Resources > Seminarian Parent Articles > Bob and Leslie McCarthy

Name: Bob and Leslie McCarthy

How big is your family?
We have 5 children; Bob, Judi, Jim, then twins Dan and Stephen.

What was it like raising your family in the Church?  Give an idea of what it was like raising your family, and the faith life present in your home.  Any family devotions/faith practices?
I don’t consider our family life unusually religious. We worked; played sports; had close family ties with brothers, sister and cousins; and supported each other by attending special events and occasions. The boys were altar servers and I was a lector. We always tried to schedule our service times together.

What was it like for you and for your family when your son first told you he was thinking of entering the seminary?  What was your reaction, the reaction of family and friends?
We were not surprised at all. Dan and Stephen always had a strong feeling for the church and service to it. We were very happy with their decision because they were happy. Most of the family was very supportive. A few who were not initially, are supportive now. Dan entered right out of high school; Stephen entered after spending 2 years at Penn State.

What proved helpful to YOU during your son’s discernment process?  What
were your fears, concerns or surprises along the way?
Visits to the seminary programs were very helpful to the boys. Meetings with the vocation director to answer some of our questions were also a big help. I really had no fears. If God was calling my son, what could possibly be wrong with that?

What is it like now having a son studying to be a priest?
Have 2 sons studying is very special! They are very happy with their choice. We are really impressed with all the young men studying, and with the special comradery they develop with each other. It is truly a unique brotherhood and I’m always impressed by their concern for each other and the church. It gives me hope that our future is a bright one.

What role do you play as a parent in your son’s current discernment?
We are involved on the executive committee of the Seminary Parents Guild. We enjoy working with other parents whose sons are in the seminary and have developed the same close bond and friendships with them as our sons have with each other. We enjoy working to help them and help the seminary foster vocations for other young men.

How do you think parents should encourage vocations to the priesthood within the home?
Pray! And ASK them. If you see someone who you feel would be a great priest, simply ask them to think about it. Then let God do the work.

To a parent who has a son who is considering the call, what would you tell them?
I have watched my sons grow and mature in their faith, developing a great sense of peace that comes from making the right decision. They have never questioned their decision to enter the seminary. Their education has been exceptional. The seminary has helped them grow into truly caring, faithful men, who will answer God’s call with an affirmative and loving “YES”! If this is God’s work, then I’m totally supportive.

Anything else you’d like to share?
On Dan’s first day at the seminary in 2002, Monsignor (soon to be Bishop) Burbidge was the rector. The church was engrossed in the priest scandals in Philadelphia, and other dioceses across the country. In his homily at the opening Mass, he discussed those problems. He also addressed the outstanding faculty at Saint Charles Seminary, and pointed to the 99.4% of his brother priests who have always been faithful to God’s call. He asked us to trust him and the staff at St. Charles to do the best they could to take care of our sons. He promised that he would take care of them. When my sons graduated from the college division this past May, I sought him out. I thanked him from the bottom of my heart for the great job he had done. He, and the staff at Saint Charles, had fulfilled their promise. God is good.