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Bryan Amthor

From seminarian Bryan Amthor:

   “You take care of the paperwork, and I’ll take care of the souls.”

I was born November 7, 1985 in Fairfax, Mo and baptized Catholic.  While growing up, my mother often took my brother and me to Mass on her own; my father was technically a Presbyterian at that time, though not really practicing any faith. 

My brother, younger by three years, was my only sibling.  Living out on the farm, we generally had nobody but each other to play with, and let our imaginations run wild, using sticks as swords for “duels” in the yard. 

During elementary school, my Catholic faith was not all that important to me; I was the only Catholic in my class and found CCD boring.  It was not until my current pastor arrived at St. Paul’s in Tarkio, MO, that things changed.  My mother, the parish secretary, introduced herself to Fr. Reginald, who told her, “You take care of the paperwork, and I’ll take care of the souls.” Later, I realized that remark was one of the first sparks of my vocation.

Fr. Reginald preached persistently about the need for priests, and I noticed, though I swore it wouldn’t be me.  As I learned through his homilies about the Real Presence, the Trinity and other aspects of the faith, I became more and more intrigued.  Finally, at the end of 8^th grade, I told Fr. Reginald I felt I might have a calling; I’ve had his full support ever since.

During high school, my Dad converted to the Catholic faith, which was a very wonderful and healing experience for my family. 

For three years, I attended Conception Seminary college, but needed further discernment and some growing up.  I transferred to Benedictine College in Atchison, KS where I was especially active in pro-life activity; during this time, I had a good friend who became pregnant out of wedlock.  Helping her opened my eyes to how hard it is to be a mother, and how unwed mothers are in dire need of support.

I think the Rome Experience will help me see the Church in a wider, more universal way, and help me love Christ and his Church more deeply.

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From seminarian Ronald Cattany:

Today I provide post-communion reflections; tomorrow, I will provide homilies.

My grandparents came to the US in the late 1870s from Italy and Austria.  My dad lived to age 94, my mom to 99 and a half. Though both came from families of 10 children, I am an only child and today have no immediate family but many close friends. 

My parents actively lived their faith and made sure, on a very modest income, that I attended Catholic grade school and Jesuit high school.  By age 8, I said I would be a Catholic priest. That call was to be delayed by some decades, though I did not know it at the time.

The Catholic faith has always been at the center of my life – first through the example of my parents, and ultimately as a personal decision.  It is no coincidence that the two parishes to which I have belonged my entire life are dedicated to the Blessed Mother. 

My mother had a particular devotion to Mother Cabrini – an Italian-born saint my maternal grandmother had met – and that devotion grew during some of my childhood illnesses.  For the last 12 years of my parents’ lives, I was their caregiver, and had the blessing of being with them when they went to be with the Lord.

I earned a bachelor’s degree in mineral engineering and a master’s in mineral economics.  For 35 years I was natural resource advisor to the last four Colorado governors and taught at the University of Denver.

Over the past 25 years, my volunteer work has included Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colorado – serving as board member, chairman, and member of the national governance council – and the Metro Denver Salvation Army, serving as chairman of the board and Board chair of its capital campaign. I am past District Governor of Serra USA which fosters vocations.  I served on my parish council. At 50, I asked the Lord what he wanted me to do next in life.  On Valentine’s Day, 2009, observing a small baptism at Mary’s Altar in Denver, I felt a sense of joy and consolation, and knew I was being called to the priesthood. 

For 35 years, I have been a public speaker, historian and raconteur.  Today I provide post-communion reflections; tomorrow, I will provide homilies.  Italy is the center of my family heritage; now it is the center of my vocational heritage, and is as relevant to those to whom I minister as it is for me. 

For Scripture to be relevant, it must be alive in one’s life, heart, mind, time and place.  The Rome Experience will provide that context. 

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From seminarian Raj Derivera: 

Raj Derivera

He planned his life in detail, but God had a different idea

 My dad was in the Navy and my mother was an accountant.  Life with my older sister, parents and both grandmothers was rich with memorable experiences:  great meals, spontaneous vacations, board game nights – I truly felt I had a good foundation of love.  I was in Little League, volleyball and martial arts;  played trumpet, sang in choirs and was heavily involved in theater.  At 14, I assembled my first computer, which led to my later attempt at a computer science and engineering degree at the University of California. 

My family always went to Sunday Mass together and prayed the Rosary, but it wasn’t until I was challenged on my faith that I grew deeper in love with it and with the Eucharist.  I began to notice my grandmother’s deep faith, and it inspired me.  I met great young priests and youth ministers, and people encouraged me to pursue the priesthood.

