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(Note: Msgr. Shirley is on vacation. The following letter is from Sean-Michael Hazuda.)
Home At Last!
My heart is filled with great joy to be with my dear St Pius family once again. As the saying goes...there's no place like home. I am truly blessed to spend my summer parish assignment with you before beginning my Theology studies at the major seminary in mid-August.
This past year in Rome was exciting indeed as I met seminarians, priests and nuns from all around the world while I completed the Intensive Philosophy Program at the Pontifical Angelicum University. It was a rigorous program where I took two years of classes in one year, so the many emails, cards, letters and care packages I received from you really meant the world to me. With the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the help of your many prayers God blessed me so I could complete the intensive program with high honors. God is good!
While I was away Msgr. Shirley and Fr. Richard G emailed me every week with encouraging words and provided lively updates on everything that was happening back home, so I always felt like I was close to you even though I was some 7,000 miles away. Fr. Richard G also sent cards for each and every holiday along with my favorite chocolate covered Bing cherries from Harry & David and Oreo cookies. Yummy! Msgr. also sent much needed financial gifts to help with expenses as Americans only receive 60 cents on the dollar against the Euro. Thank God for Saints Richard and Richard!
I was also blessed to have friends from St Pius visit me in Rome: Peter and Joanne Volpe came with their sister, Jackie, and son, Tom, in the Fall and Mary Sedberry came in the Spring. Their visits were particularly special and the laughter and fun times we shared made me feel like I was back home again. A highlight of my year abroad came when Ms. Urbis' 6th Grade Class at St Pius School sent handmade Valentine's Day cards to me with Scripture readings and inspirational notes. I smiled so big when I received their cards that my face hurt!
One of my biggest blessings this past year was all the love from the Shirley family. In the midst of caring for my precious friend, Joyce, each member of the family always made time to pray for me and let me know that they were thinking about me. The Shirley's are all about others and they never put their own needs ahead of helping someone else. Their example of holiness and selflessness will forever remain in my heart. I am most honored to call them family.
These are but a few examples of how so many of you at St Pius made my year abroad so easy. Your prayers carried me through my numerous final exams (10 per semester in the intensive program!), they protected me from many near accidents with the 'wild' Italian drivers as I walked around the Eternal City, and they kept me free from illness. All of you are special gifts from our gracious Lord and Savior. Thank you!
Now that I am back in Texas I have 'hit the ground running' during my first week at St Pius. What a joy it is to serve the terrific kids at our Vacation Bible School. Dr. Christina Purnell has assembled a caring group of volunteers (including members of our very own Edge and Life Teen) who are part of an amazing and well organized program to bring our youngsters closer to God.
It is neat to see many of the kids who participated in my Children's Liturgy last summer. I am so impressed by all of the bright and enthusiastic children in Vacation Bible School and their strong desire to know the Lord and how they live the Good News that they experience at St Pius Church and School. It is nothing short of exciting to see the Holy Spirit at work in these young people who are growing up to be fine Christians and who will one day lead their own children to God and the Church. Our parish community is truly blessed!
Thank you so much for welcoming me home, my friends. I could not ask for a finer group of people to share my life with than the loving, caring and spirit-filled members of St Pius X church. I am grateful to Msgr. Shirley and Fr. Richard for their abundant kindness to me and for allowing me to do part of my preparation for the priesthood at St Pius.
You are in my prayers each and every day, and I ask that you continue to keep me in yours as I answer God's call to be a priest servant of His Son Jesus Christ. It is a beautiful life that I am called to, and I ask that you always pray for many more young men to follow in Jesus' footsteps, for the truth of the situation is quite simple: No Priests, No Eucharist. So let us all join together and pray every day for priestly vocations, for the future of the Church is now.
I am joyfully at your service!
With all God's blessings,
Sean-Michael Hazuda
Seminarian, Diocese of Corpus Christi
Fr. Richard
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