The process of searching my heart and discernment for my Vocation. It was in my 5th grade Sunday School with my Sunday School Teachers, Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Stevenson. The Stevensons had been active in the church since s long as I can remember. They were truly a heaven-sent young couple who had just given birth to a beautiful son, Kevin.
From those discussions several years ago with the Stevensons in my Fifth Grade Sunday School class on Sunday mornings at Lawrence United Methodist Church, I knew even back then I wanted to go into ministry. I just didn't know who, when or how it would take place.
After my experience working as the Youth Director at Plano United Methodist, and realizing my biggest hurdle to ministry was a standing brick wall almost what seemed like 100 ft, I decided to go into secular work as I discovered and finally accepted that I was gay. I was born a gay man who wanted to serve in ministry with my special gift as a youth director/minister/pastor. Well, as mentioned in previous entries, that was never going to happen. In the late 80's early and into the early 90's no church, no matter how progressive would go for a gay Youth Director nor you minister.
____ Now to Present Day.....
Shortly after the midday the week of March 28, 2011, on Wednesday I should mentioned that that on the night before on Tuesday ( March 29th, 2011is), Bishop Williams sent to me a manila envelope. I should note that on class on Tuesday note, at the end of class, Bishop Bill mentioned to me that I should receive the manila envelope some this that week.
I thought, great, I've been in school a little under two months, haven't received any assignments back from the instructor with grades, and now I'm being sent a mysterious manila envelope. I could just imagine it was going to be a "dear john" letter.
As I opened it up, I couldn't believe it! I was accepted as a Candidate for Holy Orders. Remember at this point I had already been accepted to seminary and had started work toward my Master of Divinity Degree, but this was no guarantee that I would be ordained. Now I had confirmation that pending successful completion with my Master of Divinity degree, I would eligible to be ordained first a Deacon and then Holy Orders as a priest. Here is an excerpt of Bishop's Letter to me dated March 28,2011:
Rev. Bro. Jeffrey [sic] Wolfe
XXX N XXXXX Avenue
Indianapolis, IN XXXXX
28 MAR 11 - Monday of the Third Week of Lent
Greetings in Christ Rev. Bro. Wolfe,
Allow me to be the first to officially congratulate you on your Admission into Candidacy for Holy Orders in the Diocese of St. Luke under the Jurisdiction of the American Catholic Church in the United States [ACCUS].
I received word from the Admissions Committee late on Sunday the 27t to proceed with drafting your documents. Included with this letter is your Certificate of Candidacy as well as your Certificate of Eucharistic Minister in ACCUS. The Certificate of Eucharistic Minister allows you to distribute the Holy Eucharist, which will be consecrated by Me and mailed to you as your need arises, to those whom you minister to. The Certificate of Candidacy for Holy Orders allows your to wear the clerical collar while on Official Business within the Diocese of St. Luke or as the Presiding Archbishop of the ACCUS directs. It also allow you to begin work on the projects assigned to you by your Ordinary, who is me - Most Rev. William A. Johnson, D.D., or the Presiding Archbishop of the ACCUS.
With your acceptance into the ACCUS, there comes additional discernment, responsibility and accountability. I would advise fervent prayer, continued Spiritual Direction and communication with me and your Institute Professors as you move along on your journey to Holy Orders. The responsibility is for you to continue and complete your education as set forth by me and those within the John the [SIC] XXIII Theological Institute. The accountability will be to send in monthly reports to the Office of Clergy on all that you do as it pertains to your ministry and your work for the ACCUS.
As you make your report it will allow me to make the decision as to when the Pastoral need is sufficient and your education sufficient so We can make the Call to Orders to Deacon, and eventually Priest. Between your studies and work within the community, your call will be affirmed and the decision to move forward can be easily made with confidence.
Enclosed with this letter are three (3) copies of your Admissions Certificate, one in a buff color and the other two on plain white paper. There are also three (3) copies of your Eucharistic Minister Certificate, one in a Buff color and two on plain white paper. The buff serves as your Official Certificate that you may frame, if you desire. The plain white copies can be he used for making additional copies as you see fit and one for your safe or filing cabinet. Copies will always be on file in the Disocesan Offices and at the National and International Offices of the ACCUS.
