Diocese of Covington - Messenger at 402 E. 21st Street, Covington, KY 41015 US - Anticipating a life of service
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Anticipating a life of service Tim Fitzgerald Editor |
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| Matthew Cushing |
This fact is encouraging for Mr. Cushing as he takes the next big step in his own journey to the priesthood. On March 15 at the cathedral Bishop Roger Foys will ordain, to the traditional diaconate, Mr. Cushing and three other fourth-year theology students. Their journey to the priesthood reaches its conclusion when they are expected to be ordained as priests for the Diocese of Covington in May 2009. (Profiles of the four will appear in this week’s and next week’s Messengers.)
In his final year at St. Vincent, he will continue to enjoy the fraternity of the other 50 or so seminarians there and of the 16 other seminarians for the Diocese of Covington who get together a few times a year to socialize and share experiences. He also appreciates the small-town atmosphere of Latrobe, a community about an hour outside Pittsburgh. "The environment [of both seminary and town] is very conducive to prayer, reflection and discernment," Mr. Cushing said. He is also enjoying a new faculty member, Dr. Scott Hahn, who travels each week from the Franciscan University in Steubenville to teach a course entitled "The Gospel of John."
But he will be glad to have his seminary preparation behind him. "Still going to school at age 32 is sometimes a challenge. I ask myself, 'when will this be done?"
Mr. Cushing has enjoyed a taste of parish service during last summer at Mary, Queen of Heaven Church, Erlanger, an assignment Bishop Foys gave to seminarians. He has appreciated the parishioners' hospitality and looks forward to this summer when he will return as an ordained minister. He will be able to minister more fully to the people while learning at the side of Father Richard Wurth, pastor, and Deacon Thomas Dushney. (A bonus is, as he said, ""Instead of just watering the trees, I can give the trees a blessing!")
Although he may be impatient for his studies to end, when he looks to next year's ordination to the priesthood, his heart is peaceful. "This is what I've been striving for--the vocation is set, there no turning back, no more deciding--that sense of completion."
Mr. Cushing has been seeking this vocation since he entered the seminary for the Diocese of Kansas City, Kansas, in 2002. He graduated from technical college in 1997 with a degree in computer technology.
He was born and raised in Kansan City, Missouri, and his parents and two of his three brothers still reside in the area. He also has four sisters, one of whom is Sister of St. Joseph the Worker Patricia Jean Cushing. Her presence in the diocese carried great weight in his decision to contact Bishop Foys in 2002 and discuss becoming a priest for the diocese. Sister Patricia Jean “has been wonderful and supportive” and provides a family connection in the diocese.
Also the Sisters of St. Joseph the Worker have been “very, very good to me, and to all the seminarians. They are all my sisters now,” Mr. Cushing said.
He also thanks the people of Mary, Queen of Heaven Church, in particular, and all the people of the diocese. They have been so kind and welcoming, he said, that “it’s like back home, a homey atmosphere.” He appreciates the prayers and enjoys the encouraging cards and letters, especially from the school children.
Mr. Cushing especially praises Bishop Foys who has been "very gracious" and "so kind and so open to all of us (seminarians)."
"It's wonderful to know we all have this fatherly support … we are truly blessed to have him."