Photo Caption: Jacob Rose stands in front of Immaculate Conception Chapel at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Md., where he is in his third year of theology studies.

By: By Jacob Rose

EDITOR’S NOTE: The following reflection was written by Jacob Rose, a seminarian of the Diocese of Peoria who is in his third year of theology at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Md. He is one of four men preparing for ordination as transitional deacons at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Peoria on May 20.

The reflection appeared in a special section on vocations in the March 18 issue of The Catholic Post.

The youngest child of Gary and Rose Rose, Jacob grew up in La Moille with his brother Adam and sister Ellen. The family was active in Sts. Peter and Paul Parish in Peterstown.

After graduating from St. Bede Academy in Peru in 2005, Jacob went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in philosophy with minors in business and theology from Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary in Winona, Minn. He has been at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary since 2009.

During his summer breaks from the seminary he has assisted at Holy Cross Parish in Mendota, taken part in the Institute of Priestly Formation at Creighton University in Omaha, and worked in the Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen Museum in Peoria, collecting some of the oral history of the Diocese of Peoria through interviews with Msgr. Al Hallin, Msgr. Don Fitzpatrick, Father John Dietzen, Msgr. Raymond Boyle and Canon John Flattery. Last summer he ministered at St. Joseph’s Parish in Pekin.

The Catholic Post invited him to talk about what led him to the priesthood and why he decided to wade in.

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In terms of seminary life, I guess you could call me a lifer. From the time I was 6 or 7 years old, the priests my family had contact with were always mysteriously appealing.

I don’t remember the priesthood being particularly pressed or encouraged while I was growing up, but with the regular interactions between my family and our parish priests, the priests at St. Bede Academy where my siblings and I went to high school, and the priests acquainted with my parents through Teens Encounter Christ (TEC), a priestly vocation was never ruled out for me. Even among my extended family, I don’t remember the priesthood being pushed directly, but I remember hearing about my grandparents’ relatives who had answered the call to the priesthood.

I was open to a priestly vocation early on, but it wasn’t long before I started to think that my dreams and plans were where I would find happiness and contentment.

TAKING A “SWIM”
As a high school student, I had a decent paying and fun job with a mobile disc jockey service where I could choose my own hours, and I started to spend a lot of time assisting WSOG, 88.1 FM, the Catholic radio station in Spring Valley. With these two jobs, I thought that I could establish my dream career and have everything I wanted. Meanwhile, I took every opportunity I could to tell the Lord that this was the plan that would last.
In hindsight, I realize how blind I was.

While I was still in high school I was in a severe car accident. I likely should not have survived, but walked away with only minor physical injuries. Being alive after shearing off a telephone pole and rolling my car about three times changed my outlook quite a lot, most particularly in my personal prayer and my relationship with our blessed Lord.

Happily, my pastor at the time, Msgr. James Kruse, was able to see that I was trying to trick myself and God. With a friendly but forceful invitation that I couldn’t ignore, he signed me up for our diocesan discernment retreat, Emmaus Days.

At Emmaus Days, I found the seminarians were not only normal guys but guys that I actually looked up to. They were happy and filled with a joy I wanted, but wouldn’t find in my own plan.

I wasn’t convinced that going to the seminary was for me, however. It was not until Bishop Jenky likened the seminary to a swimming pool that I was able to give the Lord more control.

Going to the seminary is like visiting a swimming pool, he said, because you don’t know the temperature of the water until you get in and there is always the ladder to get out of the pool if you’re not comfortable.

DIOCESE IS “HOME”
I thought the ladder option sounded fair, so I told the Lord I would give him three years in the seminary before returning to what I had planned. Again, in hindsight I see how blind I was: God had other plans.

I entered the seminary right out of high school and spent four years in college seminary at Immaculate Heart of Mary in Winona, Minn. For the last three years, I’ve been at Mount Saint Mary’s in Emmitsburg, Md. Now my excitement is growing more and more — I am less than three months from being ordained a transitional deacon, with one more year left of seminary until priestly ordination.

I’ve always liked central Illinois, but now I could never imagine leaving. Through my time spent around the diocese I’ve gotten to know many of the priests and parishes and I’ve come to understand the Diocese of Peoria as the home I love. I look forward to the day when I can stay, serving in a parish and celebrating the sacraments.

Please continue to pray for the seminarians and know of our gratitude and prayers for all your support. God love you.