One More for the Home Missions
by Father Dominic Duggins

Father Dominc Duggins 1974

I was born and raised in Cincinnati. Although I attended Catholic grade and high schools, religion did not have any particular significance in my life until my senior year. Only then I began to think about life's options and began asking: "What shall I do with mine?"

A "mission weekend" trip to Sunfish and Russellville, Ky. during that year gave me my first contact with Glenmary. Father Mike Preske, pastor at Russellville, talked about the work of Glenmary and gave us the Glenmary prayer card. For some reason, I prayed that prayer every night.

During the next couple of months I began to think more seriously about becoming a Brother or a priest.

"Missioner" had always meant foreign lands to me, but talks with Sister Martin, a Glenmary Sister living in my parish at the time, helped me recognize the mission needs of small towns and rural America. The memory of our talks stayed with me for the remaining months of my senior year. Gradually I found myself drawn to Glenmary.

In September of 1961 I entered Glenmary to become a brother. Eleven years later, after much thought, prayer, and mission experience, I went back to school to complete my studies for the priesthood.

As I return to the missions, I am anxious to give of myself, recognizing that in doing so I receive much more. I hope to be deeply involved in religious education on the parish level.

For me, ordination and returning to the missions give new significance to St. Paul's words: "Faith is confident assurance concerning what we hope for, and conviction about things we do not see .... " Heb. 11:1.