Our parishes are blessed to have two young men studying for the priesthood for our Diocese!

Levi Schmitt, son of Sacred Heart of Jesus-Elmwood parishioners Joe and Laurie Schmitt, is completing his priestly formation at St. Francis de Sales Seminary in Milwaukee, WI. Levi is entering his 2nd year of Theology at SFS and taking courses at the Sacred Heart School of Theology for the 2016-2017 academic year. He completed four years of college seminary at St. John Vianney Seminary at the University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN.
God willing, Levi will be ordained a transitional deacon in 2018 and an ordained priest in 2019.

Levi provided an update on his recent summer 2016 adventures:

"It is good to be back in Wisconsin again! I was down in Omaha, Nebraska from the end of May until the end of July at a program called "The Institute for Priestly Formation." We began with eight days of silent retreat and then proceeded to take courses on topics related to a priest's prayer life such as, finding God throughout the entire day; the spirituality of celibacy; and how to make our studies prayerful. All of these things have helped me put God and keep God at the center of my day-to-day life. 
During the month of August, I took the opportunity to spend a few days with the other seminarians of the diocese at the House of Formation in La Crosse. Afterwards, after being at the parish and with my family for a week and a half, I motored back to St. Francis de Sales in Milwaukee for the fall semester. The other seminarians and I will begin the year with a five-day silent retreat before entering into the semester's classes. All in all, it has been a very prayerful summer. Please continue to keep my brothers, future vocations and me in your daily prayers."

Below is a photo of the St. Francis de Sales seminarians. (Levi is in the second row from the top on the right; the second man in on the far right)


 

Daniel Buchal, son of Sacred Heart of Jesus-Spring Valley parishioners Greg and Laura Buchal, begins his first year of college seminary at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary in Winona, MN this fall for the 2016-2017 academic year.

Below is a photo of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminarians of the 2016-2017 academic year. (Daniel is in the bottom row on the far right in a blue shirt)


Please keep these two young men in your prayers and continue to pray that young men and women would have hearts open to the Lord's call to the consecated and religious life.

Did you know you can also support a seminarian financially by making a donation to the parish or through your contributions to the Diocesan Annual Appeal? All donations for seminarian support are routed directly to them to help with the cost of their studies and other expenses. Please prayerfully consider how you can support a seminaran today.

Mary, Queen of the Clergy, pray for us! Obtain for us many more!