Nick Deutsch, a junior at St. John Vianney College Seminary in St. Paul, urged young men discerning the priesthood to attend the seminary’s upcoming “Vianney Visit” during the Feb. 16 “Practicing Catholic” radio show hosted by Patrick Conley.
“My encouragement is to be courageous and to commit. You know, if this is something that is really on your heart … you’ll always think, what if?”
Deutsch told Conley that the pastor at his home parish, Most Holy Redeemer in Montgomery, encouraged him to attend a Vianney Visit after Deutsch expressed interest in the priesthood. Before that conversation, Deutsch had never heard of SJV seminary.
He said that at first, he didn’t want to go on one of the weekend visits, which occur once a semester.
Deutsch said his first thought of seminary was, “Oh, it’s probably kind of a dead place … maybe we pray here and there.” But, he said, “that has not been my experience at all, I came to a house of a hundred other guys who are alive and more alive than many other men that I’ve met my age.”
Deutsch said that the seminary has exceeded his expectations.
“The Lord is not outdone in generosity. He’s going to take you far more than you ever expected, like he did with me,” Deutsch said, who recently returned from a mission trip to volunteer with the Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata, India, which was organized by the seminary.
Father Jonathan Kelly, rector of St. John Vianney, said that the yearly mission trip is just one of the many things that distinguishes SJV from other college seminaries.
“The experiences that these men get are unique to our college seminary: a semester abroad studying in Rome, mission trips to various parts of the world, and then some of the retreats that we have,” Father Kelly said.
The Vianney Visit, Father Kelly said, is a once-a-semester come-and-see visit to “see what a day, a couple days in the seminary is like.”
Father Kelly said that time in the seminary is a valuable experience for men — whether they go on to become a priest or not. About 35% of men who enter SJV and 65% who graduate from SJV will go on to be ordained.
“When men discern that they’re not called to (the priesthood) they move on with a great foundation, good experiences,” Father Kelly said. “And we’re proud of our men, regardless of if they go on or not to major seminary, I think they it’s such a time in your life, (ages) 18 to 24, where you’re experiencing a lot of things, they’re really grateful to be doing that in this kind of environment.”
Deutsch echoed Father Kelly.
“Even though not all of us go on to become priests, I think the Lord is honored in this, the fact that we say yes, we will pursue your will,” he said.
To hear Deutsch and Father Kelly discuss more about the SJV seminary and the upcoming Vianney Visit, listen to “Practicing Catholic” when it airs at 9 p.m. Feb. 16 on Relevant Radio 1330 AM, or when it repeats at 1 p.m. Feb. 17 and 2 p.m. Feb. 18.
Produced by Relevant Radio and the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, the latest show also includes a discussion with Leah Libresco Sargeant about how to build a supportive community while Colin Miller shares what’s coming up at the Center for Catholic Social Thought. Plus, Father John Paul Erickson and Syndey March — who is an emergency room nurse — talk about the Anointing Corps.
Listen to interviews after they have aired at PracticingCatholicShow.com or choose a streaming platform at Spotify for Podcasters.
