Editor: Bishop Garcia, in June you will ordain five men to the priesthood, so let’s talk about vocations. Will you start by telling us how you were called to the priesthood?

Bishop Garcia: I was already in college when I seriously began to consider the possibility of a vocation to priesthood. However, looking back, I realize the seeds of a vocation were planted when I was a small child. My Catholic faith was nourished in my family and in the parish community where I grew up. But when I got out of high school, I was pretty convinced that I wanted to be a medical doctor.

After being in college for four years, I took some time off to reevaluate, and it was then that the idea of priesthood surfaced. Honestly, I struggled with this. I was angry with God for planting this idea in my head, and for a while I struggled to accept it because I wanted to be a doctor and I thought I would have a family. However, as time went by, I found the desire to be a doctor was lessening and this new desire to be a priest was increasing.

So as a 21-year-old, I surrendered my desires to the Lord. I went to seminary thinking I was just going to try it out, but as the years went by I realized I enjoyed daily prayer, days of recollection, learning about Scripture, studying theology and serving the people of God. So when it came time for me to be ordained a deacon, with the help of spiritual directors and other people around me, I realized it was God’s will that I become a priest. 

My parents were supportive but probably a little shocked because from about the age of 7, I had wanted to be a doctor. When I entered seminary, I remember having some heart-to-heart conversations with my mother, and she asked me, “Are you sure this is what you want to do?” And my answer to her was that I wasn’t sure, but it was something I needed to try. Now having been ordained since 1988, I am grateful for my family’s support, and I am thankful to God for his call and for his continued nourishing of my desire to serve his people.

Editor: How do we, as a diocese and as families and individuals, continue to build a culture of vocations?

Bishop Garcia: Our diocese has done a wonderful job of building a culture of vocations over the last 20 years or so. First, I think it is important for those of us who are priests and religious to show our young people the joys of this life. Second, I think as a family, as a domestic church, we must pray for all vocations and encourage children and grandchildren to consider priesthood or religious life. As a diocese, we must encourage men and women to open their hearts to God’s call. We must continue to offer our prayerful and financial support to those who God is calling to serve as priests and religious. 

The Diocese of Austin is blessed to have 50 men studying for the priesthood. I am looking forward to ordaining five men to the priesthood on June 6, which is a great blessing! We also have many women and men contemplating religious life. There is a deep hunger to serve the Lord and his people in our young people, which brings me great joy.

Our diocesan Vocations Office, under the leadership of Father Greg Gerhart, has helped our parishes form Vocations Teams, which pray for and promote vocations at the parish level. Our priests have also been sharing their personal stories about their call to the priesthood. We only have one vocation director, but in a sense, we are all vocation directors. So when we see a man or woman who has profound gifts of faith, let’s encourage them to consider the priesthood or religious life.

Editor: What is your prayer for those discerning the priesthood or religious life?

Bishop Garcia: First, I pray for those who have answered the call, that they will continue to listen for God’s voice and to trust him implicitly. Secondly, I pray that all of us, particularly our young people, will consider how God is calling us to holiness. Some will be called to religious life, some will be called to priesthood, some will be called to married life, and some will be called to single life, but we are all called to holiness. With God’s grace, may we continue to answer that call. Amen.