Welcome to the Catholic School Leaders podcast, where we discuss
leadership and Catholic education.
I'm John Mahalio, the president and founder of Elementary Advancement
Solutions, dedicated to enhancing Catholic education and connecting
Catholic school leaders worldwide.
Explore our services at www.
elementaryadvancement.
com to see how we can help your school beat its leadership,
advancement, and growth potential.
As a Catholic school principal, I always had a passion for supporting
our seminarians as they discerned a vocation to the priesthood.
And I think we have to realize that in our schools, Uh, there are young men and women
who may be hearing that calling from God to discern a vocation to the priesthood or
religious life or, uh, whatever it may be.
and what we do as Catholic school leaders plays such a big role in the
future for these young people's lives.
but also for the future of our church.
Now, before I introduce our guests, I just want to quickly remind you,
if you enjoy this podcast, please be sure to like, subscribe, if you can
leave a review, that'd be amazing, uh, and share it with others.
Uh, it helps with the algorithms, it helps get this out to other
Catholic school leaders, just like you, to help grow Catholic education.
So, I can't say thank you enough for this.
please be sure to, to like and subscribe it and, and thank you for that.
So today I want to introduce my guest.
It's seminarian Rob Lane, who's currently studying to become a priest for the
Diocese of Raleigh in North Carolina.
Now I've known Rob for a number of years, so this chance to sit down with
him and get to speak with him about his journey, as well as how schools
can support our seminarians, was something I was really excited about.
Rob grew up with his two sisters in Raleigh, North Carolina, and as a freshman
in college, he discerned that the Lord was calling him to the priesthood.
And was accepted as a seminarian for the Diocese of Raleigh.
He completed the Deser, the discipleship phase of his formation at St.
Charles Bojo Seminary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and
is now in the configuration stage of his formation, studying at St.
Vincent DePaul Regional Seminary in Boyton Beach, Florida.
In his free time, he enjoys reading board games and hiking.
Welcome, Rob.
It's great to have you here.
Thanks so much, John.
It's a pleasure to be here.
it's an honor.
So, thank you for having me.
I'm excited.
the honor is mine.
The honor is mine.
So, we, we just, I, talking before we started recording, and I said,
I feel like I've had a front row seat, uh, for your journey over
the past, uh, couple of years.
Even before that, maybe I said I, I was, I had a ticket or trying
to get a ticket outside because.
Uh, where I was the principal at before, you were a parishioner at, uh, long
before you, you entered the seminary.
So tell us a little bit about yourself, your upbringing, and,
and the role that faith, your faith has played in your growing up.
uh, to be honest, John, it wasn't anything super extraordinary, right?
Kind of just your typical, you know, mass on Sunday because
that's, that's what you do.
And, uh, you know, pray before meals at the dinner table.
Uh, which is good and great, but yeah, that was kind of the extent, so nothing,
nothing too extravagant, we weren't one of those, you know, super holy
families, uh, that like pray the rosary every night or anything like that, but
yeah, so grew up, um, came to North Carolina, came down to Raleigh, as
many people do, and uh, from when I was young, and so really, raised in Raleigh,
which was, oh, I'm just so grateful.
Uh, that mom and
area here, for sure.
Beautiful area.
And, and knowing your parents, great, great people as well.
I'm going to say that as well, great people.
And so, uh, wonderful role models there for sure.
right, right, right.
So proud.
Um, and we'll get to that when I talk about joining the diocese of Raleigh.
So proud to be a part of Raleigh and, uh, grateful to go up there and yeah.
So I just grew up kind of typical, um, yeah, typical upbringing, with
my sisters, I have two sisters and, um, Good, happy family.
Like you mentioned, you know, parents sent us to Catholic school.
That's an important value for them, right?
yeah, that was just a good, definitely a positive experience,
growing up in Catholic school there.
yeah, so now I had a chance a couple weeks ago, as, uh, you've been with
us here at the, at the parish that I belong to, and so we've gotten to
know each other a little bit better there, uh, and a couple weeks ago,
maybe it's been even longer than that, now time flies when we're having fun,
you had a chance to, preach, uh, after the gospel and really talk about your
discernment and your journey into making that decision, to enter the seminary.
Can you tell a little bit about that?
Uh, maybe just like, I guess, kind of give a recap or a, a, a version
of, of what you really talked about because I thought it was very moving.
I thought it was a wonderful, wonderful talk and it really helped a lot of us
get to know you on a, on a more personal level, but also what led you to this,
uh, this discernment in your life.
right.
And, uh, yeah, John, I was, I was thinking about this, you know, considering the,
the context of this podcast we're on, and I really think of it as really
a real success story of Catholic education, um, because, you know, Right.
