Welcome back for what will most likely be the final episode of the Future Father Dave podcast. After 1 semester I have decided to withdraw from priesthood formation at Saint Meinrad and I will not be returning for the spring semester. To those who have become faithful supporters and listeners over the past 7 months, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. I hope that hearing my story has been edifying and fruitful for you in your own spiritual journey. My discernment isn’t over, it’s just taking a new and unexpected turn. Stay tuned for another potential podcast in the future under a different name.

Today I have decided to dedicate this episode to thanking all those who have impacted my life in a special way, from Glenmary, to my friends, to my family. I hope you enjoy hearing about our wonderful thanksgiving gather with all of our men in formation here at Saint Meinrad! As you listen to me recount all those I am thankful for in my life, I encourage you to reflect on those who are important in your own life, especially as we enter into this advent season and prepare to welcome the greatest gift of all, Jesus Christ himself.

This week I interviewed a classmate of mine, Wes Wheatley, who is one of a handful of full time students in the lay theology program here at Saint Meinrad. It was a wonderful reminder to me of the importance of lay programs, and their importance in the overall work and mission of the church.

Today I spoke with Phillip Langford, one of my Glenmary brothers in his second year of studies here with Glenmary. It was a wonderful conversation and one of my big takeaways was the importance of active listening in all that we do as ministers.

This week I had the opportunity to sit down with Rolando Perez, one of our transitional deacons at st Meinrad, to discuss the altar de Los muertos, a shrine that he helped to set up this week to honor our deceased loved ones. It was a great discussion about family and the great Hispanic traditions surrounding All Souls’ Day and the day of the dead. Tune in for another great episode!

Today I reflect on the little things that distract us throughout our days. Those minor inconveniences throughout our days, when we respond to them with joy, can be tremendous sources of grace in our lives. But when we allow them to frustrate us, and choose to sit on that frustration, it will only cause tension in our relationships with others around us. So which will we choose?

Today I had an interview with Joseph - one of our veteran seminarians. He had some great insights to share about his time here at St. Meinrad, And some things he is looking forward to as he prepares to step into full time ministry in the near future.

Todays episode focuses on the most holy Rosary, and the immense sense of peace that it can bring you if you truly enter into the prayer with an open and humble heart. I hope my stories of the rosary from the this week will inspire you to enter into this beautiful prayer yourself, and discover it’s richness. May God bless you during the month of October, the month of the Rosary!

On this weeks episode I had the privilege to sit down with Br. Stephen Johnson from Assumption Abbey in Richarsdon North Dakota. He is a Benedictine monk and a classmate of mine studying for the priesthood! It’s been a joy getting to know him over the past month or so and I’m excited to share his story with y’all.

This week I had the opportunity to travel down to Tennessee to visit a handful of our Glenmary missions with my classmate Gabriel. We had a wonderful visit with Brother Corey, as we visited both St. Peter the Apostle in Carthage TN, as well as Holy Family in Lafayette TN. It was a great opportunity as new students to learn more about the work Glenmary is doing in our area. Stay tuned to hear about the great work of Brother Corey and all the other Glenmarians working in central Tennessee.