Priestly vocations

The Bismarck Diocese is blessed with 13 men studying for the priesthood—six new this year.
 
in last month’s issue of the Dakota Catholic Action, we introduced you to three of the six new men— Griffin Schaeffer, Alex Wilson and Thomas Kraljic. This month, we invite you to meet the other three new men—Isaac Armstrong, Brady Hendrickson and Damien Hartze.
 
All six men are currently in the second semester of seminary study.
 
Isaac Armstrong
 
Seminarian Isaac Armstrong grew up a member of Cathedral of the Holy Spirit with his family. It was the strong influence of good priests that drew him to considering seminary.
 
“One thing that really impacted me while growing up and now, were the priests that we have had over the years,” Isaac said. “All of them were on fire about the faith and were strong witnesses to the life of Jesus Christ.”
 
Though resistant at first to the idea of seminary, God slowly opened his heart to the idea.
 
“Growing up in a Catholic household and attending a Catholic school, the idea of seminary was often present from outside sources, but I didn’t give it too much thought myself,” Isaac shared. “It wasn’t until entering my junior year in college that I started to have the question on my heart. There were many little steps that happened my junior and senior year that kept leading me towards applying and entering, but I was still hesitant. The final push came from taking Fr. Bouck’s Catholic Adventure class at the University of Mary. It helped me to take that final step.”
 
A solid faith-filled upbringing and a Catholic education had a big impact on Isaac’s path to seminary.
 
“There have been many influential people who have helped me make the decision to enter seminary both directly and indirectly just by their example of living out their vocation the way Jesus asks us to. The first one that comes to mind is my parent’s example of striving to do God’s will in their life, whatever it might be, which helped give me a lot of courage. Another one is Fr. Bouck who was my chaplain both at St. Mary’s and the University of Mary. Through his teaching and his example of a priest who lives out his vocation joyfully helped me grow in my faith. There were also many other teachers and friends who, throughout the years, helped form me and give me good counsel when I needed it,” Isaac said.
 
Relying on God’s guidance is what keeps him on track in his studies and discernment at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in St. Louis during this first year.
 
“Seminary has been an incredible experience so far,” Isaac shared. “It really has shown me that no matter what your vocation is or where you are in your life, if you are truly following God, it is not going to be boring. It can definitely be challenging at times and there is a lot thrown at you, but God never gives you more than you can handle and learning to go through all the ups and downs with Him instead of trying to do it on my own has really helped me in my journey.”
 
Isaac’s time in seminary thus far has been enjoyable and challenging. 
 
“My favorite part about seminary is the relationships you build,” Isaac said. “The first year is so focused on helping us step back from our busy and noisy culture and cultivate our relationship with God. It is an awesome gift to be able to have a year dedicated to that which will be the most important for us no matter where God calls us in life. Also, the relationships you build with formators, teachers and other seminarians have been amazing, and they have helped me grow in so many ways.”
 
He expressed his gratitude toward the people of his home diocese for sustaining him and all the seminarians with prayers.
 
“The main message I would have to the people of the Bismarck Diocese would be, ‘thank you!’ The support I have received has been astounding,” Isaac said. “There have been so many people who have reached out and given financial support or have let me know that they are praying for me and I know there are many more that I don’t know about. It has been very humbling. Entering seminary can come with many challenges and obstacles but the people of the Bismarck Diocese made everything so easy. It is a great gift to have this time to discern where God is calling me in life, and I am proud to be able to represent the Bismarck Diocese while I do it.”
 
Brady Hendrickson
 
Diocesan seminarian Brady Hendrickson grew up in a small town surrounded by family who created a solid foundation of faith.
 
“I grew up attending St. Mel’s parish in Rhame. St. Mel’s is a small parish, and I am related to almost everyone at Mass on Sunday,” Brady shared. “This has caused faith and family to be very interwoven in my life. Having so much family to support me has been a very big blessing on my path to seminary.”
 
Thoughts on the priesthood began fairly early for Brady at the prompting of the faith community at his home parish. 
 
“In middle and high school, I remember priests and old ladies at church telling me that I would make a good priest,” Brady said. “After high school, I did a year of mission work with NET ministries where I grew deeper in my faith. After NET, I felt a tug while sitting in Mass one Sunday. It came as a simple thought, ‘maybe I should join seminary.’ An overwhelming sense of peace came with this thought. After that, it took a lot of prayer and consideration to make the final decision to go to seminary.”
 
