Fabian, Bishop and Martyr of Rome, 250 A.D.
In 236 A.D., an assembly was held in Rome to elect a new pope as successor to Anterus. In the crowd was Fabian, a layman from another part of Italy. Suddenly, according to the historian Eusebius, a white dove flew over the crowd and lit on Fabian's head. In spite of the fact that he was a total stranger, not ordained or even a candidate for election, the people unanimously chose Fabian to be pope, shouting "He is worthy!" He bypassed being a deacon, priest and bishop to be ordained as a pope without opposition.
During his 14 years as pontiff, he made numerous administrative reforms and developed the parochial structure of the Church as we know it today. When a bishop in Africa, Privatus, stirred up new heresy, Pope Fabian vigorously opposed and condemned his actions in so doing, protecting the orthodoxy of the Church. He appointed seven deacons to write about the lives of the martyrs so that their deeds would not be forgotten.
Emperor Decius ordered general persecution of the Church in 250 A.D., which was the first carried out in all parts of the empire. Fabian was one of the earliest of those martyred, setting a courageous example for his followers.
The reason I tell you about this faithful follower of our Lord is that all the ordained men and women that I know were all doing something else as a layperson, like Fabian, before our Lord made known to them, in whatever form that took, to submit themselves to the authority of the Church. Taking this step, they still remain in the priesthood of all baptized Christians, but now are to be trained to function in the role of teacher, preacher and theologian.
I remember the day I heard the Lord tell me it was time to talk to my priest about the ministry, which I did in 1974. That same year, I was in the Seminary of the Southwest in Austin. Three years later, I was ordained and 45 years later, I still have the privilege of serving our Lord as a priest in His Church. My experience and that of others in ministry would tell you the same thing—when God calls, listen. There are many great ministries for laymen and women to do for our Lord in His Church, and who knows, you might even go to seminary one day! Blessings!
