My path to the seminary seems very improbable when looking back. I was raised in a Catholic family in Dickinson North Dakota attending Catholic school from elementary to High School. My faith as a young child meant more to me than it did as a teenager or a young college student. I was blessed with two hard working parents that worked very hard to ensure I could learn about the Church, something I didn’t appreciate as much as I should have. I joined the Army National Guard in High School and did a one year tour of duty in Iraq in 2004. While there, I met the Chaldean Catholics of Iraq who inspired me by their willingness to live and attend mass in such dangerous circumstances. These people are hunted and persecuted to the same degree as many Christians in the early Church were. While in Iraq I felt the Holy Spirit speaking to me and had a feeling as though I was being drawn into a deeper service for the Church and that I was called to give up my worldly aspirations in exchange for following Christ.

I had the privilege of seeing two former high school classmates, Kregg Hochalter and Jadyn Nelson, join the seminary in 2005 and 2006 respectively. My visiting them at their seminaries and seeing the peace that Christ had brought to their lives was a great facilitator in my decision to enter. This coupled with daily mass and Eucharistic adoration was enough to motivate me to call Fr. Tom Richter and ask for my application to Cardinal Muench Seminary. It was the hardest decision of my life but thus far has proven to be among the best.