Father Steven learned that the life of a priest can often be unpredictable.     Days that were once open can quickly fill up.Recently, Fr. Steven found that his open day was immediately filled.   One of these items w...

Father Steven has been at his parish assignment for 2 months and has been settling in to the life of a parish priest.Along with parish life, Father Steven has been assigned as priest for both a pre-K through 8 grammar school and a local...

Father Steven and Dad both attended the 2024 National Eucharistic Congress the past weekend and shared their experiences.The 2024 National Eucharistic Congress was the first held since 1976.   This gathering was the culmination of ...

The day following his ordination, Steven celebrated his first mass at his home parish.  Numerous brother priests and fellow seminarians celebrated this mass with Steven.Steven found the mass a mixture of both the surreal and natura...

Ordination Day finally arrived!The day Steven has been preparing for these last 6 years - and even his last 28 years - came and with it a full cascade of moments, memories and emotions.Steven and Dad review the Ordination mass i...

Steven graduated from Sacred Heart Major Seminary and with that, ended 23 consecutive years of schooling!Steven took this time to reflect back on his academic priestly formation which began in 2018 at Mundelein Seminary.The tran...

[Production note: apologies for the imbalance of the sound on this episode.]Steven was in town for Easter and got to serve as a deacon during the Triduum at his home parish.Before the Easter break Steven partook in his final Scr...

Last month we discussed how during his final semester Steven has been practicing administering the various sacraments.Over the past month Steven was able to perform several "practice" confessions with his brother seminarians.  &nbs...

With Priestly Ordination right around the corner, Steven  started his final semester at school.   This period of time is unique in that it offers the opportunity to prepare and pray through the mass and the sacraments.His "Mas...

Steven is home for the Christmas Break.   At the beginning of the break he went shopping for a chalice.For Steven it is important to choose a chalice that reveals the beauty of what is happening during consecration.   The prie...

After a quick visit home during the Thanksgiving Break, Steven is back at Sacred Heart Seminary in Detroit.Steven is in the middle of a Marian Consecration that he is SHARING with several fellow seminarians.    This consecrati...

Architecture matters.Last weekend, while visiting Detroit-area college friends, Mom & Dad were able to attend mass where Steven serves as a deacon and got to hear him preach.    One of our friends is an adult student at Sa...

At the end of the Summer, Steven was offered the chance to join a trip to Medugorje.    While a visit to Medugorje was not on the top of his list of places to visit, Steven happily joined.On his first evening, a group of pilgr...

Steven has been enjoying his Deacon assignment this Summer.    The opportunity to get more engaged with parish life has been a blessing and full of joy.One of the highlights has been preaching the homily at Sunday masses. &nbs...

On June 3, 2023 at Holy Angels Cathedral by the power of  the Most Reverend Robert J. McClory Bishop of Gary, Steven Caraher was ordained into the order of the Diaconate.I was a beautiful day both in weather and the ceremony. ...

As Steven counts down the days until his ordination into the Transitional Diaconate, he has a couple of weeks of free time which raises the question; how do seminarians and priests spend their free time?First and foremost it is importan...

As a Seminarian and in the future as a Priest, Steven has set himself up to be a target of temptation.When he first announced his interest in the priesthood to Fr. Mike, Steven experienced the feeling that he did something wrong.  ...

Being ordained to the diaconate is the first step towards Holy Orders.     This step involves Steven make several promises; notably one of Obedience to the Bishop and a promise of celibacy. During the last 4 years of...

Steven recently took a trip to Washington DC to participate in the March for Life.     This was his second time participating in the march.    He found it important to be there with others, publicly witnessing.O...

Steven is in town for the Christmas Break.   Over the break he spoke at the local Holy Name Society and shared in a Bible class on Hebrews.    The teacher of his class authored a book of Catholic Commentary on Hebrews.&nb...

Steven’s vocation has given our local community witness to the process of Discernment.    People are able to see that discernment is not instant magic.    Rather, it is a real process that involves time and work.Steve...

Mom and Dad visited Steven at Sacred Heart Major Seminary to witness his installation to the minor order of Acolyte.     The minor order of Acolyte marks Steven’s progression on the road to ordination.     There ar...

We begin the episode reviewing Steven's daily routine at Seminary.      Each week day does follow a pattern.    Dad looked back on his college days and recalled how he would try to schedule as much activity as he could,...

Entering his 5th year of school and with the Transitional Deaconate a year away, the risk running on autopilot is real.    With the routine of the school schedule, work must be done to stay focused.Habits are important to make ...

As Steven’s Summer 2022 assignment draws to a close, we reflect on his experiences.     During the Summer, Steven worked an internship at a local parish.Steven previously worked Summer assignments but now that he has a few...