From the Associate Pastor's Desk

The time it takes to become a priest is surprisingly long. However, what is frequently more surprising is the journey through

which God calls men to become a priest. The six to eight years of education don't account for the years of discernment

and discipleship before a man enters the seminary. Every priest grew up in a particular context with many interests. As a

kid, I played soccer, collected rocks, and played Madden on my PlayStation 2 as much as my parents would allow. When

I became a high school student, all my relatives asked, "What do you want to do when you grow up?" As you can

imagine, my response to that question varied.

How much money a job paid was my most influential factor then. That factor, combined with growing up around math

teachers, led me towards a degree in engineering. Getting good grades and going to college sounded like a crucial

thing. I assumed I would go to a secular college, get a job, and marry. After all, that seemed like the ordinary course of

life.

As high school progressed, I became involved in my parish youth group. We went to local and national youth conferences,

discussed living out the faith, and ate a lot of pizza. As a junior or senior in high school, I began to feel drawn toward the

priesthood. However, it was an idea that scared me. I often thought, "God will call someone else to do that." My

hesitations caused me to keep the thought secret, hoping it would go away. You can probably guess how that story ends.

In the fall of 2013, I began college studies at Missouri University of Science and Technology, majoring in Mining

Engineering. Four years later, I would graduate with a degree in Geological Engineering. My experience in college was

similar to that of high school. I slowly became involved in the Newman Center on campus. Eventually, all of my spare time

was spent there hanging out with friends and ignoring our actual assignments. One of the most influential tasks I had at

the Newman Center was setting up for mass. That role afforded me extra time in the church with God and our parish

priest—both renewed my spark and desire for the priesthood.

During college, I got to know several priests and seminarians who helped me understand what being a priest meant.

Those experiences eased my fears, and I soon realized that I needed to enter the seminary and see if God was calling

me to be a priest. I had to hand over the tight control of my future that I had held to get my answer. In the fall of 2017, I

entered the seminary wondering, "Would I stay or would I go?" Again, you can probably guess how that story ends.

I spent six years in total at two different seminaries, Mundelein Seminary, and St. Meinrad Seminary. My time in those

places helped me to grow as a disciple and realize the great joy of serving the people of God as a priest. I've been

blessed with the support of several priest mentors and many great classmates who influenced and supported me along

the way. Most recently, I've had the great responsibility and privilege of saying mass, hearing confessions, and anointing

the sick. Lord only knows how that story ends.