Vincent Penzo
| Home Town and State | Quincy, MA |
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| High School | Boston College High School |
| Graduate | |
| seminary you presently attend | Blessed John XXIII Seminary |
What are some of the factors that led to your decision to enter the seminary and discern the question of a vocation to the priesthhod? |
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| Since returning to the church I have a new-found appreciation for the church and the sacraments. I had really taken the church for granted and realize now what a great gift from God it truly is. Also, several years ago I read 'How The Catholic Church Built Civilization' by Thomas E. Woods and it helped dispel all the negative press the church receives in the media and academia. Putting things in context, the Catholic Church is something we should all be very proud of. |
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Who are some of the people who influenced your decision to enter the seminary? what is it about them that assisted you? |
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| Father John Sullivan, Pastor at St. Mary's in Melrose was a huge influence on me. He is a great example of a young, enthusiastic priest devoted to God. Also, Father Carroll, the Parochial Vicar, was a positive influence, with his devotion to Eucharistic Adoration and the Divine Mercy. In fact, the more priests and religious I had a chance to meet, from evening classes at the MAM program at St. John's, to annual conferences, bible studies, prayer groups, etc., etc., the more impressed I was with the idea of a vocation. |
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What would you say is the role of prayer in the life of a seminarian and what effect does it have on one's ability to see god's call? |
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| I think prayer is crucial to everyone's life, and all the more so for a seminarian. It's the time when our souls are most united to God and when the Holy Spirit teaches you how to listen to Him. | |
What advice would you give to a man who thinking about his vocation and is considering that god may be calling him to be a priest? |
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| The main thing is to keep developing your relationship with God. For a man to be happy in the seminary and then later in the priesthood he has to truly be in love with God. Pray about the next step, whether that's talking to a spiritual director, or the vocation's office, or one's family. Then take the next step and see what happens. For me, each step felt like a step in the right direction. Just thinking about it won't give you the affirmation you need, one way or another. 'To Save a Thousand Souls' by Fr. Brett Brannen was a huge help for me. |
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What do you like most about being a seminarian? |
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| A chance to put all the distractions behind me and focus on God and discerning his call for my life. I was also pleasantly surprised by all the support I received from friends, neighbors and relatives when I told them the news that I was going into the seminary. Even former co-workers and non-Catholics who I didn't expect it from were very supportive. God still has lots of people in this society. I believe the thing now is just to make Him our highest priority. |
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What do you think is the greatest challenge facing a man who is considering the seminary? |
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| The present culture. From childhood on we are bombarded with messages telling us that to be fulfilled we must get a good education, get a great job, buy a big house, drive a new car, hang out with the right people, like the right music, have the latest gadgets, have the whitest teeth, etc., etc. It is all designed to make us feel inadequate so we will part with our money. Spiritually, it distracts us so we won't notice our souls being numbed into submission and ultimately, robbed of the Holy Spirit, the source of life. We need to recognize this noise for what it is - the siren call of temporary comfort and pleasure so we can hear our true calling to our role in the Kingdom of Heaven, whatever that happens to be. |
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What are some of your hobbies or pastimes? what are some of the things you like to do in your "free" time? |
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| I am a part-time writer and have several screenplays and novels in the works which I hope to see published someday. In my free time I dabble in amateur astronomy. For sports I like cross-country skiing, tennis and golf, and always enjoy a good game of backyard croquet, horseshoes or bocce. |
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What are some of your favorite authors/books/movies? |
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| My favorite author is Victor Hugo and I'm currently working through Les Miserables. I love the play as well. I'm a big fan of the classic movies, especially Gary Cooper and John Wayne. My all-time favorite movies are The Searchers, The Third Man, and Sullivan's Travels. |
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What do you think is the best way to encourage vocations to the priesthood in the archdiocese of Boston? |
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| Provide young people with a good, solid, youth ministry to compliment ccd. I remember a CYO dance I went to in the 70's. When I arrived there was a rock-and-roll band playing 'Sympathy For the Devil' by the Rolling Stones. I liked the Stones at the time, but if that's the best we can do, who needs the church? Recently I had a chance to attend a 'Life-Teen' mass and a 'Lift' event. This is more like it. Young people are suffocating in this culture. What they need, and will respond to, is Jesus in the gospel and an undiluted, uncompromising call to the path of holiness. |
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