In 1994, I was blessed to be given a position with CBS Television in New York City. It was wonderful to work with others on projects that are used to ultimately entertain and inform people all around the country. I was fortunate to see various aspects of the broadcast business. Some of my projects were at the World Trade Center and the Empire State Building, where the transmitters for New York City were located. Others had to do with the equipment and software used to air programs and commercials. The high definition television (HDTV) assignments were the most interesting. HDTV is a television signal broadcast in digital format that allows viewers to see spectacular images on a wide screen and hear extraordinary surround sound audio. I was part of the team that implemented HDTV for CBS and also provided demonstrations to executives in places such as Los Angeles and Montreux, Switzerland.

At one point in time, we were working on a big HDTV project. It was the fall of 1998, and our focus was on the first NFL football game to be aired in high definition. Since the game was being played on a Sunday afternoon, we had to work through the weekend to resolve last minute issues and to be available during the broadcast in case there were problems. Since I knew that Sunday was going to be a busy day, I took some time on Saturday evening to attend Mass near the broadcast center. It was at the church of St. Paul the Apostle, which is a large, cathedral-like building. The artwork and statues are magnificent. The music started and Mass had begun. As the celebrant began to speak, I looked at him with absolute amazement. What a marvelous thing to do - to be a priest! Here are people from different walks of life coming together to praise God, and here is one man, the priest, who is clearly thrilled to be doing God's work for His people. It was a very joyous occasion. I left that evening as if on a cloud.

Shortly thereafter, I considered becoming a priest. The Church is in need of more seminarians and priests. God has been so good to me, and I will do anything for Him. So why should I not consider becoming a priest?

The answer seemed obvious. I should see if the Church wanted me. I was in my forties at the time and, although single, I did have responsibilities to my family - my mother, my brother and his family. It was not going to be easy to simply say that I was leaving. Was this the right thing to do?

I gave this a lot of thought and prayer for some time. I was not always convinced that I should pursue a priestly vocation. I sensed a calling from within, and sometimes I felt that perhaps it meant to become a more spiritual person. During this period, I became more involved in church activities. At my parish at home, which was in the suburbs of New York City, I was already a member of the church choir and occasionally substituted as the organist. I continued working on a project of setting Mass parts to music, a daunting task for an amateur musician. It became the Mass of St. Paul, written for choir and organ. It was a true joy to hear the music performed at the Easter Vigil at my parish. In addition to a music ministry, I wanted to become a lector and Eucharistic Minister. The Paulist Fathers at St. Paul the Apostle Church helped me to develop those skills. This gave me the opportunity to not only attend daily Mass in New York City but to have a ministry as well.

All of these activities were great but still not enough - I felt that there was something more that I needed to do. Perhaps I should consider becoming a priest. I had a discussion with my pastor at the time, and he referred me to the vocations director for the Archdiocese of New York. We had a very nice meeting, and afterward I thought that indeed I should travel this path. After additional thought and prayer, the issues related to my dilemma continued. Leaving everything that I had was not a problem, but leaving my family responsibilities were. After a few months, I called the vocations director and advised him that I was not ready to proceed.

In August of 2001, I had the chance to move to Rhode Island. It would be the first time that my immediate family would be in the same geographical area in many years. It was great to see my relatives so frequently, as opposed to only during the holidays when we lived about three hours apart. I enjoyed my life in Rhode Island, but there remained this sense of emptiness. It was something that simply would not go away. Finally, I turned to the Lord for help. If He wanted me to become a priest, I could not do it by myself. I needed His help to open the door or doors necessary for that to happen.

Finally a door opened. In February of 2005, I was having a discussion with my pastor, Father Gagne at St. Peter's parish in Warwick. He knew of my situation and my desire. He helped me to resolve this personal conflict. That was all I needed. Then I was ready to take the first step. I asked him to contact the Vocations Office to see if they would be interested. The next step was a discussion with Father Najim. The process had begun.

At that point, I felt a great sense of relief - the question would be answered. I left it totally in God's hands. If the Vocations Office said yes, then I would be delighted to serve. If the answer was no, then I understood that the Lord did not want me to pursue a priestly vocation. I was ready to accept either decision, but hoped and prayed that I would be accepted.

To my great delight, the answer was positive. I was accepted by the Diocese of Providence in May, 2005. It was a day that I will never forget.

As far as a place of study was concerned, I was surprised to learn during my discussions with Father Taillon and Father Najim of a seminary located nearby that was designed specifically for those with "late" vocations. It is Blessed John XXIII National Seminary in Weston, MA. I was there one day in April and enjoyed every minute being there. I attended Evening Prayer and Mass and had dinner with the seminarians. My hosts were Al Ranallo and Jaime Garcia, seminarians from the Diocese of Providence who do their studies there. They were very accommodating toward this visitor and provided great insight into the life of a seminarian. I also had a very enjoyable conversation with the new rector, Father Uglietto. The entire experience was very positive.

I now had one last obstacle to overcome - to be accepted by the Blessed John XXIII. I spent two days at the seminary for a series of interviews and time for prayer. I felt totally comfortable. God would be most generous if He permitted me to be accepted there. The letter of acceptance arrived in early June. I had made it. I was totally at peace.

So here I am at age 50 with all the energy and enthusiasm of someone just setting out on life. It took a while, but I made it. The lesson learned is to listen, be patient, and pray. Praise God!