THE STORY OF A VOCATION TO DEDICATED CHURCH
SERVICE
Father Michael Ronayne, OFM Cap.
As long as
I can recall, I had an interest in Churchy things. In high school and
college I began thinking about a service vocation, though not
necessarily as a priest or religious.
Our Lady of
Refuge played a big part in helping me find my vocation. I arrived in
Long Beach from my native Colorado in early 1986. OLR was just down the
street from my apartment and
I thought the church was one of the prettiest I had seen. The community
was wonderful and welcoming and Fr. Al Scott and Deacon/ Fr. Ernie and
the pastor Fr. Bill did a super job of promoting vocations as did
members of the Serra Club. The OLR Social Concerns group and the ushers
and the young adults group were filled with inspiring Christians and
they too really helped spark and promote my interest in a vocation. Then
too, through an appeal given at Our Lady of Refuge, I became involved in
the St. Francis Center.
Working as
an investigator for the Dept. of Defense at that time, my work was more
and more demanding and at the same time I wanted to do more and more in
ministry. Finally, I had to make a decision. With the help of the folks
at OLR as well other wonderful Christians at work and in other parishes,
I decided to investigate religious life and the priesthood. The Diocese
of Los Angeles's vocation discernment groups helped me decide that the
diocesan life was not for me. Providentially. I bumped into the Capuchin
Franciscans through their promotional material posted at OLR.
On thing
led to another, and I entered the Capuchins in 1990. I served in a
number of parts of northern California. In 1997 I was ordained and after
a short stay in the San Francisco Bay area I was sent to the mountains
of the states of Sonora and Chihuahua in northern Mexico where I
continue to serve. Most of my work is still in humanitarian service,
though we do celebrate the sacraments in many rural and remote
communities.
I am so
thankful for my time at Our Lady of Refuge and for all the great people
that God sent into my life through the parish. You all remain in my
prayers.
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If you would like to know more about the
Capuchin Franciscan Fathers, the order to which Father
Michael belongs, click on the following link:
Capuchin Franciscan Fathers
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THE STORY OF OUR
PARISH
