Office of Vocations

ARE YOU CALLED TO SOMETHING GREATER?

Am I Being Called to Be A Priest?

A man in clerical clothing sits alone in a church pew with his head bowed and hands clasped in prayer, surrounded by rows of empty wooden benches. The world needs priests. It needs strong, faithful, courageous men willing to die to themselves for the sake of Christ’s Bride, the Church. It also needs men who want to conform themselves to Christ, who can proclaim his Word and dispense his mercy in the darkest corners of the culture.

To be precise, a man only “knows” he is called when he is ordained! However, there are many positive signs that can point to a vocation, and which can help a man make the decision to enter the seminary and continue along the path towards the priesthood.

Quick Discernment Tool:

Now that you are here and no one is watching or listening, read these statements to yourself, take them to prayer, then act on what you know is right. God knows, you may be called to the priesthood!

A personal relationship with Jesus Christ is important to me.
People have told me I would make a good priest.
I’ve hidden vocation material under my bed and in my desk.
Going to Mass and Adoration is a very important part of my faith life.
The thought of becoming a priest keeps coming back over and over again.
I’m afraid to tell my friends and family that I’ve been thinking about the priesthood.
I feel called to give more of myself to others.
After hearing the readings at Mass I think about how I would preach.
I have a burning desire to help people get closer to Christ and to know the Truth.
I have a strong sense that what I have planned for the future is not what God has planned for me.

If some of these statements reflect how you feel, if your heart is pounding even harder, if you sense a greater desire to find out if God is calling you to live in black and white, get in touch with the Vocation Director. Have no fear, the Lord wants only what is best for you – and so do we.

SEMINARIANS

Mount St. Mary’s Seminary (16300 Old Emmitsburg Road, Emmitsburg, MD 21727)

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Dcn. Michael Aiello

4th Configuration

Birthday: September 16

A young man with short light brown hair and a trimmed beard, wearing a black suit, white shirt, and black tie, smiles at the camera against a beige, softly textured background.

Andrew Dean

2nd Discipleship

Birthday: November 14

A person with a shaved head and short beard is wearing a dark suit, white shirt, and patterned tie. They are smiling slightly and standing in front of a beige background.

Isaac Lucas

Propaedeutic Year

Birthday: May 4

A man wearing a black suit, white shirt, and black tie smiles at the camera. He has a styled mustache, short dark hair, and a goatee. The background is a soft brown gradient.

Dominic Massimino

Propaedeutic Year

Birthday: May 30

A man wearing glasses and a black clerical suit with a white collar, smiling at the camera with a neutral, beige background.

Nathan Schmidt

3rd Configuration

Birthday: January 20

A man with a beard in a black clerical suit and collar, smiling softly, stands against a plain beige background.

Bryan Tedeschi

3rd Configuration

Birthday: October 17

Pontifical College Josephinum (7625 N High Street, Columbus, OH 43235)

A man with a short beard and close-cropped hair smiles while wearing a black suit, white shirt, and black tie, standing in front of a beige background.

Patrick Childers

Propaedeutic Year

Birthday: April 19

A smiling man wearing a black clerical suit with a white collar and a pin, posed in front of a light brown backdrop.

Donvito Cortese

1st Configuration

Birthday: August 30

A young man wearing glasses and a black clerical suit with a white collar stands in front of a beige background, smiling at the camera.

Timothy Kawash

3rd Configuration

Birthday: July 22

A young person wearing glasses, a black suit, white shirt, and black tie, smiles at the camera against a beige, softly blurred background. A pin is visible on the suit lapel.

Sebastian Lasko

3rd College

Birthday: September 18

Pontifical North American College

(00120 Vatican City State Europe)

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Joseph Derico

2nd Configuration

Birthday: February 16

A man wearing a black clerical suit with a white collar smiles at the camera. He has short dark hair and a pin shaped like a monstrance on his lapel. The background is a plain, soft brown.

Michael J. Tupta

3rd Configuration

Birthday: April 24

Pope St. John Paul II Seminary

(145 Taylor Street NE, Washington, DC 20017)

A man with short dark hair, wearing a black suit, white shirt, and black tie, smiles at the camera against a neutral beige background.

Dominick Beckman

3rd College

Birthday: December 10

A young man with short red hair and a trimmed beard, wearing a black suit, white shirt, and black tie, poses against a light brown backdrop. He has a small lapel pin on his jacket.

John “Brady” Jordan

Propaedeutic Year

Birthday: February 26

A young man in a suit and tie smiles at the camera. He has short brown hair, glasses, and a pin on his lapel. The background is light brown and softly blurred.

Christopher Nelson

3rd College

Birthday: December 4

VOCATIONS INQUIRY

CONTACT THE OFFICE OF VOCATIONS

Office of Vocations (1311 Byron Street, P.O. Box 230, Wheeling, WV 26003)

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Fr. John Soplinski

Director of Vocations

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Jacqueline Mercer

Assistant to the Director of Vocations

RESOURCES

Click here to download the pdf

A group of lay Catholics, men and women of all ages and backgrounds, called Serrans, are dedicated to promote and foster vocations. The USA Council is part of Serra International. In the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston we have three formal Serra Clubs around the state: Wheeling (click here for more info), Charleston (click here for more info), and Clarksburg (contact the Clarksburg Vicariate Vicar Forane, Father Casey Mahone, of Immaculate Conception Parish, at 304-622-8243 for more information).

Serra Prayer for Vocations
O God, Who wills not the death of a sinner, but rather that he be converted and live, grant we beseech You through the intercession of the Blessed Mary, ever Virgin, Saint Joseph, her spouse, Saint Junipero Serra, and all the saints, an increase of laborers for your Church, fellow laborers with Christ to spend and consume themselves for souls, through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, Who lives and reigns with You, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, One God forever and ever. Amen.