But the priesthood wasn’t necessarily attractive to me; my girlfriend, on the other hand, was.  She and I were introduced by a dear mutual friend; we went to prom together, and during college we happily prepared for a future together.  She was going to be a nurse, I an engineer.  We were going to have two kids, one dog, and season tickets to the San Diego Super Chargers.  That was our plan.  That was my plan.

It wasn’t His.

After our breakup, I thought again of the priesthood, but part of me said “wait”.  Soon after, I went to Cologne, Germany to celebrate World Youth Day with the Holy Father.  Part of the pilgrimage took us to Lisieuex, home of St. Therese.  As I prayed there, the words of the saint echoed in my heart, “At last I have found it …My vocation is love.”

For three more years, I dove back into my work.  Then during a Lenten retreat in 2008, more of St. Therese’s words came to me:  “I fear only one thing—to keep my own will.  Take it, my God, for I choose all that you choose.”  Through His grace, I am now a seminarian for the Diocese of Sacramento.

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From seminarian Stephen Duquaine:

“I think you have a vocation”

I am one of eight children; my mother converted to Catholicism shortly after marrying my dad.  Though we went to Catholic school through 8^th grade, my father wanted to make sure we were retaining what we learned, so he gave us weekly Catechism instruction. As a family, we had the habit of praying the Rosary every Sunday, and the Rosary quickly became an important part of my prayer life.  Of course my parents were and are great supporters of my vocation.

I have a great relationship with my siblings; because there are so many, I will only write about one.  Mike, two years older, was my playmate and closest friend growing up.  We shared a room, played sports and collected baseball cards together.  I looked up to him, and he continues to impress me with all the work that he does in the pro-life movement.

When I was younger, I didn’t think about being a priest, only that, unlike my brothers, I really enjoyed altar serving.  My brothers tried to get out of serving, whereas I looked forward to it! 

Near the end of high school, I started thinking about the priesthood, but pushed it to the back of my mind because I was focused on college and winning a full scholarship.  When the winners were announced and I wasn’t one of them, I thought it was a sign that maybe God was directing me to the seminary instead of college.  I discussed it with my dad, who was encouraging but not overbearing, and left it up to me.  Finally, I decided to attend Purdue and figure things out there.

At Purdue, I quickly forgot about the vocation idea until one evening when I went to pray before the tabernacle.  At that moment, I heard God tell me for the first time that he wanted me to be a priest.  I was stunned, but sure that this was what I had to do.  Soon after this, one morning after daily Mass, a person I had never seen before approached and said, “I think you have a vocation.” This stunned me, since it was shortly after I had decided to pursue the priesthood, and I hadn’t told many people yet.  Despite all these signs, I began to get cold feet and grew anxious at the thought of taking the big step.  I told myself I would finish college and then enter seminary if God was still calling me.  During those three years, I attended a weekly Bible study and Benediction.  As a senior, I heard God’s call again and decided the time was right.  I graduate from Purdue in 2008 and started at Mount St. Mary’s seminary that August.

For about the last six years I have been very involved in the pro-life movement.  It seems more and more urgent to spread the message of life during this period in our country’s history, when young and old are both threatened by legislation that promotes a culture of death.  I think the Rome Experience will help me grow intellectually, spiritually, pastorally and as a friend, deepening my love for God, the Church and Sacred Scripture.

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From seminarian Christopher Gernetke: 

When the girl you want to date tells you you’d make a good priest – it’s a sign!

My mother always wanted to be a teacher, but when my five younger siblings and I were born, she realized God was calling her to be a stay-at-home teacher; she is now homeschooling my three sisters.  Though she has never said so, my mother has modeled her life after the Virgin Mary’s since I can remember.  My dad tells me often that he loves me and has made a strong effort to raise us well not only financially but morally, emotionally and spiritually. I thank both my parents for their love and their support of my vocation.

In eighth grade, I felt called to the priesthood, mostly because of the faithful and joyful example of Fr. Eric Nielsen, who was our pastor at the time and has always been a close family friend. However, I dismissed the call because my school peers  thought being a celibate priest was “stupid”.

I began dating as a high school junior and continued to date a few girls during college before it occurred to me I might not be called to married life. A girl I was interested in dating asked me about the Church’s teaching on abortion.  When I explained it to her, she told me I would make a really good priest.  This was hard to understand at the time, especially since I thought she realized I wanted to date her! I soon realized I needed to ask God what he created me for if I was to be happy.

One night as I prayed before the Blessed Sacrament in the campus chapel, I told the Lord I just wanted to know whether I was called to marriage or priesthood, because I still desired in my heart to be married.  But He told me, almost with an audible voice, to go into the seminary.  So I applied and was accepted as a seminarian for the Diocese of Madison.  The Lord has since confirmed and strengthened me in His calling.  I look forward to The Rome Experience and regard the opportunity as a great honor.

