Several years of soul searching plus eight years of theological and parish formation resulted in the recent ordination of Father Sean Morris as a priest of the Oblates of Virgin Mary, three days after his 36th birthday.

Father Morris is the second OVM priest to be ordained in the last three years at St. Peter Chanel Church, the Hawaiian Gardens parish administered by the religious order.

In the Jan. 24 liturgy, with San Pedro Region Auxiliary Bishop Alexander Salazar presiding, Father Morris renewed his vows of poverty, chastity and obedience before members of his congregation, family and friends. More than a month after his ordination, the new priest cannot contain his happiness.

"This is more than I could imagine," he told The Tidings. "The recognition one receives just by hearing confession is a privilege, an incredible gift and grace."

A void in his life
Father Morris grew up loving and venerating the Virgin Mary at his hometown in West Seattle, Washington. During his childhood and teenage years he was a very devoted Catholic.

He earned a college degree in English Secondary Education, and right after graduating, he moved to Kwigillingok, a small village in Northern Alaska, motivated by his love for the outdoors and interest in other cultures. There he taught English, mathematics and reading to seventh and eighth graders at a local middle school.

By the end of the two years, Morris had met his goals of traveling, teaching and mingling with people of a different culture, but the void was still there.

"I wasn't paying attention to what God wanted from me," he said. "So at the end of the two years I still felt frustrated, I wasn't happy."

He wanted to get married and have children, but a relationship with a college girlfriend did not succeed. Instead, he felt a stronger need to stretch his relationship with God. After a long period of reflection, he finally "surrendered to Christ."

"I thought that if I wasn't happy doing things my way, I should turn it over to Christ and allow Him to kind of unfold things for me," he told The Tidings.

Shortly after, he found a spiritual director at a local parish in Kwigillingok. His desire to join a ministry grew stronger, and during a spring break he spent 10 days visiting the OVM seminary in Boston.

"I felt at home, so I filled out an application and in the fall of 2000 I was accepted to the seminary," he said. He was 27 years old as he started his novitiate, professing temporary vows of chastity, poverty and obedience that he renewed year after year.

His religious formation included a silent retreat in his third year into the seminary, a degree in theology, and masters in theology and divinity. He also took a one-year break for discernment purposes, working as a pastor in Alton, Illinois.

Missionary desire
On May 17, 2008 he was ordained as a transitional deacon, and was assigned to California in preparation for his next stop in the Philippines, a country where he has been longing to serve as a missionary.

"It has been my goal to go serve in missions in the Philippines, but first I need to gain some experience in parish life here in Southern California, where I can be exposed to the large Filipino population," said Father Morris, who will remain in California for three to five years.

He acknowledges that struggles will always be part of life, but believes that focusing on Christ is the key to remaining joyful. The days of sadness he lived in Alaska are long gone.

"As long as I let joy and peace direct my heart," he said happily, "I am moving in the right direction."