Enclosed is a copy of the ACCUS Pastoral Report to the Vicar of Clergy. The form is mainly for Deacons and Priests, but I would like you to use it and send it en each month and account for Following My Callingyour ACCUS activities. There are boxes for the Theological Institute, and for items you can do within the community, as well as your total hours given to ACCUS. These reports are extremely important for me, but they are also important for the ACCUS to account for its activities that the IRS wants information on to justify our tax exempt status as a Religious Organization.
In the coming days I will be sending you Consecrated Hosts for use in your Eucharistic Ministry through the Community. With the Hosts I will be sending a glass Ciborium which you need to use to store the Blessed Sacrament. You do not need to purchase a tabernacle, but I would suggest that you set up a special place for the Ciborium and place it on a Corporal. As to a Vigil lamp, most of us use either a battery powered candle or one which you can plug it into an electrical outlet. Flame candles can be to dangerous and cause unwanted fires.
You will need to purchase a Pyx so you can transport the Blessed Sacrament on your clerical shirt for your ACCUS Ministry. The preferred color is black, but blue or white is also acceptible.
Again, congratulations and welcome to the ACCUS family. If you have any questions or concerns please fee free to let me know and I will do my best to get back with you as soon as I can. I am looking forward to watching you grow and move on the in your journey towards Holy Orders in the Diocese of St. Luke.
May Gods Peace be With You,
/s/ Most Rev. William Johnson, D.D.
Most Rev. William A. Johnson, D.D.
Ordinary - Diocese of St. Luke
I couldn't believe it? It finally was here. I am finally a Candidate for Holy Orders. After first talking with Archbishop Harms almost five (5) years earlier, until now, I am finally in seminary on my way to ordination.
Since I included my acceptance letter in this entry, I thought I would end with this: Within ACCUS, once accepted to seminary and Certified as a Candidate for Holy Orders, the first year the seminarian is installed as a Religious Brother (or Sister). As seminary progresses and the my Bishop feels the time is right, I will be ordained with Deacon's Orders. Typically known as "transitional Deacon's Orders" as it is in the process of eventually becoming a Priest. Finally after completion of my third (e) year, I pray ordination into Holy Orders will start officially my ordained ministry work.
For the time being there is so much work to be done as a Lay minister, Religious Brother and Eucharistic Minister in ACCUS. As a Religious Brother, I am given the title "Rev. Bro." for "Reverend Brother". The work that I had begun almost 5 years ago here in Indianapolis was volunteering and working in the HIV community for Indianapolis. Now as a Religious brother, I can establish a Pastoral and Outreach Center here in Indianapolis. Known officially now as "St. john XXIII Pastoral & Outreach Center (POC). Our website address is http://www.stjohnxxiiipoc.org. As a Lay Religious Brother, I have already begun to identify a need within the HIV community. There are four to five different Care Coordination Centers where HIV+ individuals go to receive FREE services.
Thought support groups exist in Indianapolis, none are specifically targeting certain groups of Individuals in the HIV Community. Through my work over the past five (5) years, I have come to understand the community and it appears that no Support Groups exists for the following targeted audiences: 1) newly diagnosed; 2) long term survivors; 3) Family Members & Care Givers; and, 4) Women & HIV.
You can go to our website and learn more about these support groups. You can read about the different groups, download a brochure, and check out the calendar for current support groups in the Indianapolis area (which are really for anyone with HIV, rather than targeted audiences (which include non-HIV+ persons like Family Members and Caregivers.
Please continue to pray for me as I continue my discernment toward ministry with ACCUS and watch St. John XXIII Pastoral & Outreach center (http://www.stjohnxxiiipoc.org) move from POC to POC and parish!
Peace,
Br Jeff
Rev. Bro. Jeff Wolfe
Religious Brother & Eucharistic MInister
Director, St. John XXIII Pastoral & Outreach Center
rev_jwolfe@accus.us
(317) 238-9393 (office)
http://www.stjohnxxiiipoc.org
http://www.accus.us