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From seminarian Nathan Haverland:

Nathan Haverland

A lifelong desire to know God

As I grew up, my family never went to Church, and God was rarely spoken of.  Both my mother and stepfather had gone to Catholic schools, but fell away as teenagers.  Consequently, my sister and I were not baptized or educated about the faith.  In spite of this, I always seemed to have a desire to know God.  I can even clearly recall praying at night in my teens, especially during high school, even though I was never taught to pray or how to do so.

During my freshman year at Benedictine College, I attended my first Mass.  I slowly began to learn and like the Catholic Church through the school’s required theology classes and through seeing true Catholic lives lived out on campus. While I studied physics and astronomy in college, my stepfather died in 2003 after suffering various illnesses for many years.  The same year, my mother was diagnosed with cancer and began chemo and irradiation therapy in 2004. 

During the difficult summer of 2003, I decided to enter RCIA. On April 18, 2004, Divine Mercy Sunday, I entered the Catholic Church and received the sacraments of baptism, confirmation and Eucharist with great joy.  To my delight, my mother returned to the Church a short time later, after an absence of over 40 years.

Next, I went to the University of Michigan to do graduate study in nuclear engineering and radiological sciences.  I became very active in a young adults group at my parish, got to know the two parish priests fairly well, and began to see what priesthood truly was through them.  In 2006, I moved into a men’s house of discernment associated with the parish, where morning, evening and night prayer with the priests was a staple.  During my last year in Michigan, it seemed I couldn’t go a week without being asked if I was a seminarian, or whether I was thinking about becoming a seminarian.  Eventually, I took it as a compliment that people thought I would make a good priest. 

Since entering Kenrick-Glennon seminary in 2007, I have become more certain each day of my vocation.  Recently, following a long illness, my mother passed away.  Though I had a full course load, I was able to be with her through much of her suffering and in her last days of life. The experience was a challenge, but one grace is that my sister and I have become closer. My mother was a wonderful lady, and was never shy about telling everyone she met that she had a son preparing for the priesthood. 

By participating in the Rome Experience, I hope to become a man more closely conformed to Christ, the bridegroom, so that one day in the near future I may be a better priest. 

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From seminarian David Keegan:

David Keegan

I spent so many years running away; I am now filled with joy as I tirelessly run toward the Father.

I was born into a typical Catholic family in southern Louisiana.  I am the fifth of six children and would often ride my bicycle to serve at as many Masses as possible. My dad, a quiet, no-nonsense kind of guy, taught us the value of dedication and hard work.  My mom stayed at home and displayed a simple trust in the Church and her teachings – with a particular trust in St. Anthony, because with six children, something was always lost!

During second grade, I informed my classmates that I wanted to be a priest when I grew up, though I am not sure why, because this was never discussed at home.  Just before I entered sixth grade, my dad’s work transferred him to the heart of the Bible Belt in Alabama, and there was a loss of the explicitly Catholic culture we had in Louisiana.  My faith soon became more superficial — and I became good at compartmentalizing it.  As I grew older and started dating, and especially during college and beyond, the faith grew less and less important.  I never lost or denounced it; it just did not have a major impact on my daily decisions.  I was definitely part of the “me” generation.

That all changed when I moved from Birmingham, AL, to Jacksonville, FL.  I relocated to be closer to my parents, and at a local parish men’s retreat I met Catholic men who were living lives dedicated to the Church, their faith and their families.  My life has never been the same.

I dated in high school, assuming that I would one day marry, and as I let myself become more and more consumed by popular culture, my life was very self-directed.  But after the retreat, a transformation began inside me.  I would often hear the Lord’s voice gently saying, “David, be a priest”.  Once I got to know Him in a personal and profound way, the decision was easy.  I spent so many years running away; I am now filled with joy as I tirelessly run toward the Father.

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From seminarian Ryan Koster: 

Ryan Koster

Vocation support from Catholic and Protestant family members alike

A lifelong musician, I have played violin since I was three, and viola since age 16.  I have composed music and performed in countless concerts and at Masses, weddings and funerals.  Music is very important to me because it allows me to give to God and others, and I offer up my gift to His glory. 

I attended a Jesuit high school, which brought the faith into my daily life. Liturgically, it was not very sound – but my family was, and this made me more conscious of the faith and what it meant.  At school, I also encountered many who were very anti-Catholic, and defending the faith against them made it more important to me.   I first felt the call in high school but paid little attention; lack of knowledge more than anything kept me away.  By the time I entered college, the call was too loud to ignore.  It was at an ordination that I felt the call most strongly.  At last, I got the information I needed and made the right choice.

Both the Catholic and Protestant sides of my family have been enormously supportive of my vocation; their constant encouragement is a blessing I am very happy to have. 

