The Four Gifts: How One Priest Received a Second, Third, and Fourth Chance at Life

by Bradley, Joseph; Girzone, Joseph F.

• ISBN13: 9781933016757
• ISBN10: 1933016752
• eBook ISBN(s): 9781933016740
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2012-11-27
• Publisher: Consortium Book Sales & Dist

Summary

By all rights, Father Joseph Bradley should be dead. If past usage of beer, marijuana, and cocaine didn't do the trick, then certainly heart failure should have. Instead, by the grace of God, he is alive, clean, sober, and a functioning Catholic priest with another man's heart beating in his chest. But it came at a huge cost. While Joe was in his late teens, his father died suddenly. The loss was devastating and Joe's emotional desolation found escapist bliss in a beer bottle and cocaine vial, and he pledged irrevocable devotion to both. The slide into the abyss was ugly, and Joe finally sought help because there was nowhere else to gowhich led him to serve others as a Catholic priest. The day of Joe's ordination, an old friend came to the mass and announced for all to hear, "Well, now I can say I've seen a miracle." Joe functioned for fifteen years as a sober priest before his heart gave out from the same heart disease that killed his father. But another miracle came his way, and he was blessed with a new hearta gracious gift from a family during the most painful moment of their lives. Joe has been granted the blessing of four gifts: faith, sobriety, a new heart, and a fulfilling ministry. As Father Joe says, "Gratitude inspired this book. I owe it to people who helped rescue me from alcohol and drugs, and I owe it to my heart donor for giving me yet another chance at life."

Author Biography

Father Joseph Bradley is a priest in residence at St. Gregory's Catholic Church in San Mateo/ CA. Fr. Joe speaks frequently to audiences about his spiritual-journey, counsels other heart transplant patients and their families. He is also a frequent speaker at parishes and Catholic schools, where he is known for thought-provoking sermons; on controversial topics ranging from his own mistakes1 and former drug use to immigration and the clergy abuse scandals.

Table of Contents

Foreword	p. I
Introduction	p. II
Prologue	p. IV
The First Gift: Reclaiming my Faith
Planting the Seeds	p. 1
Catholic School	p. 4
The Shock of Sudden Death	p. 9
Rebellion	p. 13
High Times at the San Francisco Airport	p. 16
Investigation: Corporate Security	p. 22
Steve Olsen	p. 26
The Death of Steve Olsen	p. 35
The Second Gift: Sobriety and Ordination as a Priest
A Rough Road	p. 43
Who is Thomas Merton, and How Did He Encourage my Vocation to the Priesthood?	p. 45
Application to College Seminary	p. 49
Saying Goodbye to the Airline	p. 52
St Joseph's College Seminary	p. 54
St Patrick's Seminary, and The Blessing of Fr. Robert Gavin	p. 66
Ego	p. 73
Surrender	p. 76
Meetings: New Perspectives	p. 78
Honest Admissions	p. 81
Ministry while at St Patrick's	p. 83
Ordination As a Transitional Deacon	p. 86
Ordination as a Catholic Priest	p. 90
First Mass	p. 93
The Third Gift: A New Heart
St. Charles Parish	p. 97
Charlie's Angels - Youth Group Ministry	p. 101
Service in Mexico with Charlie's Angels	p. 105
Suicide - Darkness of Loss	p. 109
Vocation Director and Archbishop Levada	p. 112
Return to Serra	p. 118
Leave of Absence From the Priesthood	p. 124
Dilated Cardiomyopathy	p. 127
Collapse	p. 131
UCSF Medical Center: Heart and Lung Transplant Unit, and Dr. Theresa DeMarco	p. 137
Spiritual Questions and Guidance	p. 141
Centering Prayer - Remaining Grounded during Journey	p. 144
Surgery: The Defibrillator Goes Kaboom	p. 147
Looking At Death	p. 150
"Joe, We Think We Have a Heart"	p. 156
Surgery	p. 163
Post - Transplant	p. 166
The Fourth Gift New Life
A New Beginning	p. 173
Seeking Reinstatement as a Priest	p. 176
A New Mission and Ministry	p. 178
A New Priest	p. 180
My New life	p. 183
Warning from Brother Priests	p. 185
For An Old Friend	p. 188
Acknowledgments	p. 190
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