Flagler Beach, Florida
Meet our seminarians:
Wil Stead
taken 7-18-07 |
Boynton Beach, FL 33436
On-line interview submitted by Chau T. Phan, Santa Maria del Mar web minister:
1. When was the first time you thought of priesthood?
I first began to think seriously about a vocation
to the priesthood when I was a sophomore in college. Partway through
that semester, I made the decision to leave college in order to began a
process of discernment that eventually led to my applying to the Diocese
of St. Augustine.
2. What were major Catholic activities you participated in prior to the
seminary?
I did not participate in many activities in the
Church as an adult, prior to becoming a seminarian. At my college,
there was no active campus ministry to speak of, and my time spent in discernment
was also spent working a full-time job.
3. Who influenced/inspired you to pursue the priesthood? Did anyone
specifically invite you to consider priesthood?
The Lord Jesus Christ was and remains my greatest
inspiration as the Great High Priest. Before I made the decision to enter
seminary, I did not know very many priests well. But nearly every
priest I have met along my journey has been a great encouragement to me.
4. What are some of the most important parts of discernment?
Above all, a strong, committed prayer life will
guide any process of discernment, whether it is for a vocation to the priesthood,
religious life, married life, or any other path the Lord has laid out for
us. Also important is transparency towards a trusted friend, and the good
advice of a holy spiritual advisor.
5. How did your family members and friends react when you told them about
going to the seminary?
Most of my family was pretty surprised by my
announcement to become a seminarian. But they had never been more
proud or happy for me. My family has always been one of the Lord's
greatest blessings in my life.
Father & son: Bill & Wil Stead, 07-18-07 |
6. What is your day like in the seminary?
Seminary life is pretty ordered and stable.
We have morning prayer, followed by morning classes. At midday, there's
Mass and lunch, then our activities in the afternoon vary by day.
Some days we have more classes; some days we go out to do pastoral ministry.
Other days we have appointments with advisors, spiritual directors, or
faculty. In the evening, we have prayer and dinner. Sometimes,
there's adoration and night prayer later on in the evening.
7. Is seminary formation what you thought it would be? How is it similar
or different from your expectations?
I honestly had no idea what to expect when I
first went to seminary, six years ago. At the time, I was going to
study at a seminary which was hosted by a Benedictine Abbey. I wondered
whether it would be like becoming a monk myself for a few years.
It turned out to be more like going to college with a group of guys just
like me, who prayed and worked together.
8. How many classmates did you have this past academic year?
There were about fifty seminarians studying at
St. Vincent de Paul seminary in 2006-07. Fourteen of those were first-year
students like me, and three students were from our own diocese. Both of
my diocesan brothers there were deacons at the time, and were just ordained
to the priesthood a few weeks ago. Next year one of the other seminarians
of our diocese, Bernard Fussell, will be returning from his pastoral year
to join me at St. Vincent's.
 |
(picture from http://www.svdp.edu/html/seminary_life.html)
There is a lot of hard academic work involved in seminary life. Sometimes, I feel like I've been a student forever. But I know that, with God's Grace, in just four more years, I'll be finished with school (at least for now), and be an ordained priest.
10.
What is your favorite Scripture passage? Why?
The first two chapters of Luke's Gospel have
always been very special for me. The story of Jesus' birth and childhood
reveal to me in a very powerful way how great the love is that God has
for us. Not only does He send us His only son to die for our sins,
but He does it with our own help, through own own flesh, with our own willing
assent, because He is not just a distant and arbitrary Lawgiver, but a
loving and tender Father.
11.
What are some of your favorite and most important spiritual readings/books/passages?
The Confessions
of St. Augustine, the hymns and prayers of St.
Thomas Aquinas, and the diaries of St.
Therese of Lisieux are three of my favorite collections of spiritual
writings which I return to again and again to receive guidance and wisdom
on my journey of faith.
(Note by web minister: click on blue links above to go to internet
sites of works mentioned).
12.
What would people be surprised to know about you?
Some people might not know that I'm an avid harmonica
player. ;)
13.
What are your hobbies?
I love to read, write, and watch movies.
I used to have a great many more hobbies, but seminary life doesn't leave
a great deal of leisure time to pursue them. I hope to take them
up again one day when I have some more time on my hands (such as when I
retire in fifty or sixty years). Also, see my answer to question
12.
14.
What would you say to a young man who thinks he may have a vocation?
My advice to anyone discerning a vocation is
to pray constantly. Above all, remember that a vocation isn't really
about what you want to do, it's about what God has in mind for you, and
the only way to find that out is to ask Him. Ask other priests you
trust to share their life experiences with you, to help you understand
better what it means to be a priest. In the end, if God wants you
to serve Him as a priest, and you stay open to His call, you'll find that
the priestly life begins to draw you more and more.
15.
What activities would you recommend in order to foster a culture of vocations?
Pray, pray, pray. If you remember nothing
else about my answers to these questions, remember that I couldn't stop
saying that you should pray. Families should pray together, asking
God to send us holy priests. Young people should pray that God helps
them to see clearly what he wishes for their lives, what will fulfill them
most wonderfully. All of us should pray that our priests, religious,
and married couples are strengthened and encouraged in their vocations.
If we continually pray about vocations, all of us will start to think more
about them, and let God's voice into our hearts just a little more when
He wants to talk to us about our own vocation.
16.
What influence (if any) has Pope John Paul II, or another person whom you
met or did not meet, had on your vocation?
Pope John Paul the Great was the only Pope I
had known in my life until his death a few years ago. His pastoral
leadership formed my idea of the priesthood in ways I cannot begin to fully
explain, or even realize myself. His encyclicals, and even more so,
his yearly letters to the priests of the world, continue to be a source
of inspiration and encouragement for me.
17.
What message do you have for members of your home parish, Santa Maria del
Mar?
I want to express my heartfelt thanks and appreciation
for the untiring support and encouragement my home parish has always shown
me in my vocation. Wherever God has led me along my way, to a variety
of schools around the country and a variety of summer assignments, you
have never ceased to pray for me and be a source of strength when I return
home. Thank you.
Pax,
Wil Stead
July 11, 2007
P.S. Inspired by Wil's reply, I have collected
and posted Prayers by
St. Augustine and Prayers
by St. Thomas Aquinas on our parish Prayers website.