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From seminarian Tafadzwa Kushamba:

Tafadzwa Kushamba

Nuns taught him even the very young can be saints

Originally from Zimbabwe, I am the youngest in a family of three boys and two girls.  My Catholic education in Africa and the strong faith of my family helped me realize my calling to the priesthood.

In grade school we had Tuesday religion classes, and I remember very well the sisters always taught us we should imitate the saints.  Their teachings were about mainly young saints, and they would always challenge us children to be like them – and see that age should not be an obstacle to sainthood.  This helped me realize the importance of putting one’s trust in God and offering oneself to the mission with which Christ entrusts us at Baptism.

The desire to be a priest intensified when I graduated from high school.  My parish priest had a great influence on my vocation.  He always told me that, if you put all your trust in the Lord, nothing is impossible, and He will always be with you.  I also knew other priests and religious whose joy and holiness opened me to see the joy of the priesthood.  Speaking to them and sharing my feelings about my vocation helped me appreciate my call.

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From seminarian Christopher Micale:

Christopher Micale

“Sojourn in the wilderness” led back to God, revealed hidden vocation

My vocation was a hidden one.  I grew up faithful, but distant from the priesthood.  My family has influenced me the most, beginning with my grandparents.  Their struggle in coming to the United States from Sicily, and their stories of hardships endured and obstacles overcome left a lasting impression on me, and the homespun practical wisdom and values they shared shaped who I am.

 My parents  were  loving and lived holy lives, but never explicitly fostered the vocation to which the Lord has called me.  My parents fostered a spirit of unity, never giving preference to any one of their three sons, so we find it easy to support and communicate our feelings with one another.  This love and unity has been a great gift and comfort for us all. 

During adolescence, I began to drift and seek other avenues to knowing Christ.  The journey home started by my asking one simple question:  who do I go to Church on Sunday?  I slowly concluded that, without the Eucharist, Sunday worship was empty and self-serving.  Without Christ’s presence, man is in danger of constructing a reality to his own liking and personal taste; he determines how to approach God rather than how to receive Him.

It was quite a sojourn in the wilderness. Returning to Mass one Sunday after many years, I immediately felt at peace; I was home again.  I became increasingly interested in theological, doctrinal and liturgical matters of my rediscovered Catholic faith.  One day, my parish priest asked me the all-important question, “Have you ever considered the priesthood?”  Upon reflection, I came to see that my lifelong quest to know and serve God was the strong indicator that He had been calling me all these years.

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Lawrence Love

From seminarian Lawrence Love:  

Showered with blessings

I was born in 1945 in Minnesota to a devoutly Catholic family of Irish and French Canadian descent.  Anyone  can do the math and arrive at the fact that I am 65 years old and a seminarian!  What marvelous things the Lord can do! 

My Catholic faith has always been a huge part of my life. My father is a retired Navy aviator, so we moved often, and  my parents sacrificed to send me and my brother and sister  to Catholic schools. In college at the University of North Carolina, I was active in the Newman Club, and went on to medical school at the University of Miami in Florida. 

After marriage, two children, nine grandchildren, active duty in the U.S. Air Force as a physician – first as flight surgeon, then ophthalmologist – and a 30 year private practice in Paris, Texas, my beautiful wife Nancy died suddenly in July 2007 of complications from Alzheimer’s disease. For several years I had been discerning the permanent diaconate, and in January 2009, I entered formation for the Diocese of Tyler. Within four months, the Lord was calling me to discern a priestly vocation, and in fall of 2009, I was accepted into Blessed John XXIII National Seminary in Massachusetts.  

While I can say that I have been blessed in never having left the Church, looking back at my spirituality in the past has shown me that it was not very deep at times, but that has changed drastically.  The Lord seems to want me in a priestly role anyway, and I am grateful, beyond my ability to express, for the opportunity to, in few years, become a priest of Jesus Christ, God willing.

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From seminarian Justin Z. Pullikunnel:

                    A thrilling intellectual journey

My mother and father are both faithful Catholics. From the earliest age, they taught my brothers and me how to pray. And despite our teenage protestations, they demanded that we recite the Holy Rosary together as a family each evening after supper. They took us to Holy Mass each week, and encouraged us to become altar servers. They fostered respect for the clergy, making us visit our parish priest whenever we were beginning a new task (say, starting a new school year) or returning for the summer. They taught us to pray whenever we got in a car or in a special way, to the Blessed Virgin whenever we left for a long trip. They gave us illustrated Bibles as gifts, probably unaware the strong impact Holy Writ had on me as I read it under the covers with a flashlight much of the night.

