Vocations
father john c. cregan, v.f.
Over fifty years ago, when I was in the 8th grade at St. Mary’s School on the west side of the Bronx, one of the priests of my parish, who was in charge of the altar boys, told me that he wanted me to go to the Cathedral College. This was a little overwhelming to me at the time, since I was just 13 years old. Cathedral College was a 6-year high school/college program that prepared you to go on to the major seminary. What Father was asking me to do was to pursue a vocation to the priesthood. I remember clearly my response. I said, “No, Father, I am not going to the seminary to study to be a priest. I am going to the Navy for 20 years and, then, maybe I will go to the seminary.
I went on to Jesuit high school and college, Fordham Preparatory and Fordham University in the Bronx. The day I graduated from college, I was commissioned, not in the Navy, but in the United States Marine Corps.
I then began a wonderful 22-year career as a Marine Infantry Officer. It took me to Europe, to the Mediterranean, to the Caribbean, to many places in the continental United Sates and several times to the Far East. I can especially remember the times at sea where it was easy to focus on the reality of God and to reflect on the purpose of life.
In the mid-1960’s, I had just returned from overseas duty to Okinawa. The Viet Nam War was starting to gain intensity and a major buildup of troops began. It was clear that very soon we would be going to combat in Viet Nam. At this point, I made a conscious decision to use the time I had in the States to prepare in every way to be a rifle company commander in combat. I resolved that I would not, at that time, get involved in a serious relationship with a young woman that would lead to marriage until I returned from Viet Nam.
In 1968-69, I was assigned to the 3rd Marine Division in the north part of Viet Nam. My company operated for the most part in the demilitarized zone and south to the area around Da Nang. During those months, I was to lose more than half of my company, 30 killed and the others seriously wounded and evacuated.
Particularly the quiet hours at night and in the morning gave me the opportunity to reflect on what I was going to do with the rest of my life. On occasion throughout the years I thought about that conversation with my parish priest and whether I had a vocation to the priesthood. There was sickness in my family and as the only son I felt a responsibility to help my parents. This precluded me from seriously pursuing the priesthood.
When I returned from Viet Nam, I spent 3 years making casualty notifications to the families of those who had loved ones either killed or wounded. This caused me to further reflect on how valuable time was and what I was going to do with the rest of my life.
My parents both rather suddenly, within a year apart, became sick and died. In the late 1970’s and early 80’s, I began to think more and more about a possible vocation to the priesthood. It came to the point where I was thinking about it every minute of every day. I know that I would never be at peace unless I seriously discerned this vocation.
After contacting the vocations director of the Diocese of Arlington, in August of 1983, I took a week’s leave from the Marine Corps to attend Mount Saint Mary’s Seminary. As soon as I arrived, I asked the rector for a day off the following week to return to Washington, D.C., to retire from the Marine Corps. And so I began my seminary studies that led to my ordination in 1987.
For me, each year at the seminary was better and better. I was more and more certain with the passage of time that that was what God wanted me to do. I am about to complete my 18th year as a priest and I am so very thankful for the gift of this great vocation. It has convinced me that to get where God wants you to get in this life is the secret of fulfillment and happiness.