What is it like to preside at the Mass?

My vocation story began with a question: “What is it like to preside at the Mass?” some 18 years ago. That I believe was the invitation of the Lord to follow Him more closely. I was the altar server that day and I can remember clearly that moment that question came into my mind. Looking back now I believe that it was joining the Knights of the Altar ministry that has helped in my vocation journey because it helped me to attend Mass as often as I could, a practice that I would keep throughout my high school days. In 1999 the same year the question popped into my mind, a Salesian Priest, now Bishop of the Diocese of Gizo in the Solomon Islands, came to our home. He told us about Don Bosco and what his sons are now doing in Solomon Islands. That encounter that evening was for me an inspiration and it made me even more curious to find an answer to my question.

These are stories of courage, resilience, pain, and everything that comes after. These are the stories of the lives of real people from whom we can all learn something. Moreover, these are stories of love: love that transforms, love that sacrifices, love that endures, and love that shares. By sharing these stories, we hope to share inspiration, hope, and meaning.