Vocation Stories

Joseph R.M. Palmisano, SJ

DOB: 12/12/1974

This is my story. I write this for you, God. I offer this back to you, along with my understanding and my entire will. This is my story my dear Abba, so do with it what you will. Just give me your Love and your Grace. That is enough for me.

I know the plans I have for you says the Lord, plans of Kindness, plans of Joy. These words have encouraged me to go out and seek my God, in all ways possible. I was born on December 12, 1974 in New Haven, CT to Joseph and Dolores Palmisano. My mother and father lived upstairs from my great grandparents in a small apartment. My great grandparents were wonderful people. My great grandmother, Anne, was a very prayerful woman who took great delight in me and my little brother. While I was young, being surrounded by family was typical. My mother's parents lived only two houses up the block, and when I wasn't home playing I was usually at their house.

Two gifts in my life are my mother and brother, John Paul. My mom is the most influential person in my life. She's always wanted the best for me and my brother. Her famous line to me and John Paul is, "You only have each other." She instilled in us a sense that to be brothers is a special gift, and when there are no other siblings it's important to stick together and love each other.

My high school years at Fairfield Prep were extremely important. I learned how to come out of my shell. Men like Fr. Joe Trinkle, the "pied piper" of the freshman class, had an impact on me. He was a renaissance man, who was influential in helping me discover a love for theology. Men like Bill Cullen and Larry Ryan taught me what it was to discover God in all things and to leave the comfort zone of self. At first, attempting to engage the world in a new way was difficult for me.

College was a wonderful time. I had the opportunity to be present to different people in many places. Two places which helped me in my discernment process to be a Jesuit are Nicaragua and Rome. I was chosen for a service/immersion trip my sophomore year of college to Nicaragua and it is one of the best memories of college. A year later, I discovered another wonderful place called Rome. During the spring of my Junior year of Boston College I studied Theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University for five months. Rome was a growth experience for me. I was on my own and I had no one to fall back on. I quickly fell in love with Rome and I would spend many wonderful afternoons in the Church of St. Ignatius. In Latin above the main altar reads, "I will be favorable to you in Rome." I couldn't help but think that those same words Ignatius heard were meant for me too.

The beauty of ministry is that you can be a stranger but because of the public witness you lead as a religious and priest, people put their trust in you. I believe that to be an effective religious entails being able to thank God for the gift of being trusted by people. The gifts of listening, healing, guiding and feeding those who are yearning to love life and their God in a more complete way is an awesome call. With the help of God, I believe that I am answering this call as a Jesuit. Now more than ever I truly believe, as Rahner said,

"What meets us in life is not chance, is not blind fate but is a part of the life of your Son. The joy we shall receive as Christ's joy, success as his success, pain as his pain, sorrow as his sorrow, work as his work, death as sharing in his death."