So, uh, really my vocation, the vocation part of my story, uh, starts, starts
in high school, starts in high school where I was just very, very blessed, to
go to a fantastic Catholic high school.
And the way I like to describe it is, uh, you know, although I said that I was,
you know, raised culturally Catholic and cradle Catholic, um, it really wasn't
till high school, till I was really evangelized for the first time, um,
in a deep and meaningful way, right?
So going into high school, yeah, Catholic faith, you know, I guess like
most 8th graders going to high school, um, kind of, uh, ambivalent about my
faith and the importance in my life.
But, um, yeah, really was just so blessed to go to, um, a Catholic high school.
It was a small school, um, a small Catholic high school, and a
little bit different that it was an independent, um, high school.
So we, you know, operate as Catholic and call ourselves Catholic under
the blessing of the diocese, but not officially associated with the diocese.
So, anyway,
and it's a great school.
It's a, I've had the chance to visit the school.
It's a beautiful campus, a beautiful school.
It's a, it's a, it's a great, uh, one of the best kept secrets in Raleigh.
It's a beautiful campus.
Right, right.
And yeah, just so I call it like going to that school.
I was just like immersed in this, in this fervently Catholic culture,
I'd say, really for the first time.
So, you know, I had professor teachers who could, who were one
really invested in their faith and could explain it really well.
So getting that intellectual aspect really for the first time, and I had
classmates and just who were, yeah, actually cared about their faith,
Yes, it goes a long way, right?
which was new.
So just, yeah, really just thrown into this sort of crazy new environment
where, um, everyone is pretty on fire for their Lord in the Catholic faith.
And yeah, just kind of stepping into that.
I was just, one, it was a shock.
It's a little bit of a culture shock, but I said, but it wasn't long before
I said like, Whoa, this is amazing.
And I'm extremely attracted to this.
And I want, I want more.
I want to jump in.
Um, I want to start, maybe having a serious prayer life for the first time.
I want to start learning more, about this faith where I'm seeing all this
truth in so many different areas.
so yeah, just that blessing to be in that environment and then the subsequent,
um, desire to just, to just jump in.
And then it was in that jumping in, in that kind of spending time in chapel
just for an extended time for the first time that, yeah, I started having this,
this crazy thought, well, shoot, I'm really loving this Catholic faith.
you know, maybe, maybe I'm, I have a vocation, to be a
priest and to serve the church.
So that's kind of how it started.
And, uh, I like to say that it's just started as a thought, not a big vision,
uh, nothing super, super grand or special or anything like that, but just.
A thought that didn't go away.
Right,
I think that, that, the, the, the listening piece, because I think
oftentimes that, uh, and I remember hearing this a couple of years ago, uh,
that, that I think it was the Dominican sisters would say that first God whispers,
and then he talks, and then he yells, and, and you don't want to get into the
point where he yells, you know what I mean, kind of thing, because, you know,
he's going to speak through us, and we just have to be willing to listen.
We have to be listening, willing to what it is that he's trying to tell us.
And I think by you saying, Hey, listen, I just spent some time in the
chapel and, and that intentionality behind it, uh, is so important.
And I'm guessing too that, that, um, you know, one of the things that I often get
asked by teachers, especially, is, is, well, I'm just not comfortable talking
about my faith or, or, you know, I don't want to, And I think the big thing is
people don't have to like walk around with, uh, saying the rosary in between
classes and everything like that.
Hey, it's a bonus if you can do so, but, but that's not what I think has
the biggest impact on our students.
it's just teachers who live their faith outwardly and, and showcase it.
Because I'm guessing at the school you went to, That was probably
a big piece of it right there.
Uh, you, you have amazing teachers over there, but I'm guessing that the way that
they live their lives in that outward way that they present themselves and are the
role models made a big impact as well.
yeah, I speak of it very much, very intentionally, uh, in terms of attraction.
And yeah, the, ultimately what's attractive, what is
most attractive is love, right?
having the devotions, having all that is certainly helpful.
Yeah, but really the, the fundamentally attractive thing that I was really
attracted to and that, uh, that I was invited into that, yeah, really prompted
me to spend that time in that chapel where I kind of first thought about
the vocation, was just Just really the love, more so than anything else.
Right.
these people care about the faith and they're living attractive lives.
I want some of this.
Yes.
and, and I think one of the interesting things that you talked about too was
You know, you feel this calling, but I think like any of us, the thing, the
first initials like, no, I can't do that.
Nah, I don't know if this is the right thing.
And that, whatever it is, that self doubt starts creeping in and such like that.
And so there is that piece of things to, you know, hear the
Lord's calling, but then also to say yes to, to what you're hearing.
Um, because I think it's very easy to kind of go, I'm just going
to ignore that and put it in the corner, uh, and maybe it'll go away.
