Forty Years of Saying "Yes": Monsignor Peter Waslo Reflects on Four Decades of Priestly Ministry

"It Was a Happy Day"

By the summer of 1986, years of discernment and formation had led Monsignor Peter to the day he had long awaited.

Ordained during the closing Divine Liturgy of the annual Youth for Christ celebration, he entered the priesthood surrounded by family, friends and more than 1,400 faithful who had gathered to witness the occasion. Even after forty years, the emotions of that day remain vivid.

"It was an emotional day because you realize you're going from one life to another."

Searching for words to describe that transition, he compares ordination to marriage. "You suddenly realize your life no longer belongs just to you. As a priest, you're called to care for the people wherever the Church sends you."

Yet above all, he remembers the overwhelming joy, "It was a happy day," he says. "It was the best decision I ever made in my entire life—to say yes."

One moment from the ordination liturgy remains especially dear to him.

"When they started singing Mnohaya lita, it suddenly struck me. I remember thinking, 'Why are they singing this for me?' I never thought of myself as anything extraordinary. I was just an ordinary guy who had said yes."

His family shared deeply in that joy, "My parents were very proud. My grandparents were just ecstatic. The Church had always been central to our family, so having someone ordained to the priesthood meant so much to all of them."

Even amid such a momentous celebration, there was room for family humor. His sister's birthday happened to fall on the day of his first Divine Liturgy as a newly ordained priest.

"I apologized to her," he says with a laugh. "I told her, 'Sorry your birthday has become my celebration.' We still joke about it today."

For Monsignor Peter, June 29, 1986, marked far more than the beginning of priestly ministry. It was the joyful fulfillment of a calling that had taken root years earlier in the faith of his family, the witness of devoted priests and religious, and a simple desire to spend his life serving God and His people.

"I've Always Wanted to Help People"

When asked about the greatest joy of priestly ministry, Monsignor Peter's answer comes without hesitation.

"Just the people."

For forty years, priesthood has meant accompanying people through every season of life — celebrating joyful milestones, offering comfort in times of suffering and simply being present when needed most.

"Whether they're welcoming a new baby, celebrating a wedding, facing illness, sitting in a hospital, or even nearing the end of life — you walk with them through all of it."

He considers this one of the greatest privileges of priesthood. "As a priest, the doors are always open for you. You're invited into people's lives at their happiest moments and their most difficult ones. To be able to walk with them — that's my greatest joy."

That commitment to accompaniment has shaped his ministry in countless practical ways. His work has never been limited to celebrating the Divine Liturgy or administering the sacraments. Instead, he has sought to remain actively involved in the lives of the people entrusted to his care.

"I like to visit newly married couples a few months after their wedding. I tell them I'm there to bless their home, but really I just want to see how they're doing."

The same pastoral concern extends to the youngest members of the parish, "I always buy a teddy bear. That's a gift from the parish.  Every child should have a teddy bear. Then I sit down with the family and simply ask how they're doing."

For Monsignor Peter, these simple gestures often become opportunities for evangelization — not through programs or lengthy conversations, but through presence, attentiveness and genuine care.

"Sometimes you don't have to offer solutions. You simply listen."

Looking back, he sees a thread connecting his earliest dreams to his four decades of priestly ministry, "I've always wanted to help people. That's why I first thought about becoming a pharmacist. That's why I became a priest."

After forty years, that desire remains unchanged.

Learning From the People

While priests are called to teach and guide the faithful, Monsignor Peter believes that priests also learn from the people they serve, "Parishioners will tell you what they think. And I've always appreciated that."

Over the years, he has come to value that honesty as an essential part of pastoral ministry. Listening to people's experiences, struggles and hopes has helped him better understand how to serve them. "You have to meet people where they are. If you don't know where they are in life, how can you help them?"

For Monsignor Peter, ministry is not about imposing solutions or forcing change. Rather, it is about accompanying people with patience, compassion and understanding. "You can't force people. You teach them, you love them, you try to be an example, and you hope they eventually come to see what is best for them."

That approach has shaped his priesthood for four decades. Whether working with families, young people, the elderly or those facing personal struggles, he believes genuine pastoral care begins with listening.

As he reflects on the lessons he has learned through the years, Monsignor Peter remains grateful for the countless people who have shared their lives, their faith and their experiences with him. In many ways, they have helped shape the priest he has become.

Looking Back With Gratitude

As Monsignor Peter reflects on forty years of priestly ministry, he speaks less about accomplishments than about gratitude.

"When I look back on my life, I've gone places and done things I never imagined possible."

The years have brought challenges, unexpected opportunities and countless encounters with people whose lives became part of his own. Yet when asked what he hopes others will remember about him, his answer is simple and deeply personal. "I hope they can say that I really loved my people, that I really loved God, and that I served well." Those words reveal the heart of a priest who has spent four decades accompanying others through moments of joy, sorrow, celebration and loss.

Monsignor Peter is also quick to remind people that priests are not perfect. "We're not saints. We're human beings just like everyone else. We make mistakes. But we try our best to offer ourselves to the Lord."

For him, priesthood has never been about recognition or achievement. Rather, it has been a lifelong effort to remain faithful to God's call and to serve the people entrusted to his care. Monsignor Peter remains grateful for the journey that began with a simple "yes" and continues each day through prayer, service and trust in God's providence.

A Message for Young People

When asked what advice he would offer young people today, Monsignor Peter's answer is both simple and direct.

"Don't discount the Lord."

He understands the many pressures young people face today — education, careers, relationships, social media and uncertainty about the future. Yet he believes that faith remains an essential source of strength and guidance amid life's challenges.

"But you're not alone. Keep prayer in your life. Seek advice from people you trust. We were never meant to do life by ourselves."

Throughout the interview, Monsignor Peter repeatedly returns to the importance of community. Just as his own vocation was nurtured by family members, priests, religious sisters and parishioners, he believes young people need trusted mentors and companions who can help guide them through life's important decisions.

For those considering the priesthood or religious life, he offers simple but heartfelt encouragement. "You don't have to be a saint. If you love to pray and if you love helping people, this is a beautiful and rewarding life."

He hopes young people will remain open to God's call, whatever form it may take. Whether that call leads to marriage, family life, the priesthood, religious life or another path of service, he believes God continues to guide those who seek Him with sincere hearts.

Monsignor Peter remains convinced that no one walks life's journey alone. God is always present, offering guidance, strength and hope to those willing to listen.

Forty Years of Saying "Yes"

From a teenager inspired by the example of his parents, priests and religious sisters to a priest who has spent four decades serving God's people, Monsignor Peter's vocation has been shaped by faith, prayer and a willingness to answer God's call.

His journey has taken him through parish ministry, leadership, challenges, joys and countless encounters with people whose lives became part of his own. Through it all, he has remained guided by the same conviction that first led him to the priesthood: a desire to serve God by serving others.

Today, Monsignor Peter continues to offer the same witness that inspired him as a young man — one rooted in prayer, compassion and presence. His story is a reminder that a vocation is not a single moment of saying "yes" to God, but a lifelong response renewed day after day.