Once I started learning and practicing my faith, especially through regular Confession and daily Mass, with the guidance of my director and other excellent priests throughout the Archdiocese of Toronto, I found it much easier to discern my vocation to be a priest

Reread Luke 1.37 often. Pray over it. Memorize it. And then say or scream “YES!” And let God move.

I resonate deeply with Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI’s words, “Do not be afraid of Christ. He takes nothing away and He gives you everything.” In saying “yes” to Christ, He has truly given me everything, and I couldn't imagine my life without this friendship.

The blessings I have received are incomparable with what I sacrificed. God has been true to His word. I know that no matter what happens in this life I will never leave the Church. My life’s mission now is to help others on their journey in the faith.

I am not alone. I have found life-giving purpose in Campus Ministry, fellowship, and embracing God’s call on my heart to live out my missionary identity and lifestyle. In the words of Pope Benedict XVI, “Do not be afraid of Christ! He takes nothing away and gives you everything”.

As a spouse of Jesus Christ and as a Sister of Life, my heart has found the freedom and adventure it always longed for – an adventure that leads to Heaven and brings Christ to life in the world each day.

When the priest took the monstrance around, I was not ready to experience what was going to happen next. I kept my eyes on the monstrance the whole time and I said to God, “I’m holding on to you in the storm and I give You everything that I am”. In that moment I felt a lot of peace, joy, grace, and love in my heart.

This realization opened my heart to another yes that changed my life once again, and continues to do so everyday - my husband. Through him, God continues to pursue me in every moment, even when I’m frail, distant, and ignorant. We are sure of God’s amazing plans for our marriage and our mission!

My relationship with Him continues to deepen and His love for me continues to be the driving force in all that I do. But, at the end of the day, I am just a normal, flawed man. I am a sinner who is striving to become the saint God is calling me to be.

I still work in policing, serve at a military chapel and volunteer as a police chaplain. We have an adopted son, a daughter, and 3 granddaughters. My ministry centers on a love of Our Lady, as well as seeking to help people find Jesus amidst our crazy lives.

The Lord has shown me over and over again the power of loving through letting other people into my story, and allowing them to share their own.

My journey is a journey of consistently saying yes to the Lord as I have come to realize that saying anything otherwise is really not a choice but my own demise. The more I say yes to Him, the more He reveals Himself to me.

Not only in that first encounter, but over and over again in my life I have come to recognize His providence, faithfulness and grace working to do extraordinary things, through a simple surrender and “yes” to Him.

I have led my closest university friends in faith studies, as well as a few of my colleagues, and I was a part of an online mission this summer called “Be the Light” with CCO. God has taken my “yes” and is running with it.

Years later, Jesus asked me to take another leap: toward religious life. After months of wrestling with postgrad options, I heard Jesus invite me to stop fretting over myself and look at Him instead.

From then on I've been set free. My life has completely changed for the better and I couldn't imagine being in a different place. I feel like the most important part of my YES, is that I have to consciously continuously say it and accept Jesus in my heart every day.

As the Great JPII says, “Life with Christ is a wonderful adventure.” There are so many ups and downs, falling away and then returning to deeper conversion toward the Lord, all sustained by His grace and His Holy will. Our journey continues on and we are excited to share a little window into all He is doing in our lives so far.

I found young people who were clearly in love with Jesus. I found people who could articulate how and why a relationship with Jesus had changed their lives, and I found the joy I was looking for.