But when you just keep hearing that, calling coming over and over and over
again, you can say, you know what?
I think, I think I better, better listen here.
What's going on here.
And yeah, that's pretty typical.
Uh, yeah, I think of every vocation.
and we see, we see it even in the scriptures, right.
Uh, the Lord calls someone there, there's the call, And then, then come
the questions and objections, right?
Like Moses, like Gideon, like everyone.
Yep.
Are you sure me?
Yeah.
right, right, right.
one of the things that, that I know, that people get to see outwardly is kind of
what it is that, you know, a priest or a seminarian does at Mass, okay, but they
don't get to see that whole other piece of things that, that goes on in your life.
Uh, they get a small glimpse each week, but maybe the rest of, of
things they don't get to see.
Walk us through what a typical day in the seminary looks like for you and for the
other seminarians, obviously when you're, when you're on, at, not within a church,
but maybe, maybe so, I mean, because you've been stationed at a, a church for
the past year, but walk us through what a, what a typical day looks like for you.
And yeah, I'm glad to talk about this.
This is something I kind of, I kind of want to, I jokingly
call it, like proclaiming the good news of seminary formation.
Just because I think there is such mystery about it, right?
I never thought about it, you know, once in my life, till I
actually started discerning, right?
So I had no idea.
And I think a lot of people in, you know, in the pews just don't have an idea.
And so yeah,
Or the wrong idea.
You know what I mean?
Oh yeah, yeah.
Like there is that sense of like, oh, what's seminary?
Are you just like sitting in a cell all day reading the Bible?
Right.
Or like the monks, I'm thinking, you know, in terms of, you
know, things like that as such.
So, so talk us through, I mean, you're gonna lift the shroud, you're
gonna tell everybody what, what's a typical day like for a seminarian?
it's good.
It's a blessing though.
So, um, so yeah, we, we, uh, wake up and, uh, day, the day starts in prayer.
And I love, the seminary I go to our campus.
the chapel is like, far and away, just like the biggest building on
campus and it's right in the center.
beautiful in that sense.
So, the day starts in the chapel.
we pray the liturgy of the hours.
Which is another good and beautiful thing that the church is always doing
that people don't realize is that, um, yeah, every like priest, every, uh, all
seminarians and like religious sister, all around the world, we're praying
the Psalms, uh, five times a day.
Yeah, it's the church, where we pray as church for the church.
Um, so it's this beautiful tradition we have for, for centuries of praying
the Psalms together as a church.
that's what we start the day with is, is, is morning prayer.
of course, next comes Mass, so we have the communal celebration of the Mass
as a community, again, this all happens in community, as brothers, yeah, and
then after Mass, there's some time for breakfast, uh, the, we call it, This is
a fun little tidbit about the seminary.
We love the Catholic Church.
We love our fancy Latin words, right?
We can't just call it a cafeteria.
It's called a refectory, is where we have our meals.
So it comes from the Latin word, vacio, vacere, to make.
Okay.
So refectory, remaking, so it's almost that, uh, that idea of, the food, we're
nourished by food and we're, we're almost remade, to go about the day.
We love our, our Latin words.
Absolutely.
And, and, and what happens in the, in the, well, not the cafeteria, but of
course in the, say it one more time, I don't want to mispronounce it here.
The refectory,
Refectory.
Okay, I was going to say refactory, but that would not be
the right terminology there, so.
So, so breakfast happens, and it's a great time, I'm guessing, as well,
for that community piece of things.
Uh, just to, because, how many seminarians are with you, on a typical,
uh, how many, how many are in the seminary with you at this point?
We're blessed.
We have a pretty, pretty large community.
so there's about, uh, we hover at about, about 90 guys.
so it's a good number, right.
yeah, like you're, you're hitting right on it.
Is that's Maybe the biggest blessing of seminary life is you know, who else
gets to say that, you know, they're surrounded pretty much 24 7 all the time.
with some of the most amazing guys you'll ever be surrounded with, right?
With, with men of prayer, with men who love the church, with the
camaraderie of we're all doing this, call to this vocation together.
and then, yeah, so meals together is a big part of that.
That communal life, the seminary, which is, which is, I think,
really one of the best parts.
absolutely.
Because that, because that support, because it, it can be
lonely, I'm guessing at times.
you know, something, maybe you're having a, a, a rough day or, uh,
something and, and you have those brothers of there to lift you up.
you know, it's, it's like anything, you'll have your closer
friends and you'll have more
Of course.
but, but it's like, it's beautiful that like every man who's here is just, a
good, good man who I can hope, I can like, I can trust, who I can pray with.
Who I could share experiences with, laugh with, so it's, it's, it's a privilege.
It's a privilege.
way of life.
So yeah, our meals, and those are fun.
We have a great food.
