In two days...

My bags are packed and I'm not sure how ready I am to leave the Catholic Worker in Tacoma, my best friend Marc and a loving community at St. Andrews Episcopal Church. Over the past year and a half in Washington many of my prayers, dreams and intentions were for this departure; from one level of discipleship to a new calling. After four years of identifying myself as first a catholic worker, then an Episcopalian then a follower of Christ, I am switching things up as the spirit informs me. Although I love dearly the works of mercy done at the worker and the unique face of God we are privileged to serve through hospitality, a deeper call is echoing in me. It has been for years, and with the help of a discernment committee over the past year I am ready to take the next step towards God's call for me; Seminary in preparation for ordination to the priesthood in the Episcopal church.

Many of my friends on the street in Tacoma don't understand exactly what I mean by priesthood (and sometimes I wonder if I know myself), especially being viewed as coming from a primarily Catholic community at Guadalupe House. Some of my friends in the shelters hear seminary and assume I am going to be a nun. My motorcycle mechanic watched 'Sister Act' on TV and it struck him that just like Whoopie Golberg and the nuns leaving the convent and meeting the people on the streets with such joy- that was what I was going to do with my life. He was kind of on the right track, but I let him know I would be able to always ride a motorcycle because, unlike nuns, priests do not wear habits they wear collars. I kind of muttered something about the miracle of celebrating eucharist, but his head was back under the motorcycle, draining the oil out of the engine in order for it to be shipped down to Texas.

My physical journey from Guadalupe House in Tacoma Washington to the Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, Texas will begin in two days. But like many of my journeys it is in no way direct.