Despite not being theologically well-versed, they imparted to us the importance of the Mass and the necessity of making a good confession. I always suspected my mom of receiving infused wisdom, because despite not having read many books on the spiritual life, she transmitted to me divine truths about humility and loving God foremost.  When I was 4 or 5 and was being tucked into bed by my mom, she kissed me goodnight and traced the sign of the cross three times across my forehead, as was her wont, then gave me an impromptu one-question quiz which I’ll never forget. “Who should you love the most?” she asked, “Mommy and Daddy or Jesus?” Sensing for the first time something of a dilemma or a trick question, I cautiously chose the former. “No, honey. You must love Jesus above everyone, including your dad and me. By choosing him first, you love and honor us. Never forget this.”

Growing up in the early and mid-eighties, we boys of course adored Michael Jackson and thus tried to emulate his style by holding dancing and singing competitions in our family room. As we got older, our camaraderie would be evident in sports, whether in playing basketball or soccer. Even now, our bonds are very strong.

Surprisingly, my Catholic faith became important to me when I went, of all places, to university. I attended McGill University in Montreal, and the first Sunday after my arrival, I remember lying in bed deliberating whether I should get up and go to Mass. I skipped Mass that Sunday and the next.  On my third Sunday in Montreal however, I did end up going to Mass, but only because a very attractive girl in my residence asked me to go with her. We ended up going to the Newman Center, and this was the start of my relapse back into the faith. At the Newman Centre I found a vibrant, young, orthodox community of fellow believers, and a welcoming space where young Catholics could feel supported and encouraged and nourished by each other in their faith. Very quickly, I began attending daily Mass, going to adoration and praying the Rosary. It was also the start of a thrilling intellectual journey that has lasted to this day, leading me take all my electives in the newly created Catholic Studies department and discovering the theological and spiritual giants of our faith along the way.

My parish priest invited me over to the rectory for a drink after the beautiful Easter Vigil Mass. Our conversation somehow turned to the state of the church, and as was my wont, I lamented the difficulties facing the Church in Canada, particularly the lack of vocations to the priesthood. I then remember this priest turning to me and asking, nonchalantly, “Well Justin, if guys like you don’t consider the priesthood, who the hell will?” The remark wasn’t meant or said with any depth or sorrow or gravity, but I immediately remember thinking to myself that, well, he did have a point. That single off-the-cuff remark, for whatever reason, really ended up turning the table back onto me. And the following morning, I had resolved to apply to talk to our diocesan vocation director.

From seminarian Jeremy Santos:

Jeremy Santos

Eucharist Adoration and a mission to Mexico made his vocation “click”

It took some time for my parents to get used to the idea that their son would become a priest. They were very surprised and didn’t understand why I wanted to enter the seminary.  Once I entered seminary, though, I started to see a change in their lives.  Their faith grew! My parents started praying the Rosary, and my Dad read books by Pope Benedict and was excited to tell me about them.  They are now very supportive.

But I did not always know Christ or have him at the center of my life.  Despite the faithfulness of my grandparents, who took me to daily Mass and taught me the basic Catholic prayers when I was a child, I felt I was missing something very important in my life; this became clear during a young adult retreat in 2006.  A month later, I attended Eucharistic Adoration for the first time.  It was then that everything “clicked” for me.  I understood Christ was truly present in the Eucharist, and I felt God was calling me closer to himself, calling me to serve Him as a priest.

In summer 2007, I went on a mission trip to Mexico with other young adults from our diocese.  We built two house, painted a convent and assisted the poor families of the village.  This trip confirmed my prayers, thoughts and feelings about entering seminary.  A newly ordained priest told me, “You can only discern so much in the world.  There comes a point where you have to trust God and take the next step to enter seminary and truly discern your vocation. “ I entered Mount Angel Seminary that fall.

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From seminarian Daniel Schmitz:

Daniel Schmitz

A merely acceptable life was no longer good enough 

It’s unlikely I would have stayed faithful without my parents showing me the importance of religion – and their insistence on attending Sunday Mass, which kept me attending in college, even when I didn’t want to go.  My four siblings also affected me, but in different ways.  For example, my older brother married outside the Church, which shocked me.  That was the first time I prayed fervently for anyone, and it showed me what I was willing to sacrifice to help others retain their faith. In another instance, my sister, who has been married seven years, is expecting their fourth child.  Their openness to life has inspired me.

During college, I went on the March for Life in Washington D.C., and during Mass at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, I received the sacrament of penance for the first time in a.  Ever since that trip, I have desired to be more involved in the Church.

My original idea for my life was that, after college, I would get married and go from there.  But after graduation I was offered a position as a full-time loan officer at a bank – something I had long thought I wanted.  I realized it was merely acceptable; it wasn’t fulfilling.  I began praying about what would fulfill me in life, and the priesthood came more and more to the forefront.  I resisted for quite some time, substituting many ideas of what I do other than that to give myself to God, but they were all cop-outs – so I entered seminary.

