CATHOLIC EDUCATION
arians
At this time in his formation, a seminarian has acquired sufficient theological training, and now needs practical experience on applied ministry. The year at a parish also affords the seminarian the opportunity to assess which area of theology he may want to pursue in his remaining years in the seminary. Bishop Wm. Michael Mulvey assigned Quesada to Holy Family Parish to do his pastoral year under the tutelage of pastor Father Patrick Donohoe. In addition to Quesada, David Bayardo and Freddie Villarreal are also completing their pastoral year. Bayardo is under the wing of Father Paul Hesse at St. Pius X Parish and Villarreal is working and learning under the supervision of Father Peter Martinez at St. Paul the Apostle Parish. “My pastoral year has helped to solidify the calling that God has initiated in me, helping me to realize that this is exactly where I need to be,” Quesada said. He said, working at a parish has allowed him to use the four pillars of formation—the human, spiritual, intellectual and pastoral—in his work, and in his own formation. “Each of them hinges on one another but they are directly related to the foundation of the human pillar. It is also a great cooperation with the grace that God gives me,” Quesada said. It is one thing, Quesada said, to learn about philosophy and theology in the classroom, but a completely different www.SouthTexasCatholic.com
thing to actually see it in motion within the setting of a hard-working parish. The support provided by Father Donohoe, the parish staff and parishioners has made Quesada’s experience very rewarding. “It has been an invaluable experience and I thank God for placing me with such a strong pastor and staff whose love and guidance have and continue to contribute to my future as a strong advocate for holy life and a life dedicated to God and His Church,” Quesada said. “Michael entered fully into the pastoral year process and used this time for personal spiritual growth and exercising real pastoral ministry,” Father Donohoe said. “Overall, Michael did very well. He had several bumps in his ministry at the beginning of his time at Holy Family, but he learned very quickly to adapt and to improve his pastoral skills in dealing with people.” Father Donohoe said that Quesada learned that “sometimes it is far more effective to accompany someone on the journey of faith than to just tell them the answer to a question.” That the call to be a better priest is not just knowing the answers, but to be willing to journey with the people of God. He also learned that to be a good priest you must balance your personal life and health with the duties and demands of parish life. “Michael is a great guy and it was a pleasure for me to be his mentor during his pastoral year. As I was teaching and reflecting things to him, I was finding my own life and priesthood being rejuvenated as well. It was a great experience for me as well. I look forward to the day that I can call him a ‘Brother Priest’,” Father Donohoe said. “I had a joyful year of working at La Sagrada Familia, Holy Family Parish, with Father Donohoe as my guiding pastor,” Quesada said. Quesada is currently working in Metairie, Louisiana at East Jefferson General Hospital completing his clinical pastoral education. The next step in his formation is for the bishop to accept him into candidacy for the diaconate and then the priesthood. “It is an exciting time where I am finally seeing a little light at the end of the tunnel. But I do realize that with ordination, there will be many more challenges ahead of me to face,” Quesada said. AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2012 | SOUTH TEX AS CATHOLIC
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