A beautiful thing happened today.

Last summer, I got a message after posting something random on this here platform. It became a wonderful back-and-forth exchange of letters and books and prayer intentions with a young man who is about to be received into the Church.

He asked me to be his sponsor, even though we've never met. And it's my joy, even though I can't travel to be present for him.

Today, he FaceTimed me with his pastor, I *think* so his pastor could assess whether or not I am a crazy person, which, let's face it.

If I were a priest and a fellow came to me for formation and volunteered that a random twitter person had agreed to be his sponsor, I'd check on that situation, too.

We sat and talked for an hour. I cried. We prayed. We shared parts of our life and conversion stories. We talked about the struggles of the priesthood and the laity in this moment. We marveled at how God appears--and works actively--in the most unlikely places and ways.

In the course of our conversation I discovered this priest is one or two degrees removed from a whole bunch of people I love, respect, or both. We talked about books and kids and vocations. And I was filled with joy and hope on a bleak day.

Last night we celebrated the institution of the priesthood and of the Eucharist. The Last Supper gives way to the ever-present Eucharist and Christ transforms his disciples into his priests with the washing of their feet.

It is not always easy to be a Catholic. How much harder it may be to be a Catholic priest! Even as we pray without ceasing for truth, justice, mercy, and purification of the Body of Christ--the Church--let's also pray and give thanks for the good and holy priests in the vineyard.

I'm so grateful for Twitter, which has been and continues to be the nexus of so many beautiful, embodied, real friendships.