Archbishop's web site Denver Catholic Register Parishes Catholic Pastoral Center
June 6, 2001
Franciscan friar remembers call to priesthood
Silver jubilarian ministers to youth, Hispanics
By Alwen Bledsoe
As a young boy Father Charlie Martinez, O.F.M., knew he wanted to be a priest, and now he's celebrating 25 years since his profession of vows — his silver jubilee.
He clearly remembers the early beginnings of his religious life when the desire to be a priest took root in the support and encouragement of Father Pacian, a pastor in his childhood church, San Juan Church in Canjilon, N.M.
"When I inquired about the possibility of joining a seminary, he said, `Oh, I have the perfect one for you. It's the Franciscan seminary,'" remembered Martinez.
The young Martinez spent the next four years at St. Francis Seminary in Cincinnati.
"In those days they used to have minor seminaries, so I went right out of grade school, and my first year of high school was at the seminary."
He continued his education at the order's Philosophy House in Detroit and then studied theology in Dayton, Ohio. His first assignment was in the Dicoese of Gallup, N.M. He moved on to the Archdiocese of Sante Fe, and then, 10 years ago, came to Denver to work for the archdiocese, he said.
Currently Martinez is working at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Hispanic ministry and as Vocations Director for Our Lady of Guadalupe province. Following in the footsteps of Father Pacian, Martinez now works with approximately 50 young men who are considering entering religious life.
"It's fun, it's exciting. I'm exposed to a lot of enthusiasm, a lot of energy from young people," he said.
Most difficult about religious life, said Martinez, is the relative transience priests sometimes endure as they are moved from assignment to assignment.
"I guess the difficult part for me is the moving around because you get used to a community or you get used to a certain setting and then your provincial calls and has something else for you," he said.
But, on the other hand, this means lots of opportunities for new friendships, new ministries and new experiences.
"The high points for me have been my assignments in parish ministry," he said. "I've really enjoyed that because that keeps me in contact with people all the time."
He later added, "I've just enjoyed meeting so many different people and, in ministry, just being exposed to so many different types of situations — counseling, hospital work, marriage prep — the whole gamut of ministry. It's been very exciting.
"One of the nice things in thinking back on this is that I've made very, very good friends at each of the parishes I've been assigned to. To this day I still have friends from all the parishes that I've been at. That's 21 years ago," he said with a peaceful smile.
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