The number 13 is certainly lucky this year for the Bismarck Diocese with that many men currently studying for the priesthood.
Six men joined these ranks last fall as seminarians for the diocese—Griffin Schaeffer, Alex Wilson, Thomas Kraljic, Isaac Armstrong, Brady Hendrickson and Damien Hartze.
In this month’s edition, we introduce you to three of the six newest men studying to someday be your priest. Next month’s article will profile the other three men. Each of these men have recently finished their first semester of seminary study and have returned to start the second.
Griffin Schaeffer
Seminarian Griffin Schaeffer discovered his calling to the priesthood while studying at college.
“I grew up attending Our Lady of Grace in Minot,” Griffin explained. “After graduating from high school, I traveled south down Highway 83 to attend the University of Mary. The Catholic Studies program, campus liturgies and friendships at Mary struck my heart and opened my imagination to the beauty and holiness of the Church. My heart’s desire to give this—the Church—to others influenced me to apply for seminary.
At college, he witnessed what pure joy the priesthood could offer.
“Although I have been Catholic my whole life, the priesthood is not something I felt drawn to until college,” he said. “Growing up, I assumed most priests were old, special, or different. It was in college where I witnessed and experienced the joy, exuberance, richness, tenderness, and “normalcy” of the priesthood. I encountered men radically in love. The final push for me was not anything dramatic—I felt like applying for seminary was what Jesus was calling me to do, so I did.”
Family members’ faith and examples of holy priests led him to his path to seminary.
“I was surrounded by the faith of my four grandparents growing up, so their love and prayers have always been influential,” Griffin noted. “Monsignor James Shea’s servant leadership and powerful, didactic homilies in college spoke to my heart. I was inspired by the unique gifts and virtuous ways Fathers Dominic Bouck, Joshua Hill, Steven Vetter, and Matthew Schilmoeller (Diocese of Lincoln) lived their lives. Finally, I took an art history class with Dr. Elizabeth Lev that rocked my world; Jesus used her sarcasm and passion to show me true beauty.”
Griffin is studying alongside fellow seminarians at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in St. Louis. He’s truly found a great place to grow in faith.
“Our rector, Father Paul Hoesing, says that seminary is a set of relationships,” Griffin said. “It’s true. I am surrounded by priests, professors, formators, and seminarians who love and care for Jesus, and because of that, love and care for me. Everyone in house wants to help me be exactly who I was made to be.”
He’s found seminary life fulfilling thus far.
“Us propaedeutic men end each day by praying night prayer together,” Griffin said. “It is profoundly orienting and peaceful to pray together before going to bed. I have also loved counseling; our counselor, Mrs. Criscione, is fantastic. I leave each session with gratitude for her and for the ways that she sees, knows and loves me.”
Still being new to the seminary experience, he has a message for the people of the diocese.
“Even in my first semester, I have experienced and felt your great generosity. You care for your seminarians, religious, and priests with great intentionality and prayer. Thank you. It is an honor to be from the Bismarck Diocese!”
Alex Wilson
Diocesan seminarian Alex Wilson’s altar serving during grade school had a profound effect on him and his calling to this holy vocation.
“I grew up attending the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit,” Alex noted. “I started serving at Mass for funerals and weddings at the Cathedral in grade school and continued to serve throughout high school. I enjoyed being a part of the liturgy, helping the priests and deacons, and having that front-row view. Being around great priests has deepened my understanding of the priesthood and strengthened my faith. Their witness of devotion and holiness has been a true example of living out God's calling.”
Alex had been thinking about a calling to the priesthood for a while but decided to take the college path first.
“My first thoughts about the priesthood came during my freshman or sophomore year of high school,” Alex said. “However, I dismissed them because I was focused on going to college and playing golf. Throughout my early years in college, my prayer life wasn't strong, but I still had a sense that God had something planned for me. It wasn’t until I began to take my faith more seriously that I started to hear His call more clearly. In my senior year of college, as I was unsure about my future after graduation, God placed the idea of entering the seminary in my heart. Over time, it became clearer to me that this was the path He was calling me to follow. After speaking with Fr. Dosch and seeking guidance through prayer, I made the decision to apply.”