Our Lady has been the biggest influence on my vocation.  When I began praying the Rosary frequently before the Blessed Sacrament, I began to be shown what will bring me happiness in this life and the life to come.  I hope The Rome Experience will allow me to share the beauties and treasures of Catholicism with others.

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 From seminarian Scott Valentyn:

Scott Valentyn

 Parental example:  father as leader, mother placed herself last

The influence my family has had on my vocation has been tremendous.  My father has been an amazing witness for me brothers and me in what it truly means to be a father.  He leads by example and has always served as the leader of our family.  My mother showed us what it truly means to love by placing herself last and doing anything she possibly could to give herself entirely to her family. Both have helped me discern my calling.

But my Catholic faith did not really become important to me until my second year at the University of Wisconsin. I grew keenly aware of how unfulfilling my life was.  Luckily, I was asked on a retreat, which began a transformation in me that quickly snowballed into a complete reversal of my lifestyle and desires.  About five months later, I began to sense a call to the priesthood. 

The next summer, I was a staff member for Catholic Youth Expeditions, where I spent time with many priests who had a burning desire to serve Christ – something I simply could not understand at the time.  But their witness led me to see that the fire and love they had, and I wanted, could only be explained by the fact that they were no longer living for themselves.  It became clear that this was the way Our Lord was calling me, too, to serve him.

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From seminarian Curt Vogel:

Curt Vogel

Joy, humility and clear-headedness:  the awesome life of a priest

I was born with a speech impediment.  After a car accident when I was six, I was healed, and always thought that since God had given me something, now I should try to do my best to give back in return.  I first felt called to the priesthood in sixth grade.  In high school, I was “caught up in the world”, which is when I realized how important the faith is, keeping me square and in charge of myself.  My mother and father have always loved each other, and taught me my faith, morals and how to live as a good person.  My only sibling, my brother Mark, is six years older and is a good role model, second after my father.   My fondest memory is serving Christmas midnight Masses in my home parish.  My religious education came mainly from my parents.  Our small parish didn’t have a school but we did have Wednesday night religion classes and a youth group. I participated in both.

The single greatest influence on my vocation was our parish priest, Monsignor Bradley Offut.  He is joyful, clear-headed and extremely humble, and showed me how downright awesome the life of a priest can be!  My whole extended family  have also backed me up in my decision and encourage my vocation.  I hope The Rome Experience will help deepen my spiritual life and love for Christ.

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The Blog-Health-o-Meter™ reads This blog is doing awesome!.

Crunchy numbers

A Boeing 747-400 passenger jet can hold 416 passengers. This blog was viewed about 12,000 times in 2010. That’s about 29 full 747s.

In 2010, there were 111 new posts, growing the total archive of this blog to 130 posts. There were 246 pictures uploaded, taking up a total of 83mb. That’s about 5 pictures per week.

The busiest day of the year was June 15th with 121 views. The most popular post that day was Meet the Class of 2010.

Where did they come from?

The top referring sites in 2010 were theromeexperience.org, mail.yahoo.com, stjosemaria.org, facebook.com, and en.wordpress.com.

Some visitors came searching, mostly for maria goretti, vatican church, scala sancta, thomas ongige, and saint maria goretti.

Attractions in 2010

These are the posts and pages that got the most views in 2010.

Meet the Class of 2010 March 2010

Meet The Class of 2009 April 2009

Courses offered, 2010 March 2010

Heart of Western Civilization April 2009

Goal of THE ROME EXPERIENCE April 2009

Today we split into two groups: one climbed a mountain with a cross on the top, the other stayed below.    They also hiked up to the site to which the monks are supposed to be moving:  an old Carmelite monastery on the side of a mountain overlooking Norcia.  It is nowhere near the cross at the peak,  but is a much quieter and more contemplative place for monastic life than in the city of Norcia proper.  Those who skipped the hike had, instead, an in-depth tour of the monastery where we assisted at Mass.    Climbing the mountain took about four hours, with a few breaks.  Once we reached the top, we had lunch and then we made our way down the mountain to get back in time for dinner.  It took about two hours to get down.  The view at the top was amazing.  You could see all of Norcia and some surrounding towns.  In the distance all around us we could see snowcapped mountains. 

Hikers tackle Mt. Pitino outside Norcia, Umbria, Italy

Today was our last class with Fr. Heisler in Norcia, in which he wrapped up an overview of church history from St. Peter to the Second Vatican council.  It was very good, covering immense amounts of much history in brief time.

The awesome hat club: Gregg Pedersen, Fr. Eric Nielsen and Kevin Hurley take in the sunshine on a hike

We had the afternoon to explore the city for the last time.  We got together that evening after dinner to plan out our next moves –what would happen tomorrow, and the plan for going to Rome on Sunday.  That night, we had to decide which group we were in for tomorrow’s activity: the one going up the mountain, or the one on the ground.

