I first thought about being a priest early in high school. I had never really considered it until that time. What happened was nothing spectacular, but one evening at a religious education class at my parish, someone showed a video on apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It really got me thinking that not only were these apparitions really cool, but hey, what is God telling me or calling me to do? I started to think about what I should do with my life, and I started to pray more. I immediately begin to be drawn to priesthood. In high school, I was pretty unsure and rather afraid about it, so I mostly kept the idea to myself. I did go with my pastor to a visit of the Benedictine Monastery, but it just didn’t click with me.

In college the call continued to come back to me even when I didn’t want it. I studied Electrical Engineering at KU. So I would have spurts of thinking about priesthood and then doing whatever else I wanted to do. I did attend a vocation group at the St. Lawrence Center, and I was fairly active there. But I still was not ready to accept the call.

After I graduated and got a job with Garmin in Olathe, KS, I felt I had finally begun to settle down a bit and get rid of that idea about being a priest. I was dating and even thinking of buying a house. However, the call was relentless. I had joined a bible study group, and soon I was much more excited about my faith. I started re-taking a class offered by the St. Lawrence Center at nearby Lawrence, and I started getting even more excited about Catholicism. At my parish, I felt called to sign up for an hour of Eucharistic adoration each week (Thursday 12 AM). Further, I felt convinced of the power of the rosary and at the Pope’s and others recommendation, began praying it daily.

Finally, the soil was prepared to receive the seed and let it sprout, and as much as I tried to ignore the call it all came together then. My teacher of the Catholic class recommended that I do St. Louis de Monfort’s total consecration to Jesus through Mary to help know what God’s will was for me. I really felt hope that this would work, so I did it. I think what happened was that Mary took the fear away, and at the end I decided to investigate priesthood once again. I went on a visit to a seminary and absolutely loved it and wanted to be there. Finally, it felt like the doors were open and it was simply my free choice. I decided to pursue the call to be a priest. It was the best decision I ever made, though not the easiest.

Seminary further helped me discern that this was the right choice and that I truly was called. It wasn’t always easy, but it was some the best years of my life, as I met my best friends there and got to learn and be formed in my faith. Never before did I grow and learn so much. My ordination to the priesthood was the most powerful experience I have ever gone through. Even now I am humbled and awed that I am a priest, and that God has chosen me. Being a priest is very rewarding. It is also very challenging and there is so much always to be done. I feel very much Jesus' words, "The harvest is great, but the laborers are few." However, to work for Jesus, to be a priest of Jesus Christ, to make Him Present in the world, especially in the Eucharist and in all the Sacraments is beyond my comprehension but brings me great joy.

Typical Day