Rev. James D. Conley, D.D., S.T.L. | Diocese of Lincoln website

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My improbable path into the Church has been a long and winding one, culminating in 2019 when I was received into the Church.

A truth seeker and lifelong Christian in the Protestant and Evangelical traditions, my conscious journey to the Catholic Church began about 20 years ago when I picked up a book written by Peggy Noonan titled “John Paul the Great: Remembering a Spiritual Father.” Both her story and his captured me.

Around that time, while driving my son to the airport, we stopped at the Holy Family Shrine along I-80 in Gretna. The beauty of the Nebraska prairie from this beautiful space – the Truth, revealed through beauty – formed a little pebble of Catholic curiosity that began to tickle my spirit. How apt that this deposit of beauty drew me toward the Church. As the saying goes, “when the student is ready, the teacher will appear.” The next steps in my pursuit of the good, true and beautiful had begun.

That boy I was taking to the airport, he too was on a path. And unbeknownst to anyone, our son was leading me.

One cold January day in 2019, my husband and I set our alarms for 3 a.m. and sat, transfixed, in front of our TV as our son’s voice filled our living room. That man, our boy, raised a Protestant here in Nebraska, was the deacon singing the “Proclamation of the Moveable Feasts” at the Epiphany Mass celebrated by Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. As Deacon Christian’s voice wafted across the basilica and across the airwaves, "the improbability of all this took our breath away."

But as Isaiah 55 reminds us: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than earth so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

Our son’s story is his to tell but I offer a brief summary from my eyes. Always a pursuer of "the good," "true" and "beautiful" – before he or I knew to call it that – he had a heart for God and curiosity for all things academic. He read voraciously sang acted and marched to his own drummer. His zeal for life was contagious; his humor a joy. He wisely sought mentors (several now Catholic) through relationships and readings.

While in law school our son announced his conversion to Catholicism. We were not overjoyed but we knew him well enough to trust his logic and heart were sound. A few years later when he announced his intention to discern priesthood we again were not overjoyed but not surprised either.

Dear friends – St Peter parishioners – invited us to attend RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults; now OCIA) hoping we'd understand our son's journey better. It was eye-opening hearing intellectual horsepower around us impressed us deeply; there seemed no conflict between intellect faith their intellects grew their faith something new compared with traditions encouraging spirit scripture both good true yet somehow avoiding intellectual pursuits feeling uncomfortable always called loving Lord heart soul mind neighbor myself? Searching each church bible study relationship making rich deposits journey grateful missing sensed unknown Aristotle senses gateway knowledge nothing intellect first senses?

Back east Washington D.C., something else stirred...

Our daughter an optometrist looked internship rotation finishing training brother invited neck woods arranged live female friends Catholics directly across parish St Peter Capitol Hill RCIA followed housemate sponsor new Catholic born two children now Catholics watching learning studying attending RCIA once again open learning family history aside doctrine mountain climb Catholics worship Mary saints Real Presence really relics many rules regulations unfamiliar concept formation being formed

While discerning joining needed place attend Mass visiting neighborhood knowing where occasionally joined occasionally went ourselves one day regularly barriers overcoming welcome sit stand kneel page allowed Communion hiding back over time friendly greeter names priest smile recognition friendly strangers brunch after Mass sponsoring Church

Lutheran church home didn't want leave caring circle people involved matter loving stability eventually leaving becoming part assumed wouldn't find friends community serve too old starting over

Isaiah 55:8-9 musings reminding putting God first rest falling place forming Mass relationships education study book investigation books podcasts videos filling forming continue numerous key guides Word Fire Bishop Barron online presence Catholicism Pivotal Players series Thomistic Institute podcasts Aquinas 101 series Father Thomas Joseph White Light Christ Scott Hahn Lamb's Supper Peter Kreeft books modern lectures

2018 returning RCIA third time brought Rome son's diaconate ordination first trip Rome first among journeys

Not being Catholic didn't know importance son's request eclectic group friends walks life week together people place time conspiring beyond words Spirit Pentecost heaven touching earth settling needing part Church ready becoming believing truth questions obstacles disappearing settling passing year dimly sufficing side heaven third RCIA husband walking attending Mass formative deposits Spirit converting moved becoming during Covid reading listening faith culture philosophy eye-opener life-changing Paul meeting Thomas Aquinas attending RCIA third receiving 2023

Recent homily stated "in Catholic Church given gifts God wants give." Indeed thanks be God shepherding along way.