Greg Carl

Theology I

Kenrick Glennon Seminary

 

My name is Greg Carl, third of eight children of Bob & Jill Carl. I grew up in Gretna Nebraska where my home parish was St.Patricks. Currently my family lives north of Omaha in Burt county and worships at St. Joseph's in Lyons Nebraska.

 

I first became aware of an interest in the priesthood growing up in Gretna where, by virtue of the fact that we lived next door to St.Pat's and my parents were very active in the parish, I gained a unique insight into the life of a priest. Father Hitch was a constant figure at family gatherings and it seems my family was constantly involved in the parish life of St.Pats. Father Hitch's participation in the sacraments; his devotion when celebrating the Mass, his pastoral mercy when advising me as a confessor, his joy at baptizing babies, claiming them for Christ, and his solemnity when burying the dead all spoke volumes of his character and attracted me to the ideal which called him to dedicate his life to this work, and to the High Priest, Christ, in whose ministry he was participating.

 

Seminary life has already been abundantly rewarding. The community which we enjoy at Conception Seminary College is a reflection of that in the larger church; a moral center focusing all of our day and all of our activities, (as banal or trivial as they may sometimes seem) toward Christ in the realization that we are called to be saints. That's so cool! The common ground that we have in our faith allows us to grow profoundly in our friendships and have fun in our common interests (music, sports, movies, etc.) while maintaining perspective on what our focus during our time in seminary is.

 

Discernment and formation are the main focuses of the seminary. If a man applies himself to the formation program it is evident to me that seminary provides the opportunity for immense growth spiritually, intellectually and personally and that during that process of self discovery and growth he cannot help but come to a better understanding of his vocation, whatever that may be.

 

I would strongly encourage anyone interested in learning more about the priesthood to: first say a Hail Mary, second, call the vocations office at the Archdiocese of Omaha and make an appointment with Father O'Donnell (the Vocations Director), third, get off the phone and go down to the nearest parish and visit Jesus, see what he has to say. Better still, visit one of the many parishes in the archdiocese that participates in perpetual Eucharistic adoration (Christ the King for example). Then when you go to your appointment with Father O'Donnell, be honest about your level of interest, if you just want information, you'll get it, Father isn't there to get your name on the dotted line, he's there as a minister of Christ to help you encounter Christ, to help you discern God's Will for your life, whatever that may mean. And remember that all those who've gone before you know how difficult it is to discern, we're all praying for you. Take courage! Pax Tecum Gregory Carl