Each one of us is born with a God-given vocational call. While those who take up the vocation of priesthood are few, without them, our communities would not be able to connect with God in the Eucharist. That’s why it is imperative that we as a church support the education and formation of our priests.
Fr. George Elliott of Nacogdoches, Texas is a juggernaut in his diocese. As is the case with many of us faithful, Fr. George grew up daydreaming in church pews. But at 15, when he lost his cousin suddenly, he began to take a second look at how he lived his life and where God stood in his list of priorities. After graduation, he enrolled in the Air Force Academy. He recalls those first six weeks of training being spent in prayer, whether in his moments of physical suffering or silence while standing at attention. His time in prayer eventually provided clear direction: he would spend his life serving God and His people as a priest.
This vocational path would eventually lead him to Rome – more specifically, to the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross. Speaking of his years at our partner institution, he asserts: “When you go to Santa Croce, you soak in the spirit of St. Josemaría Escrivá and that spirit of embracing the world in such a way that you don’t let go of your embrace of Jesus Christ either – you bring the two together.”
Fr. George best describes his time at the university himself, through his fond recollection: “The most important thing I learned at Santa Croce was how to be a priest. I learned that first and foremost from the example of the professors, who were just good, holy priests who loved the church and who wanted to do everything they could to serve our Lord. They were very clearly men of prayer, often visiting the basilica to make visits to the Blessed Sacrament. It was not uncommon that this prayer would enter the class setting, where they would break from the lecture to speak about the fruits of their prayer or pastoral experiences that we students might one day encounter in our own apostolates.
Fr. George celebrating Mass in St. Peter´s Basilica, during his Rome years.
Because they had such a love for God and for the people of God, and because they had such a thorough knowledge of the theology behind it all, they were able to break through so many of the common errors that you might see priests falling into.”
Today, Fr. George is the pastor of a parish which encompasses three missions – or local church communities that have not yet established a parish – campus minister at a state university, author, cofounder of Catholic Bytes – now Catholic CAST Media – and President of Catholic-Link.org.
One of the missions, in East Texas, he now serves is made up of about 600 people, most of whom come from Latin American “ranchos” that didn’t have local priests – let alone law. In the small country communities where they come from, a priest might stop by once a month to offer the sacraments.
For many of these faithful, it is the first time in their lives that they are able to attend Mass regularly. That, in and of itself, is a gift of immeasurable value; but, beyond his role as the spiritual father of this community, he is also a guide, leading them to understand Jesus’s definition of love and justice.
Fr. George credits the spirit that inspires all of the work he does in his apostolates to have come from the spirit found in the classrooms of his alma mater in Rome. All he does for his parish, missions, and campus ministry, all the books he writes, and the media work he’s fostered over the years – it all leads back to one source: the Holy Spirit and the spirit of St. Josemaría Escrivá.
