Above, from left: Father Jim Sabak, O.F.M., and Monsignor David Brockman
As Catholics, we all know priests in our parishes and throughout our lives, and they know us in the best of times and the worst of times. But how much do we know about their journeys to their vocation? A look into the lives of two of our priests is intriguing and, perhaps, could be inspirational to those considering their possible role in the Church.
One is a diocesan priest; the other is from an order. One converted to Catholicism as an adult; the other was born into a Catholic family. In honor of National Vocation Week, let’s look at these two stories!
Monsignor David Brockman
Monsignor David Brockman has had a variety of parish and diocesan leadership roles, including time as vicar general of the Diocese of Raleigh, and, currently, as pastor and rector of Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral.
However, in his late teens, his early career plans were focused on medicine rather than the Church. It was not a surprise considering that he came from three generations of doctors, and, at that point, he was not even a Catholic. Growing up in Chicago, he had Catholic friends, but he had not looked deeply into what they believed.
David attended Furman University in Greenville, S.C., a Baptist university, for his undergraduate degree. While there, he attended Mass at St. Mary in Greenville with some fraternity brothers and learned about the Eucharist, which was transformative.
“In the fall of 1980,” he said, “there already was an RCIA program in South Carolina, and I went through it.” One of those fraternity brothers served as his sponsor.
He went to graduate school at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine, focusing on graduate work in microbiology and immunology.
Following graduate school, he joined a firm in Burlington, N.C., that produced products for human diagnostic processes.
“One of the interesting products developed at the time was a blood test for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), as there was no such test at the time. Many companies were working on this development, this being one of them, providing some components for the test,” he said.
Also, while in Burlington, he participated in the young adult group at Blessed Sacrament Church; his plan remained to return to medical school and become a physician.
One Sunday, though, a pivotal question was asked of him by a woman who sat in front of him at Mass every Sunday. While he had begun to discern that what he was doing professionally was not what the Lord wanted him to do, he hadn’t focused on what vocation he was to follow until that one Sunday.
The lady who sat in front of him was a nurse and former Marine who asked him at the sign of peace, “David, have you ever thought about being a doctor of the soul?”
While he intended to return to medical school, he learned, through this simple question, that his calling was to be a ‘doctor,’ just not the kind he initially thought.
“It is often challenging for all of us to hear among the competing voices what is true and of the Lord, and what may be of another influence,” he said.
While he didn’t come from a Catholic background, there were the seeds of a priestly vocation, sacrificially serving others through medicine.
“While my father was not very supportive at first, eventually he too became Catholic,” he said.
Monsignor Brockman gave his father his first Communion, and after Monsignor’s mother passed away, his father met a Catholic widow, and Monsignor officiated at their wedding.
While it may seem unusual for a non-Catholic to convert and become a priest, Monsignor said it isn’t uncommon.
”There are more than twenty ‘convert priests’ serving in the Diocese of Raleigh … many of whom have served in the leadership of the diocese for the last 50 to 60 years,” he said.
Father Jim Sabak, O.F.M.
Unlike Monsignor, Father Jim Sabak, a Franciscan friar and director of the Office of Divine Worship for the Diocese of Raleigh, had been a cradle Catholic. However, like Monsignor Brockman, he was considering careers outside of the Church.
“My confirmation in 10th grade was a process that wrestled with the question of ‘why we believe.’ At that time, the Diocese of Buffalo program was all about making faith relevant, not just about learning the data of the Church but asking, ‘Do you want to be confirmed and why?’ and considering ‘Where is the Church making a difference in the world?’ and those were wonderful questions to ask an adolescent.”
That made Jim start viewing faith not as a list of dos and don’ts or just about facts but as a question of ‘how can faith be lived?’ Jim went to Catholic University and earned his undergraduate degree in politics. He considered a career in law or diplomacy.
Jim had worked in a law firm as a clerk but had the unique opportunity to intern in the House of Commons for the Labour Party in Great Britain. Always a lover of travel and an avid Anglophile, Jim jumped at the opportunity to work for Guy Barnett, a member of parliament (MP) from Greenwich, a suburb of London.
It was 1983, and a time of general election during the ‘Thatcher Prime Ministership’ in Great Britain. Jim campaigned for MP Barnett and forwarded a working-class platform as Greenwich was a working-class area with much shipping and many issues involving dockworkers and other blue-collar careers, but also included healthcare and social program concerns for the older generations.
MP Barnett’s reelection led to further opportunities, and Jim transferred to Kevin McNamara, an MP who represented Humberside in York. McNamara was also the shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
The Tories took Home rule from Northern Ireland, and Jim worked on Northern Ireland affairs in McNamara’s office because the United Kingdom parliament was now running it.
“This led,” said Jim, “to the ‘time of troubles’ in Ireland.”
He said the experience gave him an awareness of the world; he saw the tension and issues between Protestants and Catholics while trying to understand why, even between families, there could be divisions based upon religion.
“When faith becomes political, you see that faith suffers,” he said.
He observed that religion became nationalistic and tied into ancient hurts and grievances. “How can you even call yourself a believer?” he asked. This question became even more apparent when Ian Paisley, who was a leader in the Ulster Unionist party, commented that “the only good Catholic was a dead Catholic.” It was very shocking to Jim, and he found himself asking how to reconcile the antagonism and hatred with the idea of religion.
Jim recalled, “When I worked in Parliament, if I had stayed with the first MP, I wouldn’t have had the experience in Northern Ireland that I did; it was a godsend. Even talking about it now, I can see it as a step in the process of priesthood.”
He returned to the U.S. and worked in the law firm again but realized he didn’t like it.
He entered a program first with the Jesuits, then with the Franciscans to discern possible vocations.
The question to him was, “What is the Church’s role in the world?” The questions, the experiences in law and politics, and his innate desire to find good in the world led Jim to consider a vocation.
“As I thought about what I wanted to do with my life, whether as a lawyer or a diplomat or what have you, I looked at priesthood and said, ‘I can do sacraments and take on the role of a diocesan priest, but I wanted to do something outside of the role in parish life.’ I wanted to see how faith could matter in various contexts and situations. That attracted me to living in a religious community.”
Jim has found his vocation as a leader in the diocese, an educator and chaplain at The Franciscan School in St. Francis of Assisi Parish, and an author and thought leader on Church history and liturgy.
However they get started in their vocation, priests’ support of our efforts to grow in the faith is always appreciated. But knowing that many priests began as we all do, discerning and searching and unsure at times, makes us feel a kinship with our clergy as we journey to greater understanding and a deeper faith.