Thanks to support from his family, he’s finding the strength to follow his vocation.
 
“As I mentioned, my family has played a big part in my formation,” Brady said. “My grandparents, parents and older siblings have all been role models for my faith, and I hope to be a role model for my younger family members.” 
 
Being far from home studying at St. John Paul II Seminary in Washington, D.C. is certainly an adjustment for Brady.
 
“Seminary life has been very good. The transition from small town North Dakota to Washington, D.C. has taken a lot of adjusting. But I really enjoy the guys at the seminary and the formation that I am receiving,” he said. “I really enjoy the fraternity, and the laughter shared with my brother seminarians.”
 
Encouragement from his home diocese has proven to be valuable in sustaining Brady through the first year of studies.
 
“I feel so blessed from the prayers and support that I receive from the people of the diocese,” he added. “Thank you!”
 
Damien Hartze

Seminarian Damien Hartze and his family attended a few different parishes while he was growing up before finding his “spiritual home” at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit.
 
“Over a few summers during my high school years, I often attended the Cathedral’s 8 a.m. Mass and the Cathedral has a very reverent and prayerful atmosphere which drew me in,” Damien said. “I am very thankful for the good that the parish has done for me, especially by providing me with the Blessed Sacrament so often over the past few years.”
 
The first time that thoughts of the priesthood entered his mind was during middle school when it was brought up during a talk or homily. But it didn’t immediately appeal to Damien as a path for a vocation.
 
“I’ll be honest, it sounded really boring,” Damien explained. “I did not find it attractive but felt as if I should.”
 
Around freshman or sophomore year of high school, he began to be a little more open to it. He still felt his vocation was marriage but was willing to go wherever the Lord guided him.
 
“I knew, rationally, that no matter what God called me to do, I would be the happiest I could be by following Him,” Damien said. 
 
In his junior and senior years of high school, he was desiring more and more to be a virtuous man but still desired a vocation to marry someday. However, he kept hearing more about seminary here and there, so it never completely left his mind.
 
“In a talk by Father Jordan Dosch, the diocese vocations director, at St. Mary’s High School, he pointed out the great formation that seminary offers, and that time spent in seminary is never lost because it prepares you for your future vocation, even if it is not the priesthood. It was around this time,” Damien said, “that I started to appreciate my school chaplain’s love for his students and a priest’s life of complete service and self-gift to the community. This realization, as well as my college experience at the University of Mary, led me to decide to attend seminary with the understanding that it would be a great next step for me regardless of where God calls me after.”
 
Throughout high school, Damien pursued his desire to be a good, virtuous man. Being surrounded by good male role models at St. Mary’s High School helped him along that path.
 
“I did not really see myself enjoying doing anything that a priest did until I noticed the joy and love for his students shown by my chaplain, Fr. Nick Vetter,” Damien said. “I felt that being a chaplain would be something that I would enjoy doing someday.”
 
Damien is studying at St. John Paul II Seminary in Washington, D.C. and enjoying the experience so far getting to know his fellow seminarians as well as this historical part of the country.
 
“Seminary is amazing,” he said. “It is extremely challenging but provides for extreme growth. It is such a loving and supportive environment that challenges us to grow to be the men Christ is calling us to be. The seminarians really feel like brothers, and the faculty are, of course, like fathers to us. Additionally, it has been very fun and interesting to be able to travel to so many different places and states in the short time that I’ve been here in D.C. and make memories with my brother seminarians.”
 
Being surrounded by men pursuing the same vocation to the priesthood has been a big benefit to Damien.
 
“One of my favorite things about seminary life is living with a community of around 40 other young men who are living out their faith with a radical commitment to the Lord,” Damien said. “They are such holy, virtuous and joyful men, and it is a great delight to share a common mission of giving ourselves to the Lord.”
 
Damien is grateful to the people of his home diocese and asks for continued prayers.
 
“Thank you all so much for the support you provide for us—whether that is financially, through prayer or any other means,” he said. “It’s been amazing to see the generosity I have been shown in just a few months as a seminarian. That points out to me how much the people of God love their priests. Please continue to pray for us as we continue to pray for you.”
 
Others in formation
 
Please 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.
 
Additional seminarians currently studying for the Bismarck Diocese include Joe Schon and Joseph Richter at the Pontifical North American College in Rome; 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.