Jeff Ossinger

Home Parish: St. William’s Tewksbury
Seminary: St. John Seminary, Brighton
High School: Central Catholic High School
College: Williams College
Hobbies: Track and Field, Golf, Guitar

When was the first time you thought of priesthood?
In my senior year of high school, a Marist Brother came to our religion class and invited us to consider the priesthood and religious life; this was first time someone had extended this invitation to me, and I remember expressing interest.  In college, I began to seriously consider the priesthood during my junior year, especially after attending my first Youth 2000 Retreat.

What were major Catholic activities you participated in prior to the Seminary?
At Williams College I was quite involved with the Catholic Center; I directed music at Mass and for weekly holy hours; I did outreach and lead a Bible study with my teammates from the track & field team.  I also attended several Youth 2000 retreats and FOCUS Conferences.  After college I worked as a FOCUS missionary full-time for two years. This involved various aspects of evangelization and outreach on a college campus: Seton Hall University in South Orange, NJ.  Over a period of four years I discerned with the Dominicans (St. Joseph Province), the Franciscans of Primitive Observance, and I attended two retreat weekends at St. John's Seminary.

What is your favorite Scripture passage?  Why?
"Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13).  We are all made for greatness, and this appeals directly to that desire for greatness in me.  In this verse I always hear Christ calling me to rise above the temptation to just be mediocre and to strive for greater holiness, sacrifice and service.

Who influenced/inspired you to priesthood?  Please Explain.
My Uncle, Fr. Charles Stanley, is a priest of the Archdiocese of Boston.  When I began to consider the priesthood seriously, I remember having a great conversation in which I told him, before anyone else, that "I can't see myself as anything else but a priest."  As I continued to discern I often considered just how great a blessing it was to have him as a priest in our family.  During my time in FOCUS, I also became very close with a priest of the Diocese of Norwich, CT:  Fr. Matrin Jones.  He taught me how to serve at Mass and Benediction, and he introduced me to the Liturgy of the Hours.  I spent a lot of time at his parish and receieved much encouragement from his example and friendship.

What would you say to a young man who thinks he may have a vocation?
"Be not afraid."  I echo these words of John Paul II, found throughout Sacred Scripture, because I believe that fear is perhaps the greatest obstacle to entering the seminary.  We are afraid of what following Christ will cost.  But I would encourage a young man who thinks he might have a vocation to be a priest to consider the promise that Christ gives in return: "Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time...and in the age to come eternal life"  (Mark 10:29-30). It is true.  Consider this promise often in prayer, "be not afraid," and remember that "the measure of your life will be the measure of your courage" (Matthew Kelly, author and speaker).

Please tell us, what are some of the most important parts of discernment?
Prayer above all else. Daily Mass, Adoration and the rosary--consistency is the key.  Prayer is the place where God reveals His Will to us, and prayer shapes our consciousness such that we come to recognize His Will in concrete situations.  Prayer also gives us the strength we need to answer His call with heroic generosity.  We must respond.  Discernment is a process;taking concrete steps is necessary.  God will confirm whether or not we are moving in the right direction.

What would people be surprised to know about you?
My favorite track and field event, both in high school and in college, was the pole vault

What activities would you recommend in order to foster a culture of vocations?
To foster a culture of vocations, I think it is most important that Eucharist Adoration flourishes, especially in parishes.  So many of the men currently in seminary and religious formation (including myself) discovered their vocations during time spent with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. United with an increase in Eucharistic devotion must be deeper devotion to Our Lady, especially through the daily rosary.

Did anyone invite you to consider priesthood?  Please explain.
Yes. The Marist brothers at Central Catholic; my Uncle, Fr. Charles Stanley, who is a Boston priest; Dr. Peter Feudo, the chaplain at Williams College; Fr. David Lord, MIC, my spiritual director for a number of years; Fr. Martin Jones, a priest of Norwich

What influence (if any) has Pope John Paul II had on your vocation?
John Paul II's words "be not afraid" remain for me a great gift that I keep in my heart.  These words have been echoed often in the preaching of several priests who have been instrumental in my life--priests who have been tremendously impacted by the witness of this great man and who have passed their love of him to me.  John Paul II thus remains for me an icon of the type of priest I hope one day to be.

How did you come to know Jesus Christ?
I came to know Jesus Christ through Mary. The rosary became very important to me in college, and after beginning to pray the rosary more often I went back to Confession for the first time in over three years.  In the months following I read two books:  one on Mary and the other on the Eucharist.  Shortly after, on a Youth 2000 Retreat, I encountered Jesus Christ really Present in the Eucharistic during Adoration, calling me to repentence, to discipleship, and into a personal relationship with Him.

What were some of the spiritual events or activities that helped you develop and shape your personal relationship with Christ and His Church?
The rosary; Eucharistic Adoration; Confession; daily Mass, especially during academic breaks;Bible study;participating in liturgical ministries and doing outreach and evangelization.

What was your career or background before entering the seminary?
After graduating from college and before entering the seminary, I was working as a FOCUS missionary.  FOCUS-the Fellowship of Catholic University Students-is a missionary organization that trains recent college graduates in evangelization and catechesis and sends them back on to college campuses to share the fullness of the Catholic faith with other students.  I spent two years as a FOCUS missionary at Seton Hall University in South Orange, NJ; our main apostolic work consisted of Bible studies, large group prayer and fellowship events, and one-on-one leadership formation.

When did you feel that God was calling you to be a priest?
I began to think about the priesthood seriously after a Youth 2000 Retreat my junior year in college; after graduation I joined FOCUS and began making a daily Eucharistic holy hour.  During the moments of silence in Adoration I began to hear God's call.

What signs led you to believe that God was calling you to be a priest?
I loved speaking to people about the Gospel and the teachings of the Church; my desire for prayer consistently deepened;I was already serving the Lord as a missionary, yet I still wanted "something more."

Please describe the importance of prayer in your life?
Prayer is not only the most important part of my life, but I strive to make it my whole life. That is, while I set apart time each day for Mass, the breviary, rosary and holy hour, I also strive to preserve moments of silence throughout the day, in order to raise my mind and heart to the Lord and to "things which are above."

What are some of your favorite and most important spiritual readings/books/passages?
The Imitation of Christ (Thomas A'Kempis);True Devotion to Mary (St. Louis de Montfort); The Introduction to the Devout Life (St. Francis de Sales); the Spiritual Combat (Dom Lorenzo Scapoli);In Conversation with God (Francis Fernandez); Story of a Soul (St. Therese of Lisieux)

What is your day like in the seminary?
It begins with prayer:  morning prayer and Mass; in the morning I either have class or use free time to study; in the afternoon I have class and then either workout, study, or run "errands."  In the evening before dinner we have a Eucharistic holy hour with evening prayer; after dinner I either "hang out," study, have meetings, or formation (once a week).  On Sunday evening I go to a parish where I'm assigned to gain pastoral experience.

Through the Cardinal, God is calling you personally to help rebuild His Church.  How must the Priest respond to this mandate today?
With heroic generosity.  The priest is called to give his whole life to God in service to the Church, and it takes everything he's got.  The words and example of the Lord Jesus ought to inspire him in his service daily: "Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13).