Home Parish: Good Shepherd Parish in Evansville
Anticipated Ordination: 2032
Parents: John and Angie Lasher
Siblings: Julie, Sarah, Brian, Andrew, Kevin, Kristen, Jordan, Maria, Rachel and Steven
I began discerning while on deployment. I felt God calling before then, but I chose to put off discernment for a year while I would be otherwise occupied. Feeling lonely, spiritually jaded, and lacking in my prayer life, I was struggling in a culture of vulgarity, far away from home. Out of sheer desperation, I decided to start living the faith, which my time and circumstances allowed, which I found was very rich despite what you might expect.
For the remainder of my deployment, the Church fed me in daily Mass, weekly Reconciliation, my daily rosary, prayer journaling, Catholic YouTube channels and podcasts, and the companionship of fellow Christians. Even in this remote location, with desert for hundreds of miles, and sacraments offered in a different language, God showed up. See Romans 8:38-39.
A man I trust counseled me once: if God gave you an inkling of desire for the priesthood, you might as well try taking the next step. If you become more yourself, keep going. When I returned home, he offered further spiritual support. I was dreading civilian life and distracted. He told me, “It’s going to be a struggle because the devil doesn’t want another beautiful person to become a priest. We will pray for you.”
This idea, I had never allowed myself: Me? A beautiful person? His words presented two truths: 1) As God’s child, we are beautiful, and 2) Hell is working for my demise, in particular. Why would the devil concern himself with me? Because he knows our father. He knows what happens in the world when men accept God’s proposal. (Read C.S. Lewis’ “The Screwtape Letters.”)
If you don’t know where God is calling you, do not delay anymore. Begin doing all things you know you should be doing.
If you recognize a young man who might have a vocation, pray for his openness and consider accompanying him on his way.