Doug and Shirley Hobe

My Catholic faith journey started in New York, where I was raised in a Protestant/Jewish household.  As I prepared to enter a protestant seminary after high school, something interiorly dissuaded me from that calling.  I instead traveled to the University of New Mexico, where I met Shirley, my loving wife of forty-five years.  After we were married she wanted to know when I was to start RCIA.  You see, her mother’s family from New Mexico and her father’s family from Georgia had been catholic for many generations.  In fact, it hadn’t been until early college that she learned the world was not Catholic.  Naturally, she assumed I was to carry on the tradition.  I let her know in no uncertain terms that I was planning returning to the faith I was raised in.  With her heart breaking, she began to pray with intensity and offer masses for me, as the consequences could be dire.  Without explanation (even to this day), a few days after her prayer vigil started I came back to my wife and asked if she would talk to me about the Catholic Church.  Stunned does not come close to explaining her reaction!  I began catechism classes with Fr. Ed at the Cathedral in St. Joseph, Missouri, where we incidentally lived on “Lovers Lane”.  Some months later I entered the Catholic Church.  And what a treat!  On that day I received three sacraments.  All the bells and smells along with the sung Mass celebrated by Fr. Hawkins, who was a dead ringer for Jesus.  I truly hadn’t converted to the Catholic faith, I had instead entered heaven.

Fast forward some ten years and three children later, our family found ourselves in the wonderful parish of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton.  Shirley had already been teaching for a number of years, and frequently volunteered for various parish activities.  One such activity was a pancake breakfast that she could not attend because of illness and begged me to fill in for her.  I reluctantly agreed, and met a complete stranger there who suggested that I teach the faith to high school students, who were to receive the sacrament of Confirmation.  I had never been active within the parish, and yet something spoke to me to actually consider it.  I met my best friend while teaching that Confirmation class.  Today, some twenty-five years later, we still teach a large RCIY class together.  While teaching RCIY I met my other best friend.

What my life really comes down to is this: If I am open to the Holy Spirit, many things happen.  Things that I would never be able to foresee.  In my case, step by step, He has led me to my vocation in life.  I thank God daily for His grace to remain open to the Holy Spirit.  That has led me in all that I do.