“Be not afraid! Listen to the Lord and recognize his voice!”

Interview with Archbishop Coakley about the grace of priestly vocation

On May 21, Archbishop Coakley celebrated his 40th anniversary of his priestly ordination, and 12 years of service as the archbishop of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Archbishop Coakley shared advice and encouragement to current seminarians and young men discerning the priesthood.

How did the Lord lead you to the priesthood?
It was primarily love and support of my family that prepared me to realize that God was calling me to become his priest. I was blessed to be raised in a good Catholic family and the environment of faith, which I often took for granted in my early years. The Lord used many people in my life to draw me to himself, and they challenged me to appreciate my Catholic faith and identity more deeply. Also, moments of crises were important points in my vocational discernment. During a semester abroad in Ireland as a college student, two of my friends drowned. Miles away from my family, I sought counsel and spiritual support from the local parish priest, Father O’Connell, who was the first one to teach me the meaning of spiritual fatherhood. The seed of my vocation was sown in my heart through this priest during a time of suffering, pain and grief after the loss of my friends. 

What was the anchor keeping you firm during the years of your priestly discernment and seminary? 
Grateful remembrance of God’s faithfulness which always gave me a sense of wonder and gratitude for God’s presence and closeness. Recounting God’s blessings and the great things he has done in my life, being able to look back and recognize God’s care and kindness, having the perspective that the Lord has always proved his faithfulness in the past and knowing that he will do it again, realizing that God has a plan and if he placed a desire in my heart, he will nurture it and bring it to fruition – these were crucial elements to strengthen my confidence in his love and fidelity and to remain faithful in good as well as in challenging times. 

What are the three most important things for young men to keep in mind when discerning the call to priesthood?
First, make prayer a regular habit and a part of your life in simple ways and concrete ways. Develop a habit of prayer which might include a morning offering, grace before meals, examination of conscience, the rosary and spending time with scripture, especially the readings from Mass. We need a simple but firm foundation to build upon. Second, choose your friendships carefully. Make sure that your relationships are healthy and holy and lead you to Christ and help foster a virtuous life. Third, find a spiritual director and spiritual companions. We don’t walk alone in faith; we need the support of fellow believers.

Explain the importance of priestly vocation for the mission of the Church.
We can’t overstate the importance of priesthood. Each priest is an icon of Jesus – the Good Shepherd – who continues his saving work and mission through the ministry of his priests who, nourish and heal us through the sacraments and who accompany us through their pastoral care. The priest receives the offerings of all the baptized and brings them to the Cross at Mass. The priesthood is absolutely essential for the continuation of the mission of Christ in its fullness. 

How can seminarians gain a deeper appreciation of their priestly calling? 
By getting to know better the Heart of Jesus and allowing the Lord to know and love them. This is exactly what priestly vocation is rooted in – allowing oneself to be known, loved and chosen by the Lord. A call to priesthood is a special grace to those he chooses and calls to fulfill the mission of Christ through the sacrament of Holy Orders. God doesn’t choose the qualified, but he qualifies those he chooses to serve in his Church, as Saint Teresa of Calcutta once said.

What are your words of encouragement to the current and prospective seminarians?
After 40 years, I can’t imagine a greater gift that the Lord could have given me. There have been struggles and challenges, it hasn’t always been easy to be a priest, the Church has gone through many trials over these years, people’s perceptions and my own perspective about priesthood have changed over time also, but I can honestly say that next to my Baptism, the priesthood is the greatest blessing the Lord has bestowed upon me. I encourage any young man who thinks he might be called, to be generous with the Lord in answering his call. Listen to the Lord and recognize his voice! The Lord is never outdone in his generosity. If we are generous with him, he will be infinitely generous with us. I want to repeat after my great hero, Pope Saint John Paul II, “Be not afraid!”

Jad Ziolkowska is a freelance writer for the Sooner Catholic.

Photo: Archbishop Coakley visited with a parishioner at the 2022 Red Mass. Photo Avery Holt/Sooner Catholic.