Frank Camp Pilot file photo/Gregory L. Tracy
Home Parish: St. Anne, Neponset. Seminary: Blessed John XXIII National Seminary, Weston. College:
Indiana University. Graduate: New York University. Hobbies: Traveling, boating, hiking, mountain climbing.
When was the first time you thought of priesthood?
Upon my wife’s death in Paris (1990) I was deeply impressed by a missionary priest who gave her the Sacrament of the Sick. Yet it was over a decade after I had become a Secular Discalced Carmelite and volunteered for the Little Sisters of the Poor, that the prayers of the nuns and those of my late wife and late mother, revealed thoughts of the priesthood.
What were major Catholic
activities you participated in prior to the seminary?
I attended an excellent retreat sponsored by the archdiocesan Vocations Office at St. John’s Seminary, just prior to my acceptance at Blessed John XXIII.
What is your favorite Scripture
passage? Why?
The Song of Songs. Its unsurpassed beauty, which has always been a spiritual magnet to lovers of Christ, draws the appreciative reader into a closer union with Christ and the Church. It reveals the wonder of the Sacrament of Marriage between man and woman and furthermore, is evocative liturgically of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
What influence did Pope John Paul II have in your life?
Incalculable. The entirety of his witness -- joy, evangelization and suffering... He is indeed a model and image of the priesthood.
What signs led you to believe that God was calling you to be a priest?
Subtle, gentle, not distinct -- more of an intuition in prayer. Like the call of the turtle dove in the Song of Songs.
What is your day like in the
seminary?
It begins in prayer and ends in prayer (communal prayer via the Divine Office). The meals are communal as well. Classes are predominately in the morning. There is a wealth of activities which occur throughout the week; and there is ample opportunity for fraternizing with brother seminarians. There is adoration twice a week. The rector and faculty are available and most supportive.
Through the cardinal, God is calling you personally to help rebuild His Church. How must the priest respond to this mandate today?
By loving God with heart, soul and mind, as Scripture refers to several times. Also, by devoting oneself to the service of others and the administration of the sacraments helping to glorify the mystical body of Christ. Presence-availability-compassion (PAC). Furthermore, through his service to God and Mary, the priest seeks to instill spiritual values in a secular, materialistic society.
Who influenced you/inspired you to priesthood?
Upon my wife’s death in Paris (1990) I was deeply impressed by a missionary priest who gave her the Sacrament of the Sick. Also, an alumnus of John XXII Seminary, Father Thomas Morette of the Diocese of Albany, was the immediate influence. Another diocesan priest of Albany, Father Leo Markert was another influence, as well as the Little Sisters of the Poor Discalced Carmelite nuns. Also nuns in Quebec and France.
Please tell us, what are some of
the most important parts of
discernment?
The holy hour, in which one can ask Jesus Christ and His Blessed Mother for their invaluable help. Indeed, the placing of oneself in the presence of God as much as possible, at all times. A striving to abandon oneself to the beautiful will of God.
The Pilot, in cooperation with the Office of Vocations, is publishing a series of brief profiles of the men preparing for the priesthood in the Archdiocese of Boston. For other profiles or if you think God may be calling you to a vocation to the priesthood or religious life, visit the Vocations Office Web site at www.VocationsBoston.org.