Andrew J Syring
Theology II
My name is Andy Syring and I was born and raised in Schuyler, Nebraska, a town about 60 miles west of Omaha. My father’s name is Benjamin JR and my mother’s name was Jean. I have an older brother and sister and a twin sister, all of whom are married with wonderful children.
My home parish is Divine Mercy in Schuyler, Nebraska where I was baptized and confirmed. The Life Teen Youth Ministry Program in my parish is where I give a lot of credit to my studying for the priesthood. It was a great instrument to grow deeper in my spiritual life with Christ.
I first thought about the priesthood around the age of 8 or 9. I always thought priests were super heroes for Christ and began to think about what an honor it would be to stand "in persona Christe" at the time of the consecration during Mass. Throughout my grade school and high school years I would think about the priesthood occasionally, but I would also think about being married and having a family; still serving the Church but in a different way.
As one of the youth ministers for the Life Teen program I worked with many teens and began to realize as I was teaching I, too, learned how to grow in prayer and understanding of God’s will in my life. I began to realize that I was being called to something other then the grocery business or Schwan’s ice cream sales. I recognized the enjoyment I had for selling food and ice cream, so I thought I might as well “sell” God to all who need to hear and learn about Him. After a four year spiritual battle with God, I decided to enter the Seminary.
In the fall of 2003 I entered Conception Seminary College in Conception, Missouri. It is a rural town in northwest Missouri about forty-five minutes northeast of St. Joseph, Mo. I spent four wonderful years there and obtained my undergraduate degree in Philosophy. The opportunity to learn and grow in the Benedictine spirituality while at Conception was truly a gift from God. I encourage all to take a retreat and visit Conception Abbey and Seminary it truly is a beautiful place to discern your vocation.
I am currently in my second year of theological studies at Kenrick School of Theology in Saint Louis Missouri. I am honored to have the opportunity and am privileged to study in great detail our Creator, our God.
For those who are considering making an application to study in seminary, and discerning whether or not they might be called to priesthood, I say, "God is not going to call you on your cell phone. He is going to call you in you heart and when you feel that pulling, I ask you to PRAY about it and as Pope John Paul II said ‘Do not be afraid.’ Ask your Pastor or youth minister for help in guiding your thoughts and questions.
For those of you men who have thought about the Priesthood and then thought, ‘No, it's not for me,’ I say this to you: You have years to decide whether or not the Priesthood is for you. The seminary is a great place to not only study, but to listen and discern God's call in your life. Just try it - you don't know what you are missing. A priest friend of mine told me I could never try marriage but that I could try the seminary – it made sense.
