ME E T YO UR S E MI N AR I AN S
Dcn. Colin Fricke
Archdiocese of Detroit
Theology IV
Jesus Calls Dcn. Colin
Fricke to the Priesthood
to Lay Down his Life for
Children and the Church
I
grew up in Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan,
with my parents and two younger sisters. There
was no question that God was important in our
lives, but we basically only went to Mass on Sun-
days and prayed grace before dinner in my early
years. Around seven years old, I remember being
at Mass and really wanting the large Eucharist the
priest consumed. I knew that I had to be a priest
to receive the large Eucharist, and looking back, I
can see this began a series of invitations from God
to the priesthood.
After Confirmation I wanted to do something more for God,
so I started reading small sections of the New Testament regularly.
My family also began watching EWTN. I realized immediately
that Mother Angelica knew the truth. As I grew in my faith,
priesthood was never a serious consideration until after college.
After college was when I really first found confession. During my
time at Siena Heights University, some people would suggest the
priesthood to me, but I was not convinced. Looking back, I can
see that God was inviting me again.
After college I taught in two Catholic schools downriver.
Through the kids, I began to see the value of each person more
clearly. Each kiddo was unrepeatable, uniquely chosen by God,
and had an inner life and heart worth giving to and receiving from.
As a teacher you care for all your students, but certain students
influenced me profoundly, probably without them knowing it.
The value of truth inherent in the personal is overlooked in
modern society. Modernity reduces the person to the intellect,
mere utility, or an animal. Postmodernity makes a person into a
god who determines right and wrong. I saw at least part of the
mess that the kids would have to face…What could I do?
I felt a call from Jesus again, but this time I was more convinced.
I believe Jesus called and is calling me to lay down my life for the
kids, for His Church. This is a great mystery as St. Paul says in
Ephesians 5:32.
As Christians, mystery is what we participate in because God
has given us Himself. Jesus gave us Himself as the New Adam, who
is willing to suffer to defend His Bride, unlike Adam who didn’t
defend against the serpent’s threats. Mary is also the New Eve
who listens to God. In seeing Jesus as the New Adam and Mary
as the New Eve, I began to understand that their unity shows us
what the relationship between masculinity and femininity can
be. To be a priest is to enter into Jesus’ gift of Himself more fully.
My family too had been growing in faith. My mom converted
to Catholicism when I was in college, attributing it to Mary, and
my dad was reinvigorated. We began to pray together as a family,
especially the Rosary. We had our home Enthroned to the Sacred
Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary by the Men of
the Sacred Heart, which I joined. Our family began seeking God
more and found the Volumes from ‘Anne,’ and Holy Love. We
began going to Eucharistic Adoration.
Adoration brings great peace, healing, insight and discernment
through Jesus’ presence in the tabernacle. It is here I was able to
better discern the personal call from God that He planned for my
life and set in my heart. May we all find that God is establishing
His Kingdom in our hearts and that we may journey deeper into
the Heart of Jesus through His mother, Mary.
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