Vocations

Scott and Sydney Athey found ways to support each other’s vocation decisions, including marriage.

Seminarian Lucas Gerads talks about his journey of discernment.

Dominican Sister Anne Therese Wilder, who grew up in St. Cloud, reflects on her call to religious life.

A transitional deacon, Deacon Elmer Herrera-Guzman, incorporates his artwork into his prayer life.

In honor of National Vocation Awareness Week, Nov. 6-12, The Visitor is featuring “snapshots” of a few of our diocese’s seminarians, who share something about their vocational calling or seminary life.

Talk to any seminarian and they will tell you the countless ways people from around the diocese support them — through prayer, notes of encouragement, visits, and sometimes through financial donations and fundraisers. All of these make a difference in their lives as they discern the priesthood.

They are more than just tag lines — these words etched into seminary walls and onto seminarians’ hearts. Each carries its own character and challenges those preparing for leadership in the church to greater unity, service and charity.

When young people feel called to the priesthood or religious life, they can’t keep it a secret. Eventually, they need to break the news to their parents.