Having attended Catholic Schools, he had the privilege of encountering many diocesan priests.
“I have been blessed to have many influential people in my life who have guided me along my journey,” Alex explained. “Growing up serving at Mass and being around amazing priests while I was in school such as Fr. Johnson, Fr. Bouck and Msgr. Shea has greatly impacted my life. Their positive, easy-going demeanor, as well as their simplicity and holiness, were qualities that I deeply admired and looked up to. My family was also very influential in my formation. They have always taught me that God should be the most important thing in my day and that I should always turn to Him, especially in times of need. Their example of faith and love has been a constant source of support and guidance.”
Alex is studying at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in St. Louis, a place where he has deepened his prayer life and relationship with God.
“The seminary has been both challenging and very rewarding,” he noted. “As I've become more open to receiving God's love and mercy, I’ve experienced significant growth in the short time that I have been in seminary. I've learned how to pray and make God the center of my day, which has revealed just how much I need Him in my life.”
Seminary life has offered Alex a sense of community.
“What I enjoy most about seminary is the community that I am a part of,” Alex said. “My classmates and formators genuinely care about my well-being, and it's comforting to know that there is always someone willing to listen and talk with me. The trust and friendships I have developed in seminary are priceless and it is reassuring to know that I can rely on others for both guidance and companionship as I continue this path. Also, the sense of community here is something truly special. Knowing that we all share similar goals and values creates a deeper connection that is rooted in shared faith.”
He offers a message of gratitude to the people of our diocese.
“I would like to thank the Bismarck Diocese for their support and prayers. I am very grateful for this opportunity to grow in my faith and become a better man and I would not be in this position without them,” Alex said.
Thomas Kraljic
The opportunity to care for the spiritual well-being of God’s people was a motivating factor for Seminarian Thomas Kraljic.
“I grew up attending the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit,” Thomas explained. “Parish life influenced my path to the seminary because it is the people of the diocese and the parishioners I want to serve. Seeing how much previous priests cared for their parishioners was also something I noticed and want to imitate.”
Extended time in prayer led him on the path to seminary.
“My early thoughts about the priesthood started around my late middle school years,” he said. “The thought of the priesthood had a snowball effect as I went through high school. What gave me the final push to join seminary was time in prayer and the influence many great priests had in my life.”
His strong faith came from his parents and members of the diocese clergy.
“My mom and dad were very influential for me although they might not even realize how influential they really were,” Thomas said. “As the leaders of my family, they were my first teachers of the faith and they taught by example, through the way they lived each day. Two priests, Fr. Nick Vetter and Fr. Jake Magnuson, were also very influential—Fr. Vetter was my high school chaplain and Fr. Magnuson taught at St. Mary’s High School. What was most noteworthy from them was how these two young priests could have so much joy being priests. I always thought of the priesthood as something for old men with gray hair, but here were these two priests whose joy and life were something I found attractive.
The experience for Thomas studying at St. John Paul II Seminary in Washington, D.C. has been very enjoyable so far.
“It has been great seeing and learning so much about the faith I love so much,” he noted. “The thing I enjoy most about seminary life is that everyone is so supportive of your discernment. Obviously, the seminary is supportive and wants to help you discern what God is calling you to do, but the support from the people in the diocese is really second to none.”
He offers his thanks to the people of the diocese for their encouragement.
“One thing I’d like to say to the people of the diocese is thank you for all the support,” Thomas said. “Getting cards and other mail from back home is always a joy. It really shocked me, at the start of the year, receiving mail from people in the diocese saying they were praying for me and my discernment. The support has been incredible, so thank you!”
Others in formation
Please continue to pray for all the men following their call to the priesthood. Additional seminarians currently studying for the Bismarck Diocese include Colton Steiner and Justin Croonenberghs at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in St. Louis; Ben Weigum, Dominic Schaefbauer and Aaron Ripplinger at St. John Paul II Seminary in Washington, D.C. Seminarians Joe Schon and Joseph Richter are in Rome studying at the Pontifical North American College.
Please also include in your prayers all the young men and women in our diocese who may be considering a call to the priesthood or religious life.