Skip to main content

The Spiritual Life is a Love Affair

The Spiritual Life is a Love Affair

Father Edward Warren was an assistant dean for 25 years at Santa Clara University. Since retiring in 1988, he does volunteer work at parishes throughout the Bay Area. I met Father Warren in the mid 1970s. He picked me up while I was hitchhiking in San Jose. This encounter with Father is one of the factors in God's mysterious providence that helped bring me back to the faith.

Q. How and why did you decide to become a priest?

A. You have not chosen me. I have chosen you, Our Lord said. I thank Our Lord for choosing me for his love. He uses parents and friends for his mysterious choices. I had good religious parents. Also, I went to U. C. Berkeley and belonged to the Newman club. There I got in contact with those who went to Mass everyday for Lent. They wanted me to go every day with them for Lent. This was a new idea for me. I survived. I didn't die. So, I kept going every day after Lent.

This encounter got me going to daily Mass. That's when I meet Monsignor Terrance Nugent who was from Ireland. He said the Jesuits were a good place to go for a retreat. At the time, I had a janitor job following in my father's footsteps -- God bless him for his daily work. So for my vacation, I went to the Jesuit retreat house in Los Altos. There I met Father William Boland. He was a perfect gentleman and scholar. He asked me if I ever thought of being a priest. He said he thought I would be a good priest. I thought I'd like to be like Fr. Boland. I thought exactly like that. My mother worked so I could go to school. God is faithful.

God made it clear that this was my life. It's been a love affair -- a successful marriage with Jesus. The more we know about Jesus, the more we love him. The heart of the matter is that the spiritual life is a love affair.

Q. What is your most difficult experience as a priest?

A. Being fired from a job and being put in another job I liked better. God has a good sense of humor. I was fired from a director position. I was replaced by a person my superior thought would do a better job. I was moved to assistant dean of counseling, psychology and education. I liked it because of its influence. You were dealing with people who influenced people. It was like training generals and colonels instead of privates and sergeants. St. Ignatius thought it good to work with those who influence more people.

Q. What was your happiest time in the priesthood?

A. It isn't over yet. So, there might still be happier times. It might be when you are allowed to die and be with God. But, it was the time when I realized this is my vocation. I'm happy in my work. We are dealing with Divine grace and eternal life. These are important things. We are not dealing in little things.


Click here for Credit Card and Amazon Order of Fred Martinez's book "Hidden Axis":

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1410746186/qid=1099936755/sr=11-1/ref

 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Davis wrote in katharine the great, her 1979 unauthorized biography of katharine graham, owner of the washington post, that the cia ran an "operation mockingbird"

https://spartacus-educational.com/JFKdavisD.htm Deborah Davis is a journalist who has published articles in the  New York Times ,  Village Voice  and  Ramparts . In 1979 Davis published a book about  Katharine Graham  ( Katharine the Great ). The book also looked at the connections between  Philip Graham  and the  Central Intelligence Agency . According to Davis the owner of the  Washington Post  was a key figure in  Operation Mockingbird , a CIA program to influence the American media. According to Davis,  Cord Meyer  was Mockingbird's "principal operative". Davis also argued that  Deep Throat  was  Richard Ober . Later, she claimed the source of this claim was a senior official in the CIA. As she pointed out in  Katharine the Great : "The president also began to rely heavily upon the counsel of Richard Ober, Angleton's deputy, the man in the CIA most concerned with domestic counterintelligence, a...

Vox Cantoris vs. Aqua

The Catholic Monitor commenter Aqua had this to say to the Vox Cantoris website: Aqua said… Fred, your topic here reminds me of a dust-up, a few days ago, on Vox Cantoris. He asserted that it is our duty as Christians to wear masks to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass if the government tells us we must, or they will close our Churches. My response to him was that I find it inconceivable that an orthodox Catholic, such as himself, would ever submit to unjust dictates from secular government over how we approach Our Lord in Holy Mass. My response to him was that the Mass belongs to Catholics and we decide, within the bounds of Tradition, and in accord with the Word of Jesus, how we conduct ourselves in Holy Mass. Only one authority prevails over Mass and that is our God and the Sacred Tradition given by Him to guide us in all times and places. Understand, there is nothing inherently wrong with wearing a mask to Mass. But there is EVERYTHING wrong with wearing a symbol...

Nocturia Management Tips -- Dr. Grace Prescott addresses nocturia—frequent nighttime urination—explaining its risks, debunking common myths, and presenting the ASIM method and supporting techniques to help reclaim uninterrupted sleep.

https://coconote.app/notes/1eef4468-3436-4f1a-a3e0-605134efdd8a Overview Dr. Grace Prescott addresses nocturia—frequent nighttime urination—explaining its risks, debunking common myths, and presenting the ASIM method and supporting techniques to help reclaim uninterrupted sleep. The Problem of Nocturia Nocturia refers to waking repeatedly at night to urinate, affecting up to 70% of adults over 60. It increases the risk of falls, cognitive decline, heart strain, and emotional distress. Causes include reduced nighttime ADH hormone, decreased bladder capacity, and fluid redistribution from swollen legs. Common Myths and Mistakes Drinking less water during the day can worsen nocturia by irritating the bladder and concentrating urine. Most cases are not caused by a small bladder, but by excessive nighttime urine production. Alcohol before bed both suppresses ADH and acts as a diuretic, increasing nighttime urination and disrupting sleep quality. The ASIM Hydration Method Adjust  hydrati...