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On September 2, 1955, when Dad was in the Air Force, stationed at the Cape in FLorida, and a couple of years after Dad and Mom were married at the University Chapel, I was born as the oldest of three children. A year later, my sister Karen was born; and we moved to Crescent City, Florida (south of Jacksonville). We grew up in Crescent City, and a few years later my little sister Kim was born. Dad worked for his uncle in the citrus, cattle, and fern business. Dad is a native of Jacksonville, and Mom is originally from Detroit; but her family moved to Daytona Beach when she was young. Mom went to high school in Daytona with Bill France, a pioneer leader in what is today NASCAR. Growing up, Dad and I went to the races; and I personally met Tin Lund after a race and got a program signed. I knew my life's wourk would be to race cars. In those days, I was consumed with racing and the track. When I got to high school, since Dad had gone to military school in Tennessee, and since they had friends in Daytona who sent their boys to Sewanee, to Sewanee I went. Those were the military days. During that four year period, the Academy became non-military. I had gotten interested in the mountain climbing program at Sewanee, and the summer between my junior and serior years our group went to Zermatt to climb. There, in the Alps, I went to my first Catholic Mass (Vatican II had already happened, and the Mass was in German.) My senior year at Sewanee, I leared more about the Faith, the Real Presence, the Mass, the seven sacraments, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the saints. After a Profession of Faith, I made my First Confession and Communion at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Chattanooga. Regularly that year, I also attended Mass at nearby Good Shepherd in Winchester and became friends with Fathe John Baltz. College was at Stetson University in Deland. After college, I went to work for Dad for four years; but I was strongly attracted to the priesthood. The summer of 1983, in Rome as a tourist, I saw Pope John Paul II. Seeing the Holy Father was the catalyst that got me going with the priesthood. Since that moment, I have never looked back. Through an initial interest in religious life, I got to Chicago. Before novitiate, however, I discerned that my place was diocesan priesthood. Through Spiritual direction and Midtown Center in Chicago, I became a seminarian and later a priest for the Peoria Diocese. My date of ordination was May 25, 1991.
I was assistant pastor until 1996 and have been sent to country parishes
as pastor. Now I look forward to returning to the South and being
much closer to my family. I also look forward to serving the good
folks at Notre Dame Parish in Greeneville.
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