The Catholic School Leaders Podcast

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 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.

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.

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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