Overview

An 88-year-old Catholic priest from Minnesota fell in church and required surgery to stabilize a broken neck. During his recovery in a rehabilitation facility, he did not dwell on his bad luck or why he is so clumsy, but instead reflected, during a sleepless night that became a night of prayer, on how blessed his life has been. This memoir, Incredibly Blessed: The Life Story of a Boy from the Farm, grew out of those reflections. Father Brown acknowledged the good education he received in the minor and major seminaries. In the minor seminary he had a good liberal arts education, and after two years in the major seminary he earned a BA in philosophy. In the final years at the major seminary he completed the four years of theology required for ordination. He reflected on the fact that he has visited places that many priests wish they could see but never do, such as Rome, Lourdes, Assisi and the Holy Land, as well as exotic places like the Galapagos, the Antarctic Peninsula and Easter Island. He has been to 22 countries in all, something few people can say, except maybe a travel writer or a secretary of state. The memoir becomes a travelogue as he describes in detail many of these places, along with almost 300 photographs. Besides all this, he has been privileged to serve the Lord and the Church as a priest for 64 years. Reflecting on this that sleepless night, he realized how blessed his life has been. As a boy growing up on the farm, he could never have imagined he would have such a meaningful life. In the Epilogue Father Brown names many persons to whom he is grateful. After almost two pages in which he expresses his gratitude, he writes: ""I am grateful to the Lord for the innumerable times I have celebrated Mass, preached His Word, forgiven sins in His name, and commended a faithful soul to Him at journey's end."" The Epilogue and the book conclude in this way: ""I hope with confident assurance that I will hear these words when He calls me home: 'Well done, my good and faithful servant... Come, share your Master's joy.'"" (Mt 5:23)

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Father Eugene Brown is a retired priest of the Diocese of New Ulm, Minnesota. He was ordained in 1960 and served as pastor of small parishes in western Minnesota and as senior associate for a total of 40 years. On vacations and after retirement, he traveled to Europe, Guatemala and the Holy Land; to Alaska, the Caribbean and Hawaii; to the Galapagos and the Upper Amazon; to Namibia, Botswana, Zambia and South Africa; to the British and Irish Isles; to South Georgia, Antarctica and Easter Island. His experiences as pastor as well as descriptions and photographs of some of these trips are in this memoir.

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