From Catholic School Students to Priests
On June 2, Archbishop George J. Lucas ordained three new priests. Two of the three attended one of our Archdiocese of Omaha Catholic Schools. Our office recently spoke to them, and their excitement about their faith is evident.
Fr. Taylor Leffler
Guardian Angels Central Catholic (West Point, NE)
“Looking back, I realize having 12 years of Catholic education really did lay an invisible foundation for me,” he said. “I took for granted how much I as a student knew about the Bible, sacraments, and Mass.”
“A Catholic education is crucial, but it’s still not enough on its own,” he said. Fr. Leffler encouraged school leaders, parents and students themselves to develop opportunities for more personal encounters with Jesus. He experienced God’s voice during youth group retreats while in high school and sees great value in these types of experiences. He hopes students realize they can go to priests anytime with questions, even tough ones, about the Faith and navigating life.
Congratulations!
Fr. Patrick Moser
Pope John XXIII Central Catholic (Elgin, NE)
“It was good that my high school taught theology, Catholic identity, and we could pray in class. God was working through all classes, no matter the subject.”
Fr. Moser noted that Catholic schooling does a great job of giving a formula on how to pray and the basics of Catholicism. He went on to say that outside the classrooms, parent and family involvement is key so that children can encounter Jesus in their lives on a personal level. “Parents may not realize how much influence they have,” he said when speaking about how to develop a child’s faith.
Fr. Moser will be at St. Patrick’s in Elkhorn, where he will be able to work with the families and school children there.
Best wishes and blessings!
We look forward to seeing which other schools may see an alumnus as a future priest!
Learn more about our schools by clicking around this site, lovemyschool.com. You can learn more about vocations at https://archomaha.org/ministries/vocations/