Father Dirk Kurt Kranz, LC, is from Bensheim, Germany, where he was born on November 3rd 1969. He graduated from high school at the Altes Kurfürstliches Gymnasium in Bensheim, specializing in classics, in June of 1989. He entered the Legion of Christ that same year. In 1998 he received his license in philosophy from the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum in Rome, Italy. He was a classical languages professor at the Legions centers of formation in Germany, the United States and Italy for a number of years and is currently studying patristics at the Augustinian Institute in Rome.

When I was sixteen years old I had an awful time trying to get to sleep at night, I always had many thoughts running through my head. Sometimes it took two or three hours. On one of those sleepless nights a thought struck me by surprise: "Why dont you pray? Maybe just an Our Father?"

Around Easter in 1987 an aunt invited me to go to Mass with her. I gladly agreed even though I was by no means the pious type. When the time came for Communion she asked me why I wasnt going up to receive Jesus. I knew I just wasnt prepared.

I dont know exactly why but this is where it all started. I am not a person to do things halfway so I decided to change my life totally. From the moment I had made my decision I began going to Mass daily. I got up an hour earlier so as to make it to Church on time for the seven oclock Mass. I bought a copy of the New Testament. I strengthened my sacramental life but I decided to postpone receiving Communion until Easter 1988 and so give myself an entire year to prepare myself to receive Christ.

Due to this sudden burst of religious fervor, which wasnt brought on by anyone but God in me, I began looking for ways by which I could combine my Catholic faith and my future profession. One day I saw a poster at my parish. It was a vocational poster for the Franciscans and read: "Do you like friendships, fraternity and simplicity?" I liked all three and so I called. A little later I visited a small Franciscan community in Bavaria, about two hours from Munich. I simply loved it and I really thought that the religious life was for me, but I still had to finish one year of high school.

This period of my life also featured a number of difficulties, both internal and external. Many of those around me didnt like the idea of my decision to draw closer to God. One of the first consequences was that I lost almost all my friends -- well, lets call them acquaintances -- and it took a while to get in with a group of new friends with whom I could share my faith. This was particularly painful. Most of the time people were just indifferent to me but at times they were openly hostile and it wasnt always easy for me to accept humiliations with Christian charity. When their resistance was especially cruel, a tear or two would escape my eyes.

I also met a girl I really liked. The two of us thought the same way about things. But at the same time I felt called to the religious life. All of these elements: resistance, girlfriend, priesthood, etc., contributed to a difficult state of confusion.

In the middle of all this I met a Legionary priest. I opened my heart to him and he invited me to spend some time in quiet reflection at the Legionaries formation center in Rome. This was July of 1989. I had just finished high school in June and I still had no idea what to do. I was wrapped in confusion.

I talked this over with Susanne -- my girlfriend -- and we both decided to go and reflect on our lives before God. So I was off to Rome.

The two weeks I spent in Rome were, quite frankly, very difficult. I was totally divided interiorly. I decided to keep a journal to help me sort out my thoughts. In it I jotted down my reactions and motivations. Finally on the last day of my visit I began to see things clearly: what is worth more, eternal life or life here on earth? Eternal life, of course. I figured that if I wanted to make others happy, I should focus on their eternal happiness. And what is the best way to do this? The priesthood. For me everything was suddenly so simple and clear.

But it was not so for Susanne. When I got home the first thing I did was go and visit her. She had come to the conclusion that she truly was in love with me. How was I going to be able to explain my own conclusion to her? Without saying much I handed her the twenty pages of my journal and had her read it while I waited. When she had finished she said, "This is the first time that I can conscientiously offer a true sacrifice to God." What an answer! My admiration and respect for her grew but I stuck to my decision. So we parted.

Now why did I decide to enter the Legion of Christ? I knew that God had called me to the priesthood but I only felt something "click" in my heart after I had met them. One thing was their charity.

Today, after twelve years of formation, I am very grateful to God for having led me through circumstances that were anything but easy for my faith and my vocation. My deepest conviction has not changed: I want to offer my life so that others might have the joy of seeing God face to face in Heaven. Two questions have helped me along the way: What else can I do for God? What is the most important thing in this life? I have always tried to honestly answer these questions before God, my neighbor and myself.

By the way, after working for a number of years as a nurse, Susanne decided to consecrate herself to God as a religious during the Jubilee year of 2000. God certainly has his ways.