Peter Calabrese

On September 11,1994, I was in Monza, Italy, kneeling before Father Luigi Villa, Superior General of the Barnabite Fathers and a crowded church. I was a bit nervous as I read my profession, promising to dedicate my life to God and his people as a Barnabite, living poor, chaste and obedient. As I read, my mind flashed through the various steps that had brought me to that point.

It had all started in 1987, I was a college senior at Lehigh University, studying Electrical Engineering. Throughout my time in college I had become increasingly aware that maybe God wanted something different for me than the plans I had prepared. I was in AFROTC scheduled to be commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Air Force the day before my graduation. I loved the Air Force, and I loved engineering as well. But more and more I had, noticed that I was enjoying my role as a Small Group Bible Study Leader for the Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship. I began thinking that perhaps God wanted me to serve him full time.

As a result of a missions trip to Haiti with the Fellowship group, I became ever more convinced of this idea. So I started writing letters to various religious orders. One day a priest called me on the phone to invite me to lunch. He explained that my letter had been sent to him because his order had a house near the University. We got to know each other a bit and agreed to continue meeting. He tried to explain to me about the Barnabite ideals of a Cross and Eucharistic centered spirituality; but what really attracted me to them was the attempt of the community to really live for the Lord Jesus and for each other. They seemed to be really striving for continued personal conversion that spilled over into their work in the parishes and as high school teachers.

After spending a week with them while still a Lehigh student, I asked to be admitted into the order. At the same time I asked to be released from my Air Force ROTC obligation. While I was waiting for a response from Uncle Sam, the Barnabites accepted my application and I started seminary, living at the Barnabite community in Bethlehem, PA.

Sadly, I had to leave after just one semester to serve my Air Force time. So I packed my bags and headed for Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.

As a new lieutenant I was assigned to the Maverick Missile Program Office where I used my engineering background to buy support equipment for the Maverick. It was great. I was a program manager doing some technical work and got to travel a bit as well. I really liked my co-workers and the Air Force life. We had a super parish on base too, and I didn't hesitate to get involved in parish RENEW group and outreach programs. While I remained happy with my work and had a good group of friends, my parish activities, continued prayer and spiritual direction, along with occasional visits to the Barnabites back in Bethlehem convinced me that God was calling me to wait for the opportunity to return to the seminary.

Not that I didn't have doubts at times. In fact living really on my own with a decent salary and a good job really laid out the options for me. I thought hard about giving up the seminary idea in favor of an Air Force career and a family, but in the end almost unexplainably there was that desire to return.

So when the Air Force offered me an Early Out Program in the spring of 1992, I jumped at it, leaving six months early and arriving in Youngstown, NY (near Niagara Falls) just in time to reenter seminary.

After a year in New York the Barnabites asked me to go to Monza, Italy for my novitiate where I continued to learn about our congregation and to confirm my belief in a Barnabite vocation. During that year I decided definitely to put aside the Air Force and other career ideas and while I didn't yet make my solemn and permanent profession I continued to be convinced of the correctness of the path I had chosen..

From Monza I was sent to Rome to continue to work on my seminary training. In Rome I lived with 24 other young men from all over the world who were also studying to become Barnabite priests.

On June 24, 2000 I was finally ordained a Barnabite priest by Bishop Henry J. Mansell of Buffalo at Our Lady of Fatima National Shrine-Basilica in Lewiston, N.Y.

If you have any questions or just would like to chat about the Barnabites feel free to write to me. My address is:

Peter M. Calabrese, CRSP
Fatima Shrine
1023 Swann Road
Youngstown, NY 14174-0167

My EMAIL address is:
pmccrsp@fatimashrine.com