Renewing an old friendship

Many priests can tell you about other priests who deeply influenced their vocation.
I can think of three right off the top of my head 1) Fr. William Davidson, my parish priest growing up, whom I served as an altar boy for many years, 2) Fr. John Scott, the priest at the parish where I got sober and came back to the faith. Both these men have passed on to their reward.

The third person was a priest at my High School, Fr. David Ladislaus Przedwiecki, OFMI. A Franciscan Friar, I never had him for class. But he was the head of the S. Stanislaus Kostka club (for those discerning vocations), and I traveled with him and 14 others to Europe for 6 weeks when I was 15. Fr. David's deep faith and joy peaked my interest in the priesthood as well as the Franciscan Order (of which I am a member of an Anglican Third Order Franciscan group now).

Over the years he and I have had occasional contact via phone and mail. He left the mainstream Franciscan Order (OFM) to found another with a special charism. As with many who try something new (actually this is something old now being revived) he has been misunderstood, has had to move around, and has had vicious rumors spread about him and his order. He has taken it with patience and resolve to continue to be faithful.

I have not spoken with him for several years, although I once stopped by his friary in Mt. Morris, Michigan while he happened to be away. Yesterday we were put in contact by a mutual friend and had a wonderful phone call. I hope, in the near future, to get together with him to share a meal and catch up in person. Although in the last 15 years I have spoken to him and corresponded via mail occasionally, I haven't actually seen him face to face since I was perhaps 16 years old!
His order has a website - www.ofmi.net if you would like to take a look.