in his own words ...
FR. RICK
GEORGE
Ordained 1995
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Completed the six-month sabbatical, which included the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola 30-day retreat, in Grand Isle in March 2023
"I feel like I was just ordained"
"For years, the Lord placed a deep desire in my soul to 'come.' In response to this mysterious invitation and deeper spiritual longing for divine intimacy, God led me to Grand Isle and the Ministry for Priestly Support. My sabbatical, October 2022 thru March 2023 left me at the end of his six months saying, 'I feel like I was just ordained.'"
"Over the years, I felt the priesthood I loved slowly being stolen from me, slipping through my fingers, as I watched helplessly. This was primarily to the busyness of parish life and overwhelming administrative duties. My sabbatical on Grand Isle with Fr. Toups and Kristin provided me with: eyes to see the robbers, renewed tools for long term hope, hospitality which healed isolation/loneliness, deeper understanding of self, the joy of a healthy daily pace, tools/techniques for 'staying with' the Lord and entering the spiritual daily battle with greater confidence, and a God given plan that is realistic, healthy and 'fruitful' not productive. "I received 'new wine' from the Lord and the gift of 'new wine skin' to safeguard His gift to me, 'new life.'"
This sabbatical was uniquely tailored for my soul. The gift of the Ministry for Priestly Support is just that, a unique tailored experience, for your soul's unique individual need."