Last month, Lisa and I mused on how we could get to know our priests better. As it turns out God had an answer.

Within days of writing that post, I was speaking to a woman about something PTA-elementary school related when she expressed her surprise that I wasn’t at a Pastoral Council information meeting the past Sunday. I had received a letter from our church the week before, but didn’t read it. I only glanced at the envelope before putting it in my workbag with other documents for later review, and then completely forgot. That letter turned out to be an official invitation to go through our parish Discernment process for Pastoral Council.

After discussing the topic with my husband, I attended the second information meeting. During the meeting, I became cautiously excited about this opportunity to serve. It seemed as though God was opening a door and revealing a new path. I considered how various events in my life over this past year may have been given to me in preparation for this invitation. There were about 15 people attending this meeting and we were told only four or five would be discerned into the Council.

I had some time to pray about whether this was a true calling. I considered it carefully, checked my schedule, spoke to my husband, and decided to attend the official discernment meeting.

There were only six of us.

While listening to the others talk and observing the interactions, I knew that I wanted to be a part of this group. I received my call – on the telephone, from Father Bob – asking me to serve on the Council later that evening.

My first introductory experience took place this weekend and I’m already learning more about the two priests who run our Parish. I learned-much to my surprise-that our new Pastor, Fr. Bob, was the priest at the Catholic Church I attended in college nearly twenty years ago.

After this one weekend I am filled with hopeful anticipation of the year ahead. I’m looking forward to getting to know the other members, to making (face to face) friends based on our mutual faith, and growing in my own spirit and faith from this experience.