Left for Rome today.   Before we arrived in Rome, we stopped in Cascia to visit and pray before the tomb of St. Rita of Cascia.  After that, we had lunch and traveled on to Rome, where we moved into our quarters at Fraterna Domus.

First view of St. Peter's Basilica for Rome Experience 2010 seminarians

We decided to visit St. Peter’s basilica before it closed – for most of us, a first-time visit.  The light shone in just spectacularly.  That sight alone was worth a trip to Rome  – but then Father Heisler was able to convince a guard to let us get up close to the main altar in St. Peter’s, and there we were able to say some prayers for the Holy Father.  That made that first visit to St. Peter’s perfect – a special experience.  We then walked back to Fraterna Dormus, had dinner and then went to bed to be ready for class the next morning.

The eleventh day was focused on class. We had our typical morning schedule of prayer, Mass and breakfast, followed by two hours of class with Fr. Heisler and his course on church history.  The history course was amazing, because it tied together so many of the courses I have taken in seminary.   The class was presented in such a way as to make it very clear that all of history and everything that contemporary man does is absolutely centered on Christ and his Church.

Rome Experience 2010 seminarian Jeff Gardner

  In the afternoon, Fr. Cassian Folsom taught a liturgy course.  The class with Father Cassian focused on the liturgy after Vatican II.  The main point is that liturgy is the work of God, and that with a proper understanding and execution of the liturgy of Vatican II, the Church can correct many problems she is having.  The Eucharist is our source and summit; we must always rest in the graces given by this most Blessed Sacrament.

            These classes prepared us for our arrival in Rome, making us ready to understand all the history that we were about to experience in the Eternal City.

Day Ten started with morning mental prayer in the house chapel at the Monastery di S. Antonio in Norcia, followed by breakfast that consisted of coffee, rolls/bread, jams, juices and the world’s best honey.

            All Rome Experience days were special, but this was a bit more so because we were going to Assisi, Italy — St. Francis’ home town! The ride through the Italian mountain country was breathtaking!  The roads are wide and comfortable – no real danger of going off the road – but in many places, the mountain ascends sharply on one side of the road, while descending quickly to a beautiful mountain stream on the other side.  Interestingly, we drove through one mountain tunnel that was 4000 meters long, or approximately 3 miles.   

Rome Experience seminarians in the mountain town of Assisi, June 2010

             Once we got on the highway, the landscape opened up, and we could see beautiful mountains, lush green valleys and cities built along cliffs.  The first stop was the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli (Our Lady of the Angels) that rests in the valley below the sparkling city of Assisi.  The basilica is quite beautiful on its own, but the real beauty of is that it houses the little church in which St Francis died — the Porziuncola Chapel. The basilica is so big that it comfortably houses the chapel, which is about the size of a one-room schoolhouse. I think these two are the most beautiful of all the churches, other than St Peter’s, that I have seen in Italy.

            After the stop at Our Lady of the Angels, we rode the bus the short distance to Assisi and immediately went into the Basilica of St Francis.   You feel the real presence of St Francis in the basilica – even more so as you roam around Assisi!  As you walk these narrow, brick-lined streets you get a sense of what the saint saw and how he lived.  You can pray in churches where he prayed, eat lunch in the public meeting area called the Piazza Commune where Francis and his followers met, and tour Francis’ house and the room in which he was born.  Assisi is a must for any Catholic visiting Italy.

from the journal of Adam Kerrigan:

 Unfortunately, I didn’t get much sleep last night.  Before I left for Italy, my mom not only raved about gelato, she also told me Europe does not have an insect problem. She recommended I leave the windows of my room open at night in order to “experience the cool Italian breeze”.  Following this advice resulted in my room and body being attacked by hundreds of mosquitoes. Common sense should have told me that where there is a river there are mosquitoes!  I probably slept for an hour, and rose the next morning covered in bites and smashed insects.

The Arno river flows past the church of Santa Croce, Florence

Although I only slept a little, I was ready to tour Florence. We were again led to Santa Croce, where we began our day with mental prayer. Santa Croce was at one time the second-largest building in the world, and its architecture and art are, as Jeff Gardner would say, “simply phenomenal,” not to mention the vaulted ceiling and high-rising walls reminded me of my home parish. After mental prayer and Mass, Dony led us on an extensive tour of the Franciscan Church during which we saw the tombs of Michelangelo, Galileo, Lorenzo de’ Medici and even Machiavelli. I know why most of them were buried in a church, but Machiavelli still leaves me scratching my head.
After Santa Croce, we saw the Church of Philip Neri, and went to a former Benedictine Abbey with loads of frescoes and even the original Angelus painting. At twelve noon we gathered at the painting to pray the Angelus, which was a powerful experience. We also saw where Lorenzo de Medici, the most powerful man in the world, used to go on retreat. It was a small cell, with a stairway that led to a room with a cozy little chapel. In the chapel was the depiction of the rich young man, to remind Lorenzo that power in this world is not everything.