Oh my goodness.
That's, that's so helpful.
I'm so blessed in the seminary I'm at.
We have, very talented, uh, food staff, which makes the
whole place a very joyful place.
Absolutely.
There's, there's, there's a hook right there, so if you're hearing the call,
there's good food at the seminary,
Good food at the seminary, right?
And so outside of meals, uh, you, you, you get up, we're going to, we're
going to attend mass, we're going to pray, we're going to have our meals.
And then what happens for the rest of the day?
and then comes the little unglamorous, uh, part of the seminary life is, right?
Just, the classes.
the seminary life, it's, it's pretty similar yeah, at least in structure
to, yeah, to like what like a college, atmosphere would look like.
So, A big chunk of the day, um, is spent in classes, and that's just the
reality of the church and formation is that, there's a lot to learn.
We do, it is different, in that, you know, there is very much this intentional
sense of integration, that, the classes we're taking, the classes we're taking,
it should kind of flow from what we do before them in the chapel, and it
should lead, like, to, you know, further prayer and further service, right, and
so that's, that is one of the blessings is just how, you know, intentional,
um, the classes, obviously training for the priesthood, how this philosophy
that we study, how the theology that we study, um, it's very clearly and very
intentionally, supposed to integrate it into our, into our ministry, into our
service, into our personal development.
yeah, so a lot of time during the day taking classes, but, uh, there
is just that, that sense of unity and integrity, which, which helps you
get through it when you have a lot of tests and papers to write, right?
Absolutely.
No, no rest for the weary on that one.
right.
And then, yeah, just another little piece is that, So yeah, normally mornings
are, heavily classes, and then lunch is actually our big meal as a community.
because, uh, the reason it's lunch and not dinner is because part of, another part
of seminary life is, weekly we all have different assignments in the community.
We call them our apostolates, where we go out, And so sometimes
that could be during dinner time.
So that's why lunch is the communal meal where we're all there.
so that's another, uh, really beautiful aspect of seminary is, is the going out.
So I've had a lot of really great experiences, um, different assignments
over the years, um, of that, that going out part, when you first start in
seminary, it's more community service.
It's more service oriented.
So like soup kitchens, um, nursing homes.
Those were kind of my assignments, uh, my first few years of seminary.
Uh, but then as you build up, uh, it's, it's cool.
You get to do more ministerial things.
So I did, uh, I did a year of teaching, uh, like CCD at a parish.
That was my kind of out of the community, apostolate.
And I, I did a year, uh, working in hospice.
that was beautiful work, beautiful ministry there.
there was actually a year where, This was a fun one where, uh, I
was assigned with a brother, to a parish, but we were assigned, do
some door to door evangelization.
So, going, knocking on people's doors and just kind of having conversations
about God, about the faith.
Ooh, that was interesting.
Um, so plenty of, plenty
all kinds of reactions there.
Right, right.
It's a cliche that you hear it every you hear you see it all, but it's true.
You do see it
You do see it all.
And I'm guessing, too, that, through those experiences, now, do you get any say in,
hey, I'd like to, you know, hey, here's five choices, pick one, or is it, hey,
Rob, this is what you're doing today?
hmm.
Right, so it's it is more assigned, uh, but the good part is that, you
know, the assignment you get, um, usually lasts like a whole year.
So like, so Rob, you're doing like hospice for this whole year, or you're
doing teaching CCD for this whole year.
Um, so there is that stability aspect to it and they do try to intentionally do it.
So you kind of get a little bit of everything in your time.
So you get, you get some hospital work, you get some school work, you
get parish work, you get, hopefully you get like the whole package.
Yeah, absolutely.
And over the past year, you've been assigned to a parish, which, which I
think is great, because, uh, for lack of better words, I'm gonna say it's almost
like a student teaching, uh, kind of thing, where you're, you're gonna be
part of a parish and part of a community for, for a extended period of time.
Talk about what that's been like for you.
How, how has that helped you grow and, prepared yourself for in your vocation?
right.
It's been beautiful.
It's, it's, this is a, uh, a fairly new thing, um, that the church has
implemented in the training of priests.
we get summer assignments where we're at parishes, but this spending a
whole year is something fairly new and I'm just so grateful, because
I think it's such a good idea.
yeah, right.
It's actually one of the tensions in seminary life.
is that, you know, life in seminary, it's great.
It's good.
It's beautiful.
You know, we're learning so much.
We're going so much.
We're being formed so much, but there is that tension that's there
of, yeah, life in the seminary, it really looks a lot different than what
actual life as a priest looks like.
So this, I think, is an effort to really, like bridge that disparity,
bridge that gap a little bit.
and yeah, so this year in the and like, It's just been so beautiful.
So touching because, and so affirming, right?
