Paths to Padre: A Seminarian's Journey

The Final Semester January 30, 2025 It has been a long time since I wrote a blog, and a lot has happened since the school year ended last May. Last Monday, I had my last first day of classes for the final semester here at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary.  As many of you know, I was ordained a Deacon last summer (June 1, 2024), and I spent the summer in Carroll, Iowa, and then came back to St. Louis for my final year in August. Ordination was the experience of a lifetime, and yet, there is another, greater ordination to come. Assuming things go according to plan, I will be ordained a priest on June 7, 2025. After six years of study and formation, it is hard to believe this day is quickly approaching.  Recently, I was reading a few of these blogs from the past. I reread the first blog I wrote in the summer of 2019 - I was trying to sell my house, pack up my belongings, and sort my life out. In some ways, things are the same as I embark on my final semester. I am again tasked with packi...

 Theology III - Finished May 16, 2024 I have done a very poor job of updating my blog this past year. In fact, it was at the end of last school year that I updated everyone. Looking back at the year it is not surprising, as the year was very full and preparations were underway for the next step. So below, I will try to summarize the year in review.  Summer 2023 Last summer, I spent my days and weeks at the Cathedral of the Epiphany doing rigorous Spanish studies. I had in-person class for 3 hours each morning and 2 hours online each afternoon. While it was a challening summer and classes took a lot of energy, I enjoyed getting to know the people of the parish better and spending time in the diocese is always good.  Fall 2023 The Fall semester flew by quickly. While it had it's challenges, classes were interesting and kept my busy. This past year, I also served at the Student Life Assocaition President for Kenrick-Glennon Seminary. The SLA oversees many of the student orga...

 Theology II Complete, Summer Assignment Begun! June 21, 2023 As my last update was shortly after Christmas, I will try to summarize the events of the previous six months as best as possible.  During the Spring Semester of Theology II, I learned many things and continued to grow in deeper appreciation of the love God has for me, as well as an increased knowledge that God is the constant in my life, through all things.  While the past semester offered it's own unique challenges, overall it was a very good semester that ended on some high notes. Perhaps one of the most difficult things of this semester was the departure of two of my good friends from Seminary formation. They are both doing great and their discernment was beautiful. It was a great pleasure to walk with them as they transitioned into their next phase of life. One of the most wonderful things about seminary formation is getting to see the great way God works in each one of our lives. He truly knows what is bes...

 Theology 2: Fall Semester Complete 12/28/2022 Merry Christmas Greetings, Looking back at the Fall Semester, I can honestly say, it has flown by...truly flown by. I am not sure where it went. It seems strange that another set of classes is finished, finals are over, and Christmas has already come and gone... Overall the Fall Semester was full of many blessings and new realizations of the ways in which I am loved by God and by those around me. After many years of anxiety being a major part of my life, these past few months have been graced by less and less anxiety. As a continual result of some graces from my 30 Day, my anxious thought patterns have lessed and my brain is not longer hot wired to be cosntantly on the go. While it has been an adjustment, life has taken a much calmer and slower pace than in previous years. I have found myself amazed that I am still able to accomplish things with out my brain and body running 100 miles a minute. It has been refreshing.  Throughout ...

Summer and the Beginning of Theology 2 September 22, 2022 Hello Everyone! I know it has been a long time. So allow me to update you on my summer and the beginning of the school year.  This past summer was certianly one for the record books - two ordinations in the Diocese of Sioux City, traveling to friends ordinations in other dioceses, the Quest Trip to North Carolina, a 30 Day Retreat, and my sister's wedding. It was a summer filled with blessings and graces that can only come from the Lord.  During the month of July, I particiapted in a 30 Day Ignatian Retreat at Broomtree Retreat Center in South Dakota. This experience is one I will never forget. The graces I received are still being unpacked as I enter into this new year of formation. In the interest of brevity, I will simply highlight a few of the graces and shifts of thinking that occurred during the month long retreat:          1) God helped me to realize that so much of the "Rules" I have put...

Theology 1: That's a Wrap 5/15/2022 Good Morning All, It has been a bit - I guess you could say it was a busy semester. As I write this, I am sitting in the Rectory of my home parish in Algona, Iowa, listening to the audiobook Gone with the Wind . The semester finished up this week and yesterday we celebrated Graduation Ceremonies for the Deacon Class and the Pre-Theology 2 Men. Hard to believe that was me, just a year ago.  When I look back on this year, it is shocking that it is over. It felt like only a semester went by. Meaning the year flew by. The year was one of great growth and personal learning. Overall, Theology 1 was a great year, but it did have some challenges.  In regards to my issues sleeping, as I have discussed previously, I am still waiting to have a full in-clinic sleep study. Hopefully in the next few weeks. All in all, I have been sleeping better and I certainly seem to have more energy than earlier in the semester - which was very welcome indeed. After mo...

 Second Semester, Candidacy, and the Search for Sleep February 18, 2022 Hello All!!  I know it has been awhile, so I thought it was time for an update. We are a few weeks into Second Semester and classes are going well. They are challenging and there is a lot of good information gained in each class session. My classes this term are Theology of the Liturgy; Christology and Soteriology; Pentateuch and Historical Literature; Anthropology, Sin and Grace; Patristics II; and Synoptic Gospels: Luke and Acts. Our line up of professors is top notch and I have thoroughly enjoyed each class thus far.  Last Wednesday, myself, and fifteen other members of my class went through the Rite of Admission to Candidacy for Holy Orders. In simple terms, this is where a seminarian officially becomes a seminarian so to speak. Before a Bishop (in this case Bishop Sis of San Angelo, Texas), men resolve themselves to complete their formation in due course and also resolve to prepare yourself in mi...