Jeff Gardner and Kevin Drew outside the Duomo in Florence, Italy

After visiting the museum, Dony took us to a socialist dining hall where rebellious art students convene –  the board of health would not have been pleased with this place.  Next, we visited Dony’s studio, where he showed us some of his Church projects and instructed us how to properly go about creating art with soul. It was an educational experience that gave me even greater respect for the young artist.
Dony took us to the Duomo later in the afternoon, and we had the chance to see what was at one time the largest building in the world. The Duomo is known for its massive dome and beautiful fresco of the Last Judgment. As soon as I saw the enormous structure I knew I had to find a way to the top. Thankfully, we made it just in time to scale the dome and see all of Florence from its cupola.
That night, we had dinner with seminarians from Florence. I expected them to be very different from seminarians in the United States, but they really weren’t.  Many of the personalities in the seminary mirrored the personalities of our group, and we had a wonderful dinner with them that consisted of pizza, spaghetti, wine, and of course gelato.

The flight to Florence was very short –only about two hours. After we gathered our bags, we were rushed onto a bus that took us to our hotel, where we had about a half hour to get cleaned up before we began our tour of the city with local artist Dony MacManus. Dony has been diligently working to promote true Catholic art around the world. He has an unrivaled knowledge of the art and churches of Florence, so our group was very blessed to have him as our guide.

Artist Dony MacManus leads a tour of Santa Croce, Florence

First, we headed to Santa Croce, which is essentially the cemetery of the great names of the Renaissance. We were able to celebrate Mass in the side chapel, which was mind-blowing.  Like those in many Italian churches, the side chapel was very baroque, filled with gold, frescoes, and massive statues. I could have sat in that chapel for hours, but we only were allotted the time for Mass.

After Mass, Dony showed us the museum at the church. It was filled with many works that I had seen in my college art history books. Dony informed us that a great deal of Florence had been damaged by a massive flood in the 1960s. The water damage was evident in certain pieces, like the San Damiano crucifix, which was barely intact.

No walking tour of Florence is complete without gelato...

By then the group was pretty hungry, so Dony led us to the nearest stand offering gelato, which is the Italian version of ice cream. For years, I heard people rave about gelato and how it is so much better than ice cream because it is creamier and more natural. I have heard that it doesn’t cause any weight gain, can solve the world’s energy crisis, and can even be a cure for cancer. Let me tell you, I now believe that it can do all those things. It really is that good! After we finished our gelato, we dodged several gypsies, saw some major sculptures, and went back to the hotel for dinner and an early rest.

from the Rome Experience travel

 journal of seminarian Adam Kerrigan

            I had only been back from seminary for a week, and already I had to leave home. It was only a month since the passing of my older brother, which made leaving the family behind more difficult than usual. My parents and I made the two hour trek to the Haan farm in Lafayette, where I met with Tom and Kevin to travel to the Chicago airport.  We arrived there with about three hours to spare. Once we made it to the gate, we gathered our luggage and waited for everyone to meet at Air France.

            The first person I met was Jason Keas, a great guy from the Archdiocese of Denver. We chatted for a few minutes until Jeff Gardner from Missouri came storming our way. From the moment I saw Jeff, I knew he was either a former football player or gym teacher. — his hands could probably wrap around my head twice. I discovered that he used to play football for Missouri and even coached for a time.

Briefing before Air France flight

            After all the men arrived, we decided to have our last American meal together at McDonald’s. We checked in our bags and entered the terminal to wait for our flight. While in the terminal, Fr. Eric Nielsen rounded up the group to have a meeting before we hopped on the plane. He laid out the ground rules for the trip and notified us that this was not going to be just a sightseeing tour of Rome — the purpose of this trip was to develop a deeper spiritual life and gain additional theological knowledge necessary for the diocesan priesthood.

          Aboard the Air France plane, I already felt I was in another world. The stewardesses greeted us in French. Unfortunately, our plane idled on the runway for a little over an hour before taking off, which didn’t help Brian’s flight anxiety. After they fixed the wings or whatever it was, we were off to Paris, France.

            Unlike flights in the United States, European flights serve you drinks and food for no additional cost.  I opted for the tortellini pasta with a side of salmon and some delicious pastry. After I finished eating, I settled in and watched the movie “A Beautiful Mind” . To say the least, the flight was a first-class experience.