Because this is what it's all about, right?
Uh, no one's we say in the seminary, no one's called to be a seminarian, right?
right?
Um, no one's called to just spend all their life at seminary.
No, it's, this is what it's about.
It's about the people, right?
It's about ministering.
It's about, uh, saving souls about working in a parish, you
know, working for the kingdom.
So, uh, it's just been this, it's honestly a year that Guys, very, very much look
forward to, this, um, yeah, getting to really kind of put into practice, um, all
the tools we've learned over these years.
And, yeah, to really, really start ministering.
Um, we're not ordained yet, but this is kind of the sense of the
year is to, um, try it on, right?
Try on the, and.
I'm gonna, I'm gonna ask you about the school kids here in a little bit
because I, you're a rock star to them.
Okay, these kids, they, they love you.
So I'm gonna ask you about that here in a little bit.
Uh, it just, well, I'll ask you about it now, so you've had the chance to
be part of a parish with a school.
the kids, when they see you, they love you.
Uh, they love interacting with you.
Uh, they love to maybe see if they can get you to join in a game at recess.
Uh, maybe if you attend an extracurricular event.
Uh, it's like seeing a celebrity there, okay?
Tell me about what you've learned for your future, about the importance
of a presence in the school, uh, and what that's been like for you,
Right.
Oh my goodness.
Yeah.
So, yeah, the school has been just, such a joy.
Really one of my favorite parts, um, of this parish.
just to be around that, that joy, right?
That life.
Um, it's a, it's a loud campus.
I like to say here with, with the school.
You're always,
in a good way, right?
In a
good
way, signs of life, signs of the rainforest, right?
Teeming with life.
so that's just been so life giving for me.
And so it's, it's cool that ministry is mutual, right?
There's this aspect of service and giving, but, but really I'm, I'm fed
so much just, just by being around, and working with the kids and to be
able to be present to them, right?
And yeah, the presence, it's, it's so important.
Actually, a big part of what I've taken to be my mission here.
and this is in talking with the pastor, who's kind of my boss, you know, pastor
is very busy, you know, that's the reality of the priesthood, is there, whoo, so
much to do, so, so much to do, so really, he said, like, Rob, like, part of your
mission is really to be, like, almost like an extra set of arms and legs, like, to
be, almost be where I can't, and so for me, uh, that's been, yeah, um, It would
be awesome if father could like hang out in the school a lot, but the reality is
he's just not able to, um, so that's been very much a joy to, yeah, to be present,
almost like a representative of him in the community, especially in the school.
Uh, so that's been just a joy to do, and it's good because when I was growing
up, when I was in Catholic school, I went to Catholic school, right, and
I thought, you know, priests just kind of popped out of the sky, right,
Just appear here and there, right?
right, right, right, but no, I think it's like really helpful, Yeah, to see for
them to, yeah, see like, okay, this is a man who's in this process of learning
this and yeah, almost like to see like the unfinished product in a sense, right?
I think that's cool for them to see that, like, just as they're,
like, they're learning, right?
And they're training to do whatever they're going to do with their lives.
It's, it's the same thing with priests.
Um, and it's kind of cool, I think, for them to, Yeah, to see someone who's
on in training or on the way, right?
Right,
I will tell you, one of the things I can speak on from 15 years of
Catholic education, uh, having two kids of my own you know, who are
currently in Catholic education.
Every time those kids see a priest or see a seminarian, When we sit
down for dinner, guess which one of the first things out of their mouth?
we we saw Seminary and Rob today, okay?
Uh, we saw Father So and so today.
So it's really such an important piece of things and, and recognizing, hey, maybe
I could just walk through the halls real quick or whatever the case might be, but
those kids being able to see you even just walking by, uh, means so much to them.
kudos to you for, for realizing that and don't ever lose that for sure.
And it's great.
especially my presence specifically in this school is, uh, yeah, so
I'm not, you know, a full time teacher or anything, right?
I'm not responsible for teaching a class every day.
but yeah, just that freedom.
Yeah, to pop in.
and really, I think it's been beautiful because, um, kind of
because I'm not a teacher, I have that ability then to like 100 percent
put on the ministry cap, right?
And I think the kids throughout the year really kind of warmed up to that
where it's like, Okay, there's, you know, there's a religion class, which
is good and great, but they kind of picked up throughout the year.
They're like, Oh, okay.
Like when Rob's in the class, like we're not being graded.
Um, you know, we're not going to be tested on anything.
So it's like when, when seminarian Rob comes, it's
just, We're just being loved on.
We're being ministered to.
and I think that's been like a really, crucial part I've been able to provide
this year is that, yeah, sometimes with Catholic school, it's like, right.
We, we teach kids the catechism.
