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Contents © 2001
by Jim Holman.
All rights reserved.

INFLUENCED BY LOCAL PRIESTS

Timothy Madrid,15, comes from a family of ten children (the eleventh is due this May). The son of apologist/writer Patrick Madrid, Tim was born in San Jacinto, California but spent most of his early years in San Diego. "I loved playing sports, especially basketball, baseball and football. I also liked to read, especially novels, going to the beach and being with my friends. Then, three years ago, we moved to Columbus, Ohio."

Madrid attended public school for one year in San Jacinto. "After that, I was taught at home by my mom. Those years at home helped me to set a good foundation that would help me to be more open to following my vocation in the future."

This openness caused him to notice his parish priest in San Jacinto, Father Louis Marx. "His example was the first thing that made me think about my vocation. He lived his priestly vocation with such zeal and joy as he was helping so many people, that I wanted to be like that. We moved to San Diego and weren't in his parish anymore. The desire faded and I lost interest for a while."

The desire was re-awakened by his older brother, Jonathan. 'He joined the minor seminary a few years ago and I thought, 'If he can do it, why can't I?' He told me lot about the life they lived and what they did. That's when I regained my desire to become a priest." Two parish priests in San Diego were also influential in his decision. "I attended Holy Angels (Byzantine) parish and Our Lady of the Rosary. Both Father Mel at Holy Angels and Father Louis at Our Lady of the Rosary were excellent priests and influenced me more by their example than by anything else."

"When my brother joined the minor seminary, he joined with the Legionaries of Christ. Because he was there, I was able to learn a lot about what they did and how they lived. I'd have to say that at first glance, I really like the fact that they played a lot of sports, but what really impressed me was the spirit of that they lived with....When I visited the different Legionary centers, the Legionaries were always incredibly joyful, no matter what they were doing, because they were living for God."

Although his brother Jonathan left the Legionaries ("he found out it wasn't his vocation, so he's at home now"), vocations are blooming in the Madrid family. "My uncle is studying with the Legionaries and will be ordained in four or five years. My sister is a senior in a high school run by the Regnum Christi for young women who want to consecrate their life to God in a similar way as nuns."

His parents approve of his choice -- particularly his father. "My parents told me that they always prayed for vocations within our own family, but they have never tried to make me feel obligated to go. My father has always helped me a lot in following my vocation. He is the one who has helped me the most, aside from my spiritual director. Though he is well-known throughout the U. S., and does a lot of public speaking, he has always been just 'Dad' for my brothers, sisters and me. At the seminary here, many know of him and read his works, but that doesn't make me any better or more privileged."

"The hardest thing is being away from my family. Now, if someone would have asked me four years ago if that would be the case, I would have said 'no'.

"The school is located in New Hampshire, next to a small town on a hill overlooking a lake. "I don't think not having girls around is a difficulty. It is something we don't have because of the priestly vow of celibacy and we don't want to have a lot of things distracting us from our mission.

"The best thing about being in the high school seminary is that I am here with 130 other young men my age who have the same interests, the same goals and the same ideals, working to obtain the same thing; to live the spirit of Christ and to help others to live it. In this situation we are able to help each other with 'positive peer pressure' in a sense, to build up the community."

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