Whether you see him in the halls or hear him doing announcements, everyone knows senior Alex Cammarata. However, you may not know that he will be entering Kenrick Glennon Seminary following the end of the school year to further discern a call to the priesthood.

Cammarata first felt the call to enter the seminary when he went on a retreat between his freshman and sophomore year. While many teenagers his age struggle with the call at first, Cammarata embraced it from the very beginning.

“I made my decision that I was going to enter the seminary because there was a tremendous sense of peace I felt being there and getting to know all of the amazing guys,” said Cammarata.

With his heart set and the lengthy application process completed, Cammarata is more than ready to take the next step in his discernment. But how did he get to where he is now? The answer is simple—prayer.

“Prayer is everything; it is my relationship with God, it is the only way that I was able to make a decision to enter the seminary. Silent prayer in front of the blessed sacrament and devotion to our Blessed Mother helped me make my decision,” said Cammarata.

While prayer is a large part of why Cammarata is where he is today, there have been some very special people who have guided and encouraged him along the way.

“Father Ryan Weber and a seminarian, Mitchell Baer, helped me to see the human being side of the priesthood and that God calls ordinary men like me to do extraordinary things,” said Cammarata.

It is hard for anyone to figure out what they are being called to do, but for young men, deciphering the call to the seminary can be especially frightening.

“You have to trust God in whatever direction he is leading you. Do not be afraid [because] the plans that God has for our lives are far greater than anything that we ourselves come up with,” said Cammarata.

Cammarata’s discernment in the seminary is about to begin, but it’s important to remember that just because he is entering the seminary does not mean he will for sure be a priest. The seminary is a place for him to see if being a priest is actually what God wants him to do.

“I feel that God is at least calling me to enter seminary. I don’t see a point in going to a big university when I know the feeling will not go away. Entering the seminary is the only way I will know or not if I am called to be a priest, and there is no harm done if I decide to discern out at some point,” said Cammarata.

Even if Cammarata does not decide to be a priest, the seminary will strengthen his relationship with God and make him a better version of himself. It is critical that the St. Dominic community keep Alex and all the other seminarians in our prayers as they continue on their faith journey.