God has given me more than I could ever ask or imagine as a Franciscan Friar priest.

Seminarian Education Fund

Deacon Wally Zieverink

The priesthood is not so much a gift to God as it is an extraordinary gift from God, given when the seeds of a vocation are present in the soul.

When I was in my third grade CCD class, my teacher asked us to draw a picture of Heaven.

The Diocese of Birmingham currently has 21 men in formation for diocesan priesthood — 17 returning seminarians and four new men.

What I have learned is that my priesthood is about my relationship with Jesus Christ. He is the reason for my vocation.

How grateful we are to the Lord for them and all the priests, living and deceased, who have served in our diocese through the years!

Many years ago, a monk in my community said that God has a sense of humor. I’m proof of that.

Pastor of St. James Catholic Church

One of the most profound characteristics of an a relationship with Christ is its simplicity.

I realized that I had to start asking the Lord what His plan was for my life, instead of telling Him what my plan was.

I wanted very early to be a priest like Father George. He was distinctly German in accent, but he smoked a cigar all day.

The first full week of November every year, the Church in the United States celebrates National Vocations Awareness Week.

My daily prayer became, "Lord, what is Your will for my life? And how can I help others come to know and love God?"

Honoring St. Jean Baptiste Marie Vianney by Supporting Seminarian Education

This is a great life, and it all started with a simple question: “What will your mom say when you tell her you’re going to become a priest?”

“Bringing the Eucharist to the people and bringing the Word of God: that to me is the essence of the priesthood.”

I felt the call to the priesthood at the early age of 8.

“What will this day be like? I wonder. What will my future be? I wonder.”

The co-patron for the Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama, St. John Vianney, described the Catholic priest as “the love of the heart of Jesus.”

When I was still a student at DeVry Institute of Technology, I visited the seminary with deep desire to know God’s will in my life.

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Cor. 12:9)

When asked about religious vocations, I often find myself thinking in terms of homecoming.

I can still remember when the Angelus bells would ring during recess at St. Paul’s Elementary.