We have them learn their facts, but unfortunately a lot, some kids come
out of Catholic school, um, then not practicing the faith, right.
Not, not knowing the Lord in their hearts.
And so that's been, I think, a really crucial, uh, little niche I've been
able to step into is like, okay, like.
Guys, it's great that you're learning this stuff, but, yeah,
like how's your heart, right?
Are you taking this to prayer?
Kind of be that kind of bridge that get them from the head
to the heart, if you will.
And that was something I had the chance to speak with,
Bishop Byrne up in Springfield, Massachusetts a few weeks ago.
And that was something that he kind of talked about was, you know, I'm,
I'm the bishop of an entire diocese.
you know, I want to be out there with the, with the people I want to be out there.
And he said, when I, when I walk into a classroom and the kids
see me, they're like, I want them to be, Hey, Bishop, how are you?
Not feel like, Oh, I've got to, you know, stand up straight and straighten
my shirt and everything like that.
He said, I want them to get to know me to get to know my heart.
Uh, and, and I'm paraphrasing that or anything like that.
So, uh, I think that's so important in, in, in leading from the front of like he
expressed really, uh, I think gets the, the, the faith out there even brighter,
I guess is the best way of putting it.
What's something that may surprise you, or may surprise people, uh,
about your time in the seminary?
Hmm.
That's a great question.
Thinking about my experience.
Um, there's a lot of surprises.
Right, right.
Or maybe something, maybe something that, hey, I thought it was gonna
be this, and boy, it's turned out to be this, and it might be for good
reasons, it might be for bad reasons.
Uh, but hey, I was expecting X, and boy, I got Y.
Ha
Yeah.
And yeah, kind of along those lines of, uh, yeah, really just how,
just how human, uh, seminarians and, and, and priests are, right?
So yeah, in seminary, like, it's not like, we're not monks,
we're praying all day, right?
We, we love to play basketball and, uh, soccer and yeah, those.
Those get competitive, right?
little competitiveness, juice flowin there.
honestly, like um, being a seminarian is fun.
Um, you know, we, you know, we all have hobbies, right?
Those aren't, yeah, it's not like we're asked to like renounce all
that and, you know, give it up and just like pray or all day.
Like, no, it's, it's very much, and this can be like a buzzword
sometimes, but it's very true.
Um, and very faithfully lived out in the seminary is that like, We're, we're
working on the whole person, right?
Um, the whole person formation.
It's not, yeah, like, and actually the way the seminary is, the spiritual,
the spiritual formation, it's just one of the four pillars, um,
that we're constantly working on.
We have these four pillars of spiritual, intellectual, pastoral, and human.
and John Paul II was big about this, about how, yeah, we're not just,
manufacturing prayer machines, right?
Uh, we need fully developed, fully integrated men.
Um, and just, so yeah, maybe just how, how human we seminarians
are, how imperfect we are.
yeah, just, shenanigans, uh, that could be a part of seminary life, but how that
actually, that actually is a good thing that we're producing, Yeah, just fully
human men, can then go into the real world, right, and, and be relatable, and
be effective ministers and be bridges,
And, and, and laughter is such a good medicine.
you know what I mean?
If you're, if you're just, enjoying what you're doing and you're smiling and you're
laughing with one another, you know, that, that, that work piece of things,
cause we're going to work together.
Okay.
We're, we're gonna, we're going to do the work together.
Um, but that time just to laugh with one another and, and share
that, those joys, uh, I think just builds a stronger community for you.
Talk about maybe over the, the, your time.
What's been the most challenging piece for you
And this was a little misconception too, something I, that was, I found to be
different than what I expected is that, I remember going into seminary, entering,
and I kind of had this attitude of, okay.
I'm taking this big leap of faith.
and there was this attitude of like, okay, I've said yes, right?
I've taken this radical step in faith.
I've jumped in.
I'm in the deep end now, right?
I'm doing it.
that was kind of my attitude going in, which was true.
But what I found, and this can be the most challenging part is that,
you know, this life, this journey for me, it's not so much this big,
massive, yes, you know, you give it the beginning, and then you're doing it.
It's no, it's.
You really have to say, give that radical yes in little ways every day.
I, I speak with married couples and they say it's a similar thing, right?
With marriage.
It's that, you know, saying yes to the proposal and, uh,
when the ring is out, right?
That's, that's a beautiful moment.
It's a beautiful yes to give.
Uh, but then the reality of the vocation, um, is just every day,
just in a thousand little ways, um, a thousand little sacrifices, right?
A thousand little, opportunities, uh, to die to self and to say yes.
And yeah, that could be challenging too, is just, yeah, just of honestly avoiding
just the going through the motions, right?
know, show up to chapel, right?
And kind of be kind of tuned out, right?
