Stan Asjes

Configuration III (Theology)
St. Paul Seminary, St. Paul, MN
Basilica of St. John, Des Moines

Growing up in a Catholic family, I have always felt a deep love for the Church, in her community, sacraments, and history.  I was often an altar server, and I could tell that the Mass was something very special. The possibility of the priesthood was always present at home, but up until my junior year in high school, I never took it very seriously.  I did not think about it much outside of friends occasionally saying that I should be a priest.  At the beginning of high school, however, the idea kept coming up when I got the chance to pray before the Blessed Sacrament exposed on the altar.  As I got know Jesus in a more personal way, I began to seriously consider going to college seminary. The more I read about it, the more I felt that the priesthood was for me. The more I prayed, the more I knew that I wanted to give my life to Jesus Christ. My fears and doubts about the priesthood vanished, and by the time I was beginning my senior year of high school, I decided to reach out to Fr. Ross and begin the application.

Seminary has been such a formative time for me, especially in tackling the difficult school work and learning about my own strengths and weaknesses. The most important part of the process, however, has been slowly learning what it means to love in the way a priest loves, with the heart of Christ. This is a lifelong journey, but looking back over my time in seminary so far, I can say with certainty that the Lord has been slowly showing me how it is that I can love God's people with the true and authentic love which can only come from Him. I pray someday soon to be able to serve the people of the diocese as a priest of Jesus Christ.