Alumnus Spotlight: Msgr. Vid Vlasic
If there was one piece of advice Msgr. Vid Vlasic could give to young seminarians, it would be trust in Christ.
Prior to his ordination 44 years ago, Msgr Vlasic recalls wrestling with this issue during his days at St Augustine’s Seminary.
“After my degree in philosophy, I left the seminary,” he recalls. “But I had an epiphany to go back a year later.”
Msgr. Vlasic, who is currently Pastor at St. Justin Martyr Parish in Unionville, ON, where he serves a vibrant community, says it is easy to let doubt creep in – doubt in one’s abilities and doubts in one’s calling.
“So if I had advice for seminarians, it would be that perseverance is most important. Believe in yourself and your calling. You can overcome challenges with Christ by your side.”
He calls to mind his own struggles while a seminarian.
“We had a homiletics professor who would record our homilies and then replay them on an old VHS system and everybody in the class would comment on what is good and what is bad. It was quite embarrassing because of my struggle with language and content.”
As a young man of Croatian background, it was tempting to succumb to his doubts about his ability, but he chose to persevere and believe that God called him to be a priest.
“I improved so much that I can say I can preach as well as most priests in the Archdiocese.”
He says he has had plenty of opportunity during his 44 years as a priest to put the ‘let go and let God’ mantra to the test.
“I did well despite my shortcomings,” he says. “I even oversaw the building of a church – St. Jerome in Brampton.”
St. Jerome’s Roman Catholic Church is named after St. Jerome of Stridon, who lived between 345-420 A.D. He is known as the most prominent Scripture scholar and one of the most learned doctors of the Church.
His Eminence, Aloysius Cardinal Ambrozic, signed the Decree of Erection for the Parish, in the West part of Brampton, on August 14, 1990. Fr. Vid Vlasic was appointed founding Pastor on July 1, 1990. The sod-turning ceremony took place on Sunday, February 23, 1997, and construction began in January of 1998. The first mass was celebrated on Saturday, September 5, 1998, with Bishop Terrence Prendergast S.J. His Eminence Cardinal Ambrozic dedicated the church on the Feast of All Saints, November 1, 1998.