“I want to serve Him, and do His will.”

Meet our new seminarians
October 2022

Last year, we were blessed to have seven men enter seminary formation. It was a good year for us! People were very excited about it, and I remember saying to them, “We shouldn’t expect that every year.” And yet, here we are in the fall of 2022 with another group of seven men entering seminary formation. This is great news!

What is the reason for this number? I cannot point to one thing. I do think that our diocese has good momentum supporting religious and priestly vocations in parishes, schools and families. Perhaps the simplest answer is the correct one. Our diocese has done a good job of creating an environment where when God calls, people answer. With that, I am happy to introduce the seven new seminarians for the Diocese of Grand Rapids:

Dominic Klaes
St. PATRICK – ST. ANTHONY Parish, Grand Haven

“Ultimately, I want to do the Lord’s will and I believe he is calling me to discern priesthood. Serving God’s people in a very real way, especially through the sacraments, is what attracts me most to priesthood.”

Alexander Urbanski
St. Isidore Parish, Grand Rapids

“I want to be a priest because to be a priest is a way to do a lot of spiritual good for others in many ways.”

John (Jack) McCarthy
St. Robert of Newminster Parish, Ada

“I’ve fallen in love with the person of Jesus Christ. I’ve encountered him in the sacraments of the Church, most especially in the most holy sacrament of the altar, and, because of that, I want to serve him and do his will.”

Jonathan Jensen
Basilica of St. Adalbert, Grand Rapids

“I want to be a priest because I desire to serve the Lord the best I possibly can. I’ve always felt closest to the Lord while altar serving and helping priests, so I believe the Lord is calling me to the priesthood through those experiences.”

Braden Roth
Basilica of St. Adalbert, Grand Rapids

“One reason I am drawn to the priesthood is the sacraments, specifically the beauty of the Mass. As an altar server, I have been given a great opportunity to see the Mass up close. This has changed how I view the priesthood and given me a new perspective on the ministry of priests.”

Casey Kreiner
St. Pius X Parish, Grandville“God willing, so I can serve Christ and his people. I can think of nothing more joyful.”

Daniel Willison
Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, Grand Rapids

“I want to be a priest to live my life with God and follow him.”

 By Father Stephen Durkee , Director of priestly vocations for the Catholic Diocese of Grand Rapids.