And show up to classes and, you know, be half, half awake, right?
yeah, I'd say like, that's another piece is just intentionally, Yeah,
maintaining the fire, and then also just the patience, right?
The patience in that, uh, we want to see results, right?
We want to get super holy, super fast, and, uh, yeah, those have been some of the
most challenging points in my formation, where it's like, you know, I sit down
with some of the priests I work with, and I'm like, I'm all freaked out, right?
I'm like, this isn't working, like, what am I doing?
Like, I should be this, this, this, that, and just, the challenge and the
invitation there to just like, well, Rob, that's great, but maybe you can
trust that the formation, uh, that the love, it's, it's happening slowly
and imperceptibly, which is difficult.
the, the compound interest of God's love, I guess would be the, the way to that I'm
thinking of it and, and I know that, when we got married, one of the things that
the, the priest said to us is, he said, there's a lot of couples that prepare for
the wedding, but not for the marriage.
And, uh, you know, it's, it's like all about getting to the big day.
But what, what about what comes after the big day?
and that, and that ongoing say yes is so important.
cause we can get to graduation day, but then that say yes piece
of things, continues to come.
No matter what it is, whether it's a marriage or a job or
whatever the case might be.
So, uh, that, that ongoing finding ways to continue to say yes to
God's love is just so important.
advice do you have for schools out there?
Because I know that.
When you're away at seminary and you have your camaraderie with your
other seminarians or stuff like that.
but there's schools out there, there's, uh, parishes out there who
are constantly praying for their seminarians or supporting their
seminarians in different ways.
What advice do you have for schools out there in terms of supporting
seminarians and ways that if you could, Talk to Catholic school leaders across
the United States, across the world, what would be, what would you say to
them about how they can help, not only you, but our seminarians all over the
world out there, in, in, at this time?
Wow.
It's a great question.
Uh, it's a humbling question too, right?
Because we are, we are so loved and supported, and we do, we do feel that.
We feel loved and supported.
yeah, Catholic schools, they love, they love writing us mail, uh, which
can just be, um, yeah, just the most, the most uplifting thing, right?
When, you know, life's a mess, and you're angry, and you're frustrated,
and you go to your mailbox, and there's just a card from the sweetest little
third grader, like, you know, Dear Mr.
Seminarian Rob.
I hope you're having a good day today.
Um, oh, it's just the
And how can you not be after that, right?
Right, right, right.
Amen.
And, um, just of course, um, it's a, it's a cliche answer, but it's, it's true
is that, uh, yeah, it's just prayers.
Um, yeah, prayers, prayers are so important.
yeah, that, that's the fundamental, but maybe beyond that is just.
I don't know, maybe don't, like, don't wait, don't be afraid, like, get involved
and get to know, uh, your seminarians.
A lot of dioceses, they have, like, a poster, and yeah, like, you know, maybe
look on the poster, see some of the posters, they say where guys are from,
where their parishes are, and, yeah, maybe don't wait till they're your priest to,
you know, invite them over, to reach out to them, to be a part of their lives,
That's been so life giving for me is just, yeah, getting to know families, right?
I might not be their priest yet, yeah, getting to know families and,
uh, being invited into their homes.
I think, yeah, why, why wait till, you know, I'm ordained and all busy,
Right,
To start forging these, these relationships and
these, these bonds where.
Uh, really the families help the priests and seminarians so much.
And I think, again, it's mutual, right?
That we help each other.
So, yeah, don't be afraid to reach out.
And I know that was something we did a few years ago was we gave each class,
uh, a seminarian that they adopted.
Okay.
and, and what's been really cool.
Uh, to see is, is that when we did that, when one of those seminarians
would come for a visit, maybe for a short term or a longer term, like
you, it's like, hey, that was the guy whose picture was on our wall.
That's the guy we've been, he's here now.
Uh, and, and so, and I think one of the things that was real important for me is
I said, you know, For all we know, one of these students that's in the school
right now, you may be marrying them, or you may be baptizing their child
one day, or things like that, and so getting that connection early, uh, like
you just said, you don't have to wait until you're a priest and, and getting
to know, uh, but just forming those connections now, but so that you have
that support, and that they are feeling supported by you, to me was just such an
important piece of the puzzle for that.
So, so, talk about what the next few years looks like for you, um, because
as we were talking kind of before, you're, you're, uh, at the parish
you're at until, I think, August.
talk about what the, what the next few years looks like for you and, and
your vocation and your discernment.
Right, right.
So again, I'm going to kind of leverage that question to talk about the good
news of what's happening in seminary formation in recent developments.
And yeah, so actually I'm kind of an example of some of this good
news is that the seminary formation, it's being tweaked a little bit.
Maybe you could say re imagined a little bit to where, it is becoming
less of like a conveyor belt, uh, like a cookie cutter, kind of same
formation for each guy, right?
