| Christian Cook | | Print | |
 W. Christian Cook 1st Year Pre-Theology Seminary: St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, Overbrook Ordination Date: 2017 Birth Date: August 15th Home Parish: St. Mary, Wilmington, NC High School: Asheville High School College: Western Carolina University (BSBA, MPA); University of Dayton School of Law (JD) Hobbies: Reading, sailing, saltwater fishing, snow skiing, water skiing, soccer, basketball. Who Influenced/Inspired you to Priesthood: Reading Catholic authors and stories of the lives of the saints showed me that one did not have to be perfect to be called to the Priesthood. Reading Fulton Sheen’s “The Priest is Not His Own,” St. Therese of Lisieux and her “Story of A Soul,” and Thomas Merton’s “The Seven Storey Mountain,” inspired me to open my heart to discern the Priesthood. The example of many holy priests in the Diocese of Raleigh, working as humble servants for the people of God, continues to encourage me daily. And throughout my life, the encouragement of my family has had a tremendous impact on developing my vocation, and my decision to enter the seminary. My parents, Bill and Ursula, built a beautiful family and gave me a strong start by working hard to send me and my siblings, Liesel and David, to Catholic schools. I also must mention my grandfather William Schneider, who had a great devotion to the Holy Rosary during his life. I have carried his Rosary since his death many years ago and I am certain that, because of my grandfather’s devotion, our Blessed Mother has had a great impact on my discernment. What would you say to a young man who thinks he may have a vocation: I encourage a man who thinks he may have a vocation to the priesthood to open his entire heart to the Lord. If there is even the slightest sense of a call to the priesthood, he must put it at the forefront of his prayer life and our Lord will guide him. After turning himself over to our Lord in prayer, a man must then listen in silence for the whisper of our Lord’s voice. Favorite Scripture Passage: Relative to discerning a vocation, two passages come to mind. First, a passage from Psalm 4 which is read during Compline after Evening Prayer I on Sundays and Solemnities, says “O men, how long will your hearts be closed, will you love what is futile and seek what is false?” A second passage on which I meditate comes from 1 Kings 19:11, “Then the LORD said, "Go outside and stand on the mountain before the LORD; the LORD will be passing by." A strong and heavy wind was rending the mountains and crushing rocks before the LORD--but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake--but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake there was fire--but the LORD was not in the fire. After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound.” Favorite Saint: St. Therese of Lisieux; St. Maximilian Kolbe; St. John Baptiste-Marie Vianney; St. John of the Cross. Anything else of note you would like to share with the Diocese: Please know how much your prayers help to sustain your seminarians. Please continue to pray for us daily so that we may, God willing, be ordained into His Holy Priesthood to serve you with the love and humility of Christ Jesus. |