Thoughts on Priesthood:

To be called to priesthood for me is to be personally called by God to teach, and to lead his church. It is a great honor and very humbling to think that God could be calling me to be another Christ, and to act in and through Him, in the ministry that the priest performs everyday. The priest stands in as Christ in the sacrament of confession and forgives the sins of those seeking His mercy, and to be the hands in which God consecrates the bread and the wine for distribution to those who are spiritually hungry. To be a priest is to be a servant among servants, helping those in need to bring Christ into their lives.

Why I want to be a Priest:

As a young child I heard a homily on the importance of priests in the life of the Catholic Church. The priest encouraged the young men to consider the priesthood, and the adults to pray for a renewed man and woman to answer Gods call to the priesthood and religious life. Now I want to serve God and do his will in my life. I have learned in my twenty short span of years that if you follow the Lord’s will for your life that he will never let you down. The Lord has in mind the best plans and goals for his children and those plans are for “your welfare, not for woe. Plans to give you a future full of hope” (Jeremiah 29:11). If I follow the Lord I know I will find the truest and the most complete path to happiness. The other reason I want to become a priest is for the reflections I gave above about the role of the priest in the faith life of all Catholics.

Hobbies & Interests:

My interests and hobbies include: spending time outside, playing Frisbee, football, and running. I also enjoy spending time with my friends on weekends. When I am at home I enjoy helping my dad on the farm (whether in the field or with livestock).

Influence:

The greatest influence in my life has been my parents. My Mom and Dad brought me into the Catholic faith and raised me to always work towards holiness and virtue. They encouraged us (me, by sister and brother) to pray about the vocation that God was giving us. They encouraged me to be not afraid to do God’s will and they always reassured me that they would support me in what ever I did as long as it was for the glory of God.