Seamus is not one of those priests who "grew up in religion" and simply followed in the footsteps of his parents. He came to faith through pain and doubt. In his youth, he was a cynic, maybe even an agnostic. But after experiencing a personal tragedy (the death of a loved one, serious illness, betrayal), he once went into an empty church and stayed all night. It was not an "epiphany from above," but rather a quiet decision: "I do not know if there is a God, but I want Him to be. 