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Year for Priests: Reflecting on vocation, ministry

Name: Father Thomas J. Topf

Birth date including year: September 13, 1937

Hometown: Salix, Iowa

Education: B.A. Loras College; M.S.Ed. Creighton University; Theology, Mt. St. Bernard Seminary in Dubuque

Ordination date: June 1, 1963

Current assignment: Retired

Hobbies/interests: Music, travel, walking in nature

Describe your call to priesthood. I was thinking about it ever since second grade but was reluctant to talk about it at first. Our small parish and Catholic school kept the call alive and I was active in the parish as a Mass server and in other ways. When I was a senior in high school I felt that neither God nor I would ever be satisfied unless I gave it a try. Once I got started I never turned back.

Did anyone or anything provide you with inspiration to follow the call to priesthood? My parents were very much in favor of giving at least one of their boys to the service of the Church as a priest. It was one of my dad’s particular preferences. I was also inspired by two of my pastors, Father Norbert Boes and Father John Turza. As a high school senior I visited Father James Fandel, our interim pastor, with a whole list of questions which he answered very well. From then on it was a relatively easy journey.

Was it a difficult decision to make? In the beginning it was somewhat difficult. For a couple of years in high school I tried to side step God’s will and the call, fearing what might be asked of me and sensitive to imagined peer pressure. But in the end he won out.

What do you enjoy most about being a priest? Being of a quiet nature I enjoy the easy access to solitude for prayer that the priesthood usually allows. Of course the Mass and other sacraments provide a ready-made way to serve people and thereby these celebrations become a source of personal enjoyment for me. In recent years I have discovered spiritual direction and retreat work to be a meaningful challenge and source of fulfillment.

Are there any particular devotions or prayers that are dear to your heart? In my prayer time each day I have found reflection on the scriptures as well as the Divine Office to be helpful. The Prayer of Quiet, sometimes called Centering Prayer, also holds an important place in my prayer life . For many years I have enjoyed making a visit to the Blessed Sacrament after supper when I am at home.

Why do you find priesthood to be a worthy vocation? There are many significant ways that a priest can make a positive difference in this short time we have on earth. We can affect thousands of people by our preaching and other ministries, and in countless other ways we are able to imitate Christ simply by the way we live. Even though there are some specific sacrifices, when all things are considered, working this closely with Christ is a great privilege and joy.

What would you say to a young man considering a vocation to the priesthood? If you are sincerely striving to be actively open to God’s will, you already have the key to answering God’s call. If you can say, “thy will be done” and mean it you likely won’t make many serious mistakes. And we should never discount the love and power of the Holy Spirit working through you. I would say trust in God, take the plunge and see where it goes.