THESE are vocations to pray for!

Interesting - the priest who helped my dad get sober back in 1981 was critically wounded in France in WWII, and had a similar conversion as he lay bleeding nearly to death on the battlefield. This is a great idea.


METHUEN, Massachusetts (AP) -- The Rev. John McLaughlin never served in the military, but he's faced unexpected, violent death in the way troops do.

People who confront death "eventually start thinking about helping people in life," said John McLaughlin.

Decades ago, McLaughlin lay bleeding on a Boston street after being stabbed from behind. The prayer-filled moments that followed, when McLaughlin believed he might die, changed his life and ultimately led him to God.

Now, in a newly created job, he'll be trying to recruit military personnel to the Roman Catholic priesthood.

He believes that service members, who confront death as part of their jobs, could have a similar openness to religious service.

"You start realizing how fragile life is," McLaughlin said. "And when people start thinking in those terms, they eventually start thinking about helping people in life."


Entire story here. And RIP, dear, brave Fr. L.!