Fr. Joseph Kirkconnell

“As far back as I can remember, I've wanted to do God's will.” On this episode of Men of the Hearts, Fr. Craig and Fr. Drew welcome Fr. Joe Kirkconnell, a professor and spiritual director at Sacred Heart Major Seminary. Fr. Joe’s journey to the priesthood included growing up in the Cayman Islands, studying theology in college, and experiencing “subtle graces” during his time in seminary. (0:03) Fr. Craig and Fr. Drew introduce this episode’s guest, Fr. Joseph Kirkconnell. Fr. Joe is finishing up his doctorate in catechetics while also serving as a professor and spiritual director at Sacred Heart Major Seminary. The priests discuss the power of God active in the sacraments, the gift of hearing confessions, and other recent blessings.(15:01) Vocation story: Fr. Joe grew up in a Catholic family in the Cayman Islands, which are under the pastoral care of the Archdiocese of Detroit. He notes, “As far back as I can remember, I've wanted to do God's will.” His mom advised him, “be open to the priesthood because if that's God's will, that's where you're gonna be happiest,” and he told the Lord “I’m open to it.” (21:50) While Fr. Joe was in high school, he began going regularly to Eucharistic Adoration. While praying in the basilica at college, Fr. Joe felt a “subtle invitation” to his vocation. At the same time, he particularly struggled with scrupulosity. After graduation, he obtained his MA in theology. In 2008, Fr. Joe attended a discernment weekend in the Archdiocese of Detroit and entered Sacred Heart Major Seminary. “I was at peace and there was this joy and knowing that He was with me and that He was guiding me. And so, again, I can't say that I had like an overpowering moment. It was just more subtle graces.” Fr. Joe describes his first assignment at St. Paul on the Lake Church as well as his experience studying at the Catholic University of America. (39:38) The priests discuss the diversity of past relationship experiences, struggles, and gifts among men who enter the seminary: “He calls different kinds of guys and He calls us all at the right time.” Fr. Craig affirms, “God's gonna use anything and God can even take your sinful past if you've had a sinful past and turn that into his glory.” He encourages men not to assume they are disqualified from the priesthood due to their struggles with sin or their age. (48:58) Fr. Craig asks Fr. Joe about the qualities he looks for in seminarians. Fr. Joe highlights, “just the honesty… the love for the Lord and the relationship with him and this desire for prayer and this, just a desire to serve.” He shares how he has experienced the gifts of fraternity and humility in his position at Sacred Heart Major Seminary. (53:05): Fr. Joe offers advice to a discerning man: “the words of Jesus: come and see…the only way to really know is to come and try it out.” He explains that whether a man is eventually ordained or not, going to the seminary “won’t be wasted time.” He also emphasizes, “pray daily,” especially in Eucharistic Adoration. Fr. Joe closes the episode with a prayer.