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Year for Priests: Reflecting on vocation, ministry

Name: Very Rev. Armand J. Bertrand V.F.

Birth date including year: April 2, 1947

Hometown: Sioux City, Iowa

Education: Elementary – St. Boniface Grade School; High School – Heelan High School; College – Morningside College, University of South Dakota and Sacred Heart School of Theology

Ordination date: July 7, 1989

Current assignment: Pastor at Holy Name Church, Marcus, and Immaculate Conception Church, Cherokee.

Hobbies/interests: Fishing, digital photography and collecting church antiquities

Describe your call to priesthood. My calling to the priesthood was not like lightening bolts from heaven. My journey took a much different route thus it was a very gradual and slow process which took several years. Discerning ones vocation takes time and in college I was sure that I wanted to teach high school. After college that is exactly what I did. I taught for 17 years – five years in Primghar in the public school system and 12 years at Bishop Garrigan High School in Algona. I really believe that the journey to priesthood began the day I got a call from Father Cecil Friedmann. He was looking for a teacher to teach at Garrigan. At the time I was not even in the market to move from the teaching position I had. But, Father Cecil was supportive and persistent. Thus I moved to Algona for what turned out to be 12 very fulfilling and wonderful years. It was during that time period that I had become very active in St. Cecelia Church. Very gradually I was drawn more and more in the life of the parish. In mid-70’s the deacon program was just getting under way. I made an inquiry and thought that this would be a great way to enhance my understanding and knowledge of the church. At that point I really had no intention to seek to become a deacon. The first year of formation passed and Msgr. Bauer and fellow parishioners were very encouraging. It didn’t take long and I found myself drawn to diaconal ministry. I finished the course work and because I was “too young,” I had to wait a year before I would be considered for ordination. In April of 1981 I was ordained to the order of deacons. My primary ministry was centered with the students at Garrigan High School and the parish of St. Cecelia. In the next five years I found myself drawn even deeper in to the life of the St. Cecelia faith community. Thought of priesthood long ago dismissed began to resurface. The more I tried to rationalize why this was not a possibility, the more the “hound of heaven” kept up the persute. Those years of 1982-1985 were years of deep discernment and prayer. I would be leaving everything behind. My teaching career which I dearly loved, my home and all the stuff one acquires with home ownerships and setting down roots. It was a scary kind of position to be in. I had many conversations with Msgr. Bauer about this dilemma and his advice was always the same: “Follow what your heart leads you.” It was in the Spring of 1985, the bishop was scheduled to come to St. Cecelia for confirmation and I asked to speak with him. I asked if he would consider my returning to school to study theology for the diocese. He responded with a yes, but I recall that his response was rather reserved at the time. Years later, he confided that he was “jumping for joy inside.” I made the necessary contacts with the vocation office and finished the rest of the teaching year. I resigned in the spring of 1986 from my teaching position, sold the house. Now I was ready to leave it all behind. I left Algona and went to study theology for our diocese. I returned to the diocese with a Masters of Divinity and was ordained at the cathedral on July 22, 1989, just a couple days after the crash of flight 232. The rest as they say - is history.

Did anyone or anything provide you with inspiration to follow the call to priesthood? I was influenced by many people along the way. A favorite high school teacher, Sister Mary Anthony [my biology teacher at Heelan] although at the time her encouragement was not recognized. The many priest friends I had in the diocese were living models for me. Certainly Father Cecil Friedmann, Father Roger Linnan (deacon director back on the early days of the program) – these men and others were a big part of my discernment.

Was it a difficult decision to make? The discernment process was difficult for me. I loved teaching and didn’t want to leave my students. I had the stuff of a secular career (home, car, dog, etc.) the final decision to make that leap of faith was easy once I had “listened to my heart.”

What do you enjoy most about being a priest? I enjoy the people of God. I enjoy celebrating the sacraments of the church with them. I am deeply humbled and honored that they invite me into the spiritual part of their lives – from the joys of birth and marriage to the sadness of loss and deep distress.

Are there any particular devotions or prayers that are dear to your heart? I believe that for any priest it is the celebration of the Eucharist that is dearest to us. The Eucharist is the greatest gift we have as church and the apex of all prayer. It alone defines who we are and what we are called to be as the people of God. I personally have a special fondness for the Liturgy of the Hours as its proper celebration connects us together in solidarity with each other as brothers and sisters and with the church.

Why do you find priesthood to be a worthy vocation? Every vocation God calls his people too is a worthy vocation. I found teaching a very worthy vocation for many years and would never trade them away. For me my vocation simply evolved naturally from one calling to another. In one sense it feel like I am home now [the priesthood] – where I belong. Yes, it took a while for me to discover what this gentle and persistent calling was. I was happy as a teacher in the secular world and I am happy as a priest. I have been so very blessed on my life’s journey. As priest I am doubly blessed and humbled that He kept calling.

What would you say to a young man considering a vocation to the priesthood? Christ is most certainly calling – to where is the question. By the very nature of our baptism we are all called to serve our loving God no matter what or where our life’s journey takes us. Listen to your heart! Wonderful advice given to me, I now pass on to you.