Deacon Dave Schalk on Discerning the Call to the Priesthood

service · prayer · silence · adoration · spiritual direction · family support · seminary · ministries

Dave Schalk had every intention of attending Georgia Tech as aCivil Engineering major after high school. But in December of Dave’s senior year in high school, he went to Cranks Creek, Kentucky, on a youth group service trip.

After that trip, Dave realized that “service needed to be at the center of my life.”

Also during his senior year in high school, Seton Parish started Perpetual Adoration, and Dave’s Holy Hour was 11-12 p.m. on Sunday.

“I had an experience of God in my own heart. I fell deeper in love with Him. My experience in adoration was profound. One night in Jan. of 2000, I let God know I was going to be an engineer. But then I asked God, ‘What do you want me to be?’ God said that he wanted me to be a priest.”

Silence is so important to hear God’s call.

“At first I said no way to the call. Then I waited a couple of weeks and talked to my former youth minister about it. He knew what to do immediately. He put me in contact with the Vocations Director. He helped me line up a retreat weekend at the Josephinum. I fell in love with the Josephinum. I loved the prayer and the community and knew that was where I was supposed to be.”

Dave told his extended family and friends about his decision to attend seminary at his high school graduation party.

In reflecting on his four years of college at the Josephinum, he notes that it was a time of discernment in pursuit of a vocation to the priesthood. “Either the call solidifies or it dissipates during seminary. Nothing is set in stone at that point.”

He describes college as the time of increasing maturity.

“Seminary is about becoming a Christian man and growing in every aspect of your life of faith. It is a time of catechesis where you are asking: What is the Church? What does it mean to me? How do I live this life?”

Seminary is a critical time of self-examination and learning to understand your call, says Dave. He notes that doubts are a normal part of the process.

“Through prayer and reflection, you think about the sacrifices. You ask yourself, ‘Can I live up to this task?’” The doubts take different shapes. For a college-aged kid, celibacy is definitely an issue.

“Celibacy symbolizes the complete gift of self and points to Christ’s sacrifice. Every vocation has a cross. The sacrifice of a life of celibacy has continually led me to the Cross. To separate yourself from the Cross is to fail.”

Dave thought there were many benefits to entering seminary right out of high school because seminary is the best place to discern the call.

Of course, all people should discern the state of life to which they are called: religious life, priesthood, single life, or marriage. Taking the time to go through life reflectively and allowing some silence for prayer is so critical.

“Silence is so important. There is so much noise in our culture. There is no prayer without silence. Prayer is how you open yourself to hear God’s call.

As Dave graduated from the Josephinum College and went to Mundelein Seminary for Theology, it was yet another sign of a commitment to God. That transition is an important time when a man says ‘yes’ to the call.

“I was still discerning the first few months I was at Mundelein. Just not sure if that was what God wanted me to do. But by the end of the first year of Theology, I knew.”

“My time in Theology was a time of academics and learning the traditions of the Church. There were many retreats, hours of spiritual direction and spiritual formation. They help you develop your relationship with God.”

Also during his four years of Theology, Dave has had the opportunity to be involved in many ministries, including: assisting in an RCIA program, working in Youth Ministry, serving in a bi-cultural parish with both English and Spanish-speaking communities, studying Spanish in Guadalajara, Mexico, serving as chaplain at OSU Medical Center, and working at St. Paul’s Parish in Westerville as a seminarian intern for 13 weeks.

“These experiences helped shape the minister that I am today.”

Dave was ordained a deacon on May 5th, 2007. He was pleased to serve as a sacramental minister, to baptize, and to preach. Yet, he continues to look forward to the vocation to which he was called -- that of a priest.

His ordination to the priesthood will be May 24, 2008.

“It is exciting to be able to serve in the way I’ve been called to serve. To celebrate Mass, Wow! To join my priest friends in preaching the Gospel. To be a spiritual father to people in need. I am looking forward to being part of a parish community. To serve people young and old, women and men. To feed the people the Word of God and the Eucharist.”

“It will be a whole new adventure. It’s both an end and a beginning. There’s a lot of excitement, and the Lord is full of surprises.”