Patrick Pulis
Episode 196
31 OCT 2022
He was a longtime soccer player as a student-athlete, ranging from club teams to high school to rec leagues while attending college. As an adult he coached soccer as well. As he was discerning the priesthood, he became interested in running, eventually training to run a half-marathon. He wrote a book called, “Touched By A Flame: A True Story of One Man’s Journey in the World of God,” which includes his experience running and training. He also mentions another book during this interview, and he has a side business inspired by his interest in the saints.
Notable guest quotes:
“My parents were actually born in Slovakia and Czech Republic, so I also grew up with that culture around me, speaking that language as well. And we grew up as Catholics.”
“Actually, my faith life really grew tremendously during my college years. I, for the first time, started attending Mass daily… and a lot of times go to Adoration, a lot of times it would be – a few times a week – I would go for holy hour. And I was also involved with FOCUS… and I was leading a Bible study at that time.”
“During college I met a group, the Sodalitium, which is a society of apostolic lay men and women that, it’s kind of a new order in the church, and their charisms were really working with the poor and doing apostolic work, which is evangelizing and working on bringing people to the faith.”
“I really felt the calling to go down to Peru and join them. I did a vigil, an all-night vigil, where I really discerned and prayed, and I felt as if God lifted a lot of weight upon me.”
“I started opening myself up to what God’s Will and His plan is.”
“We as humans are physical human beings but we’re also spiritual, and so that physical and spiritual is very important to form both areas of your life.”
“Anyone who gives their life to God – you don’t have to be a priest or religious – but, they are under a focus for the devil to attack.”
“There is a lot of spiritual warfare that goes on, especially when you dedicate so much time to prayer and to living a virtuous life.”
“I think some of the qualities that I learned from being in sports really matched up with the spiritual qualities that was able to help me fight this. And Jesus talks about having a firm foundation, otherwise a storm will come, and it will topple your house over.”
“Although the devil was near and fighting, I think God was even nearer to my heart and He kept me going in places where I wouldn’t be able to do it myself.”
“When we direct that power, those passions, everything that we have, towards the good and towards the ultimate good, which is holiness and sainthood, that is when we are fully free.”
“We form our muscles, but in the spiritual world we are forming our virtues and our heart.”
Related links:
Patrick’s book, “Touched By A Flame: A True Story of One Man’s Journey in the World of God”
Patrick’s Saint Of The Month website (with his other book)
