My Story
Different from a lot of other vocation stories you may have heard in our time, when I received my calling, it happened to be throughout my high school years amidst the growing up and the support of my family. Thanks to my parents for bringing me up in a good, solid, practicing catholic home. I never felt my vocation to be undermined by them or the environment I was in. But there was another problem for me. Even though I knew I was called to try out the seminary, I had to discern which one it was going to be, studying for my home diocese or going down south to the Fraternity of Saint Peter. I first tried out the Fraternity and as their requirements had it, I had to at least take two years of college as a backup. I then went on to North Dakota State University as the place where I was going to receive the schooling for these two years. But God had another plan. I happened to be taking Latin with some of the Cardinal Muench Seminarians my first year of school, who in turn wanted me to try out the Live-In-Weekend at the Seminary. In their favor, I willing accepted the invitation. After the weekend, because I liked it there so much, I further discerned the location of my vocation. And as time showed through prayers, God and I made the choice that my home Diocese was the right place.
Now that I am at Cardinal Muench Seminary, and have completed a year and a half of in it, I would have to say that it is the best year and a half of my life that I have received so far. The formation, the staff are so helpful, it is amazing. As Msgr. Schlesselmann, our rector says: the seminary isn’t so much a place to make priests, but it is to make real man, to teach them to live manhood to its fullest. By being in the seminary I have become aware of true manhood so much more, which has changed my person into living a life more aware of others needs then just my own. I guess I can give all the credit to God, my parents, all the formators at the seminary and anyone who has been praying for me for the grace to accept all the good things that have happened through them. Praised be Jesus and Mary forever. Amen.