Because I think the church is realizing that.
Like, someone like myself who enters, you know, shortly after high school
and someone who enters, you know, after having a long career, the,
the kind of and type of formation, we both need would look different.
So, I think the church is really trying to, uh, adjust and adapt to that,
um, and really make it almost more, more tailor fit to each guy's needs.
So almost in that spirit, I've had some really great conversations,
with those in charge of my formation.
yeah, we've kind of mutually, yeah, discerned that like, Hey,
this past year, it's been awesome.
It's been so great.
I think I've really come into my own a lot in the parish setting.
And so we kind of like together said like, well, shoot, let's have, let's
have some more time in a parish, right?
Let's continue, to yeah.
Put me in, in this arena where I can, where I think I'm best,
best suited to grow and develop.
So yeah, out of that is now.
Yeah, a decision to get some more time in a Paris, a new Paris, right?
A new environment.
That's a big part of priesthood, right, is learning how to minister
across, you know, environments when you're, when you're moved.
So, coming up immediately for me is, uh, is actually going to
be another year in the parish.
this is the wisdom of the church too, in that it's a pretty opposite parish.
So I'll have, kind of both extremes under my belt, you know, a big, a
big parish like this one I'm at now.
This is a smaller parish, different part of the diocese, right?
I'm very excited to have just a wealth of good experience
and further development there.
right, but then eventually after that, so I do still have, a couple
years of schooling to finish up.
So I've studied all my philosophy and I just have just two more years now
of my, uh, theology studies, um, until I've, um, done all the, the academic
requirements, for, for priesthood.
So, uh, this next year in a parish and.
Couple more at school.
but if I've learned anything thus far, it's that the time has
absolutely flown by and it'll be, it'll go by in a blink of an eye.
So I'm getting there and I'm really excited it's going to fly by, but.
The, the, I used to always tell people, I say that the days are
long, but the years go by quick.
you know, that's just what it seems to be.
Uh, let me ask you one last question here.
because I told you before we started recording, I said that, that people
listening to this might be, uh, Catholic school leaders, could be
priests, could be, uh, parishioners, but there could be one other group
of audience, uh, in the audience out there, and that's maybe somebody
who's Thinks they might be hearing God whispering in their ear a little bit.
What do you say to somebody who may be hearing God's call a little bit?
Maybe, maybe they're, and, and, and as we both know, I mean that
could could happen anywhere between 8 and 80 is, is to hear that call
and God starts to whisper to you.
What would you say to that person who may be considering a vocation?
I like to say that Jesus's theme song in the gospels is, is be not afraid, right?
Wherever he goes, he's just, constantly encouraging people.
Be not afraid, be not afraid.
And yeah, as I've gone in my journey, my discernment, it's like the further I go,
The deeper those words mean to me, right?
Of, of just be not afraid.
because yeah, discerning like a vocation, whatever vocation
it is, it's scary, right?
Commitment is scary.
Um, sacrifice is scary, right?
it's so easy, I think, to Maybe like turn it into like a task, right?
Where, uh, where you're like evaluating your performance, right?
And then you're disappointed in yourself and then you feel guilty
and like you're not living up to maybe this call that God has for you.
I certainly fell into this in my journey, my discernment.
yeah, it really almost got me off the, off the right path for a while.
So, but yeah, just to, just to know when God calls us, when God, like, makes a plan
for our life, He doesn't do it, like, to torture us and make us miserable, right?
He's doing that out of an infinite love for us.
He made us.
So he knows your heart.
He knows what's gonna make you ultimately the most happy in life, right?
So just to almost receive it, make sure you're receiving it in that sense
that like, Yeah, never just isolate it as a task that always to just
Make sure you're receiving receiving it in love Um, and then love, what?
Casts out fear, then comes the trust, and then comes the baby steps, where, where
you're able, to one little step at a time, follow to where the Lord's taking you.
And, and I think, I think that's so beautifully put, uh, and I think it's so
hard sometimes to realize that God has a plan for each of us, and God's plan is
going to be so much better than anything we could have ever come up with, but we
just have to put our trust and our faith and, and surrender to him unconditionally.
Uh, and, and when that happens, amazing things start to happen.
So, I want to say thank you so much for, for taking the time.
Obviously, you remain in our prayers, personally.
And, um, I know a lot of, uh, the parishioners, continue
to keep you in their prayers.
we'll be continuing to follow you even when you leave us, uh, to,
to head to your new assignment.
Uh, you remain in our prayers and I know you won't be a
stranger or anything like that.
And so, uh, just know that if you ever need anything, we are all here for you
and we continue to love and support you.
Amen.
Well, thank you so much, John.
This has been, this has been a lot of fun.
Awesome!
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