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Seminarian collection funds future priests

Current seminarians William Brunner, St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, Newton, Mundelein Seminary at University of St. Mary of the Lake, Mundelein, Ill. Timothy Brandt, St. Anthony Parish, Tigerton, Mundelein Seminary at University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Ill. Michael Brummond, St. John-Sacred Heart Parish, Sherwood, Mundelein Seminary at University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Ill. Adam Campbell, St. Anthony Parish, Oconto Falls, Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio Joseph Fleischman, St. Casimir Parish, Krakow, Mundelein Seminary at University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Ill. Jason Hawman, SS. Peter & Paul Parish, Green Bay, St. Meinrad School of Theology in St. Meinrad, Ind. Andrew Kysely, St. Josaphat Parish, Oshkosh, Mundelein Seminary at University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Ill. Ryan Krueger, St. Mary Parish, Menasha, Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio Luis Rivera, St. Therese Parish, Appleton, Mundelein Seminary at University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Ill. James McKinnon, St. Bernard Parish, Appleton, St. Meinrad School of Theology in St. Meinrad, Ind. Andrew Mulloy, Holy Spirit Parish, Kimberly/Darboy, St. John Vianney Seminary in St. Paul, Minn. Brian Romportl, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, Green Bay, Mundelein Seminary at University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Ill. Daniel Schuster, St. Mary Parish, Oshkosh, Mundelein Seminary at University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Ill. Ben Sember, Sacred Heart Parish, Oshkosh, Pontifical North American College in Rome, Italy Joel Sember, Most Precious Blood Parish, New London, Pontifical North American College in Rome, Italy William Van Dynhoven, St. John Nepomucene Parish, Little Chute, Mundelein Seminary at University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Ill. Michael Warden, SS. Peter & Paul Parish, Green Bay, Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio Daniel Viertel, St. Raphael Parish, Oshkosh, St. Meinrad School of Theology in St. Meinrad, Ind.

One year made a huge change in the life of Brian Romportl, a new seminarian for the Green Bay Diocese. A year ago, he was a claims adjuster for an insurance company and studying in an MBA program.

Then, last October, as Romportl felt a calling to the priesthood grow stronger, he quit his job and began working as a volunteer at a St. Vincent de Paul Store, an environment in which he further explored his calling. Now he is preparing to enter studies for the priesthood as a seminarian.

This fall, Romportl and five others will join 12 current seminarians for the diocese. They share a common desire to serve the people of Northeastern Wisconsin. Alongside their commitment, the diocese commits substantial resources to assist in their studies. It costs $35,000 to $40,000 a year to educate and support a typical seminarian. That's why, in mid-August, Bp. David Zubik will ask Catholics to offer their support for seminarians.

Each parish in the diocese's 16-county area has been asked to dedicate a weekend between Aug. 12 and Sept. 3 to support the second annual Seminarians Collection. Titled "Hope for the Future - Help Them Today," the collection is designed to offset the costs of tuition, room and board, health care and stipends. Because these costs typically are too high for the average seminarian to afford and because the training required to become a priest is so specialized, the diocese funds each seminarian's education. This year alone, it will cost the diocese approximately $600,000 to educate the 18 seminarians.

To help people better understand seminary life, seminarians will visit more than 35 parishes over the next two weekends before returning to their fall studies. Fr. Tom Long, diocesan Vocation Director, says the visits are an opportunity for "parishioners to get to know them as seminarians, and for the seminarians to thank people for their prayers and financial support."

He's also optimistic that the parish visits could result in recruiting more men for the priesthood. The visits are "a great opportunity to show there are young men who are willing to serve as priests in our Diocese. God continues to call. We just need to help young men hear that call."

To learn more about "Hope for the Future - Help Them Today" or about life as a priest, visit www.gbvocations.org.