Meet Karl Finkbeiner, Theology II Seminarian for the Archdiocese of Detroit.

How did you experience God’s call to be a priest?

I experienced the call to discern the priesthood through the deepening of my relationship with the Lord in prayer and through ministry experiences while in college. This call has been strengthened and confirmed through my years of seminary formation.

How has your relationship with Jesus grown since you entered seminary?

Since entering the seminary, my prayer life has grown as I have learned how to bring the experiences of my daily life before Him and trust that He will speak to my heart. I have also come to know the living Lord more profoundly through the Scriptures.

Did you have any fears about pursuing the call to the priesthood? If so, how did you overcome them?

I feared that pursuing the priesthood would leave me lonely. As I have brought my desire for communion before the Lord, He has repeatedly promised and proven that His companionship is sufficient for me and that He will always provide people to journey with me in the moments when I need encouragement.

What attracts you about the priesthood?

I am attracted to the priesthood first and foremost because I believe that it is the Lord’s will for my life, the specific vocation by which God has created me to bring life into the world through preaching, sacramental ministry, and pastoral care for the faithful. The thought of being a spiritual father and having a key role in leading people into a living relationship with Jesus fills me with enthusiasm.

Who has helped you the most on your journey to pursue this vocation?

The most helpful people for me on my journey toward the priesthood have been the priests who have personally invested in me as a brother in the Lord during my discernment — encouraging me by their friendship and inspiring me by their witness of life.

Do you have any advice for young men considering a vocation to the priesthood?

A vocation to the priesthood only makes sense in the context of a living relationship with Jesus. I would encourage all young men to prioritize their relationship with the Lord above all other things in their lives, and to give Him permission to guide them in their life choices. A man who is praying and who is honestly willing to follow where Jesus leads will be well disposed to hear and respond to the Lord’s call.