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Dear Rev. Amy,
I am Michael Taylor
Date of Ordination: 27 June 2012
I apologize for sending so many e-mails, but I am happy, humbled, and yet also befuddled and frightened by the reality of Ordination. I joined thru the seminary site because seminaries are where the minister can learn his or her profession.
First a little about myself.: I am 52 yrs old, of African American descent, I was received into the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church by baptism shortly after birth. I am the product of a mixed marriage: Southern Methodist father, and Roman Catholic mother. I was educated thru the Catholic school system from K-12 I have felt the call to Ministry of some sort since my youth, but was always stymied; first by my father who was spiritual, but not religious and who did not agree that I had a true call, and by the religious orders that I was attracted to for lack of academic rigor.
I would like to concentrate my ministry, (at least I feel the call to), on weddings, and visitation of the sick, lonely. I presently work as a security officer at a local hospital. For over 14 years I have worked at a number of hospitals, and have had many conversations on spiritual matters with employees, patients, and even some of the ordained chaplains and other clergy. On some of those occasions the person I had talked to had asked me if I was a minister or priest.
I was unchurched for almost 20 years. I had a falling out with my faith tradition, and I am ashamed to say it, walked away from God. but even though I walked away from him I did not stop believing in him. In the intervening 20 years I looked into some other belief systems, but never felt that God was calling me to ministry thru them.
In 2000 I turned 40 and started to notice in the obituary column guys that I had gone to school with and began to take stock of where I was, where I wanted my life to go. I encountered someone who reconnected me with my faith tradition, began to study my faith. I found that after 12 years of parochial school I did not learn much about the faith tradition that is Catholicism. I encountered The Teaching Company and their wonderful products of college level courses that explored many subjects including faith, spirituality, religion, and philosophy. I also joined the Knights of Columbus a catholic men's service organization. and began to read their mail courses on the faith, but two things stymied me, one at 40 I was too old for ordination in the religious orders that I was interested in, and that lack of academic rigor reared its head again. I would need two masters degrees one in theology or divinity, and one in Spanish before ordination.
I encountered the ULC thru a friend who is ordained and does weddings at Renaissance Fairs around California. I started search the websites and almost joined the monastery, Luckily I knew that there is no such thing as an independent catholic priest. Under canon law a priest must be incardinated with a diocese under the authority of the ordinary, (bishop).
As stated I am happy, humbled, befuddled, and yes frightened by the reality of ordination. I am hoping that the seminary will help me on my path to serve the community of faith as a ULC minister.
Respectfully,
Rev. Michael Taylor ULC
