THE GLOBE
PO BOX 5079 (51102)
1825 JACKSON ST.
SIOUX CITY, IA (51105)
712.255.2550
800.352.9035
WWW.CATHOLICGLOBE.ORG

Year for Priests: Reflecting on vocation, ministry

Name: Father Gerald Feierfeil (prefers “Fr. Jerry” by parishioners and friends)

Birth date: Sept. 23, 1941, in Sioux City

Education: K-8 at St. Boniface; 9-12 at Heelan, both in Sioux City.
Graduated from Loras College in Dubuque in 1963.
Seminary education at Mt. St. Bernard Seminary in Dubuque, 1963-1967. Graduate education in educational administration and guidance in summer sessions at Creighton in Omaha, 1963-1970.

Ordination: June 3, 1967 by Bishop Mueller at Cathedral of the Epiphany.

Current assignment: Nativity in Sioux City

Hobbies/interests: I am a licensed, though largely inactive, amateur radio operator. I enjoy live theatre performance and concerts, (especially the Sioux City Symphony), and I have a large collection of recorded music. I love walking my dog and lots of reading, especially historical novels and recent world history. I also enjoy fishing when the opportunity arises. Most of all I enjoy time spent with friends, whether in informal visits, meals or travel.

My call to priesthood and those who inspired it: The strong personal faith of my parents and a home life that centered on family prayer and regular church attendance formed an unbreakable bond with the Church from my earliest years. The frequent suggestion of priestly vocation by the priests and sisters who served St. Boniface and who educated me over a period of 13 years became models and heroes worthy of imitation. The real clincher, though, was the years of silent, unmentioned vocation prayer, offered by my mother with me or my brother in mind, and revealed to me only after I was safely ordained.

Was it a difficult decision to make? I don’t recall it as difficult, though for a time in my high school years I was much attracted to science and math and envisioned a career in engineering or research. When I settled the question during a senior year school retreat though, it seemed obvious.

What do you enjoy most about being a priest? Nothing equals the spiritual high of presiding at the Eucharist or ministering the Sacraments. I love the people I serve and the privilege of being with them in the joys and sorrows of their daily lives, as well as the many simple social occasions that bring us together. I have the blessings of a large and loving parish family and the brotherhood of a close-knit fraternity of my brother priests.

Are there any devotions or prayers that are dear to my heart? A program of spiritual direction at Mundelein, Ill., renewed many dimensions of prayer for me. I have a heightened appreciation of the Liturgy of the Hours. There I was introduced to the practice of Lectio Divina, in which I have found the ideal model for daily personal prayer. Somewhat unexpectedly I have recently grown in appreciation of the simple elegance of the rosary.

Why do you find the priesthood to be a worthy vocation? It is the privilege of the priest, beyond his personal meriting, to be the instrument of Christ’s presence in the lives of people. It is personally rewarding, of course, but its real value is being the living link between Jesus and his Church.

What would you say to a young man considering a vocation to the priesthood? Pray about it, of course, as for any important decision. Find time for a good visit with a priest friend where all the questions about the life and work of priests can be explored.