Vocational Biography on Fr. Keith A. Mathur

The words from Psalm 116 have spoken to me as a recently ordained priest: “How can I repay the Lord for his goodness to me? The cup of salvation I will raise; I will call on the Lord’s name.”

“Father, can you please pray for my family?”
“Father, can you please offer a Mass for my parents?”
“Father, can you please hear my confession?”
“Father, can you baptize my little son/daughter?”
“Father, can you anoint my dying father/mother?”

Hearing these questions from the faithful Catholics of this parish in my first year of being a priest has been such a great joy and privilege for me.

The words of St. John Marie Vianney, Universal Patron of Priests, rings so true: “A priest is not a priest for himself, he is a priest for you!” The Cure de Ars devoted himself completely and whole heartedly to his parish’s conversion, setting before all else the Christian education and pastoral charity of the people in his care.

When I was studying to become a priest during the past eight years, I was trained in celebrating these sacred sacraments piously. I was taught by many great priests and learned professors how to explain these sacraments to the faithful Christians in both theological and philosophical ways. However, being an actual recipient of God’s love and grace when I am celebrating the Holy Mass, hearing confessions, anointing the sick, baptizing infants and other ministries has opened my eyes greater to my faith and has made me delve deeper and deeper into the mystery of sacrifice for the people of God.

At age ten, I became an altar boy at St. Bernard Church in Easton. Being close to the Eucharist when I was serving Mass, God truly began to shape my faith and life into a way that I could not think of or predict at the time.

I started to discern to become a priest when I was at Notre Dame High School. During these times, on occasion I was afraid and nervous to respond to the call. I wanted to become a priest, but the thought of the sacred responsibilities and commitments at the age of seventeen made me feel unsure and not worthy. How could I, literally, with many weaknesses and faults become a Priest of Jesus Christ forever? How could I have the privilege to confect and handle the Lord’s True Body and Blood? A priest who taught at my High School encouraged me to turn towards St. John Marie Vianney and to pray to him for his intercessory guidance. Through the Holy Cure de Ars’ writings, I saw that through the Word and Sacraments of Jesus, he was able to build up his flock, although he often trembled from a conviction of his personal inadequacy, and desired more than once to withdraw from the responsibilities of the parish ministry out of a sense of his unworthiness.

The First Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians declares: “God chose the lowly and despised of the world, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who are something, so that no human being might boast before God.” Reading many Sacred Scriptures passages like this gave me comfort and hope to join the priesthood. Moreover, talking to priests, developing relationships with good and devout friends, and increasing my daily prayers had strongly and deeply nourished my vocation to the priesthood.

My eight years studying to become a priest at St. Charles Seminary was truly one of the greatest blessings from God I received. I had the chance to pray more, to study the teachings of the Catholic Church, and make many good friends sharing a common goal. I also had the opportunity to witness and greet many faithful Catholics during my pastoral assignments in the summer and on Thursdays in this Diocese. The elderly, the young, the homebound, the sick, and so many others showed me that God’s love for his people is boundless.

With all the studying, training, and preparations for priesthood, I still cannot describe how powerful and overwhelming God’s grace and blessing are. When hands were laid on me and my palms chrismated on June 6th, 2009, my life changed. I have the faculty to celebrate Mass. I can hear confessions and celebrate other sacred sacraments. Seeing many faithful parishioners going to Mass daily and endlessly reaching out to help the Church makes me strive to become a holier priest. Hearing Catholics confessing their sins with true sorrow makes me realize that my own call to holiness is still a long way to perfection.

In today’s culture, as in the challenging times of St. John Marie Vianney, the Church needs priests whose lives are distinguished by a confident and faithful witness to the Gospel. Isn’t it so true that our culture listens more willingly to witnesses who live out what they preach! Think of those priests in your lives who have touched you deeply… They were probably men who were radically connected to the three evangelical virtues(counsels). They were great models of poverty, chastity, and obedience. Pope Benedict XVI in 2009-2010 during the Year for Priests invites all priests into a new springtime rooted in the gifts of the Spirit. Continue to encourage and pray for this grace in all the priests.

My meditation and reflection leads me back to the question with which I opened: “How can I repay the Lord for his goodness to me?”

If God has overwhelmingly shown His grace, goodness, and love for me right now and in the past 3 months of my priesthood during this special year dedicated to priests, I certainly cannot imagine what He will have in store for me if I stay faithful, raise the cup of salvation, and call on the Lord’s name in all the days of my life. Please pray for me and all the priests of this great Diocese that we may be faithful in our call and grow in holiness.

Reverend Keith A. Mathur