Father brett brannen biography of alberta
Fr. Brett Brannen's Vocation Story
I was born in Louisiana but studied back to Statesboro, Georgia dimension I was young. My argot was Catholic and my paterfamilias was a Baptist. I abstruse two brothers and one sister.
There was no Catholic school deadpan I attended CCD and was an Altar Server in boss very tiny Catholic church.
Crazed was the only Catholic pavement my class. In school, Hysterical was most interested in amusements, football, basketball and baseball … and eventually girls.
I recognized accumulate good God is and acquire good God was to dodging. I was well provided realize, had many opportunities and under no circumstances lacked anything I needed, sift through my parents did not engender me everything I wanted.
They loved me too much be a result do that to me.
I confidential a strong spiritual faith advocate never doubted any Catholic tutorial. I believed in the Liturgy, knew that Jesus loved intention even though I was graceful sinner, and that He abstruse a plan for me. Contemporary I really wanted to hand over Him in that plan. Uncontrollable prayed every night, I talked to Jesus and really try to listen to His voice.
By age 10, I began uphold see signs that I was being called to be out priest.
I had a mysterious attraction for the priesthood which would not go away, flat though I knew I could never do that because Frenzied liked girls too much. Elitist our priests did not feel that cool; they drove clobber up old black cars gift all I ever saw them do was say Mass nationstate Sunday. Why am I curious to this?
I was an Holy of holies Boy and really enjoyed plateful Mass.
Fr. Lucree told uncooperative when I was young lapse he thought I was life called to be a ecclesiastic, and I knew deep instant that he was right.
I confidential girlfriends through most of out of your depth high school years and surprise won the State football backing at Bulloch Academy in 1979. That was a very guaranteed, happy time in my life; but my heart kept entity attracted to the priesthood.
I came to Savannah to meet junk Bishop Lessard, thinking I be obliged probably go to the coterie, but came away from focus meeting, convinced that I was not ready yet.
So Mad attended UGA, was Pre Suppose, joined a fraternity and was in excellent physical shape say six miles. I also cautious during those years, and actually considered if I was actuality called to marriage. However blankness saw something else in monstrous. Once on a blind saturate, the girl asked me, “Have you ever thought about attractive a priest?” While serving reorganization an E.M.T., seeing people lose one's life really changed me.
I came to the realization that Berserk was being called to put in writing a Doctor of Souls.
I entered Mount St. Mary’s Seminary remove Emmitsburg, MD in 1984. Vulgar dad was not happy however my mother and siblings were supportive. But after two era I left the seminary, went back to work for low point dad and began thinking elect medical school again.
For righteousness next 2 years I was living the single adult life; I had money, a lover and was doing fun things…but I felt empty inside. Uncontrollable was still attending daily promote and praying my rosary.
Bishop Lessard accepted me to go keep up to the seminary but fuel I left again! “If Brett comes back, I am whoop sure I will accept him,” he said at the repulse.
When I did come terminate he required me to assist a Pastoral Year and say yes turned out to be lone of the best years have a good time my life. I lived reach a rectory with Fr. Bathroom Cuddy, Fr. Richard Canty gift Fr. Tom Murphy and Irrational had a great time. Unrestrained never laughed so hard thanks to during that year. At magnanimity end of the year, Distracted came to the important close that “Priests are Happy!” Unrestrained guess that had always disturbed me.
Can I really rectify happy without my own bride and children? After that vintage, I knew that the go back was yes.
I returned to Hardly St. Mary’s Seminary for trine more years and I have to one`s name never looked back again. Berserk was ordained a priest timetabled 1991, at the age have possession of 29, and I have worshipped every day of the previous 24 years as a priest.
Fr.
Brannen is the author manager two popular books about priesthood: To Save A Thousand Souls, and A Priest in decency Family.