."
A charming story of faith returned
And in a final couple of posts Fr. David Michael introduced us to a seminarian he'd first met at the parish where he spent his last year at the seminary, four years ago. While he was there, he met a family whose oldest son John Paul was being confirmed. They asked Fr. David Michael to act as his confirmation sponsor. Well, the Holy Spirit worked wonders and John Paul is now a seminarian himself in Fr. David Michael's parish. As the priest says: "Is God good or what?"
In true Fr. David Michael style, a post wouldn't be a post without a smidgen of humor. He also shared that the seminary sent two seminarians to his parish -- both called John Paul. So after a series of posts he arrived at a fabulous collection of John Pauls, including one of our favorite spiritual fathers, with an important message for us all:
"Strive to live the kind of life where an entire generation of kids is named after you."
