jOhn - it would have done me little good for my family to have believed (they did by the way) since we all have to find Him ourselves. If by 'speaking to me' you mean did I receive a sudden phone call from God one night, (the 20th century version of St. Paul's calling) the answer is no. It was because I majored in biochemistry and came to realize how utterly complex was the web of life. That led me (inexorably, I believe) to faith in God, the ultimate source of that life.

As to how I came to be a priest in the Church, I'll save that for another time.

Padre