This article recently appeared in the diocesan newspaper, The Lumen.
By KATIE BORKOWSKI Communications Specialist The Office of Vocations has announced the Diocese of Sioux City has two new seminarians, including Brian Schmit of St. Anthony Parish of Hospers. Schmit is the son of James and Joan Schmit. He is a 2022 graduate of Gehlen Catholic School in Le Mars and recently completed his freshman year at Iowa State University. This year, he will begin the propaedutic stage of formation at Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary in Winona, Minnesota. Over winter break this past year, Schmit participated in a Seek weekend. He acknowledged that is where “I felt like the Lord was calling me to the priesthood.” “On the first day that we were there, we had Mass and a couple of talks,” he said. “I do not know why but the thought of the priesthood kept coming to mind, even though it was never mentioned that day. Later on, at Seek, one of the speakers talked about how we need to take action in our lives and stop waiting around forever, which I took to heart because the priesthood was something I had been thinking about for a while.” Schmit pointed out later that day, when the attendees prayed in adoration, he took his thoughts to prayer, “asking the Lord if he was calling me to the priesthood.” “While I was kneeling there praying, a guy that was ahead of me turned around and asked to pray over me,” he said. “I had asked him to pray for me to know if I was being called to the priesthood, and while he was praying over me, a sudden wave of peace and calm washed over me. It was at that moment that I was sure the Lord was calling me to enter the seminary.” Since then, Schmit has had continued peace in “my decision and in my prayer about this choice.” Though no one has strongly encouraged him to discern the priesthood, Anthony Vera, a seminarian for the diocese from LeMars, was “a good role model” for Schmit in high school. “I first got to know him through cross country,” said Schmit. “He was always joyful and strong in his faith. Throughout high school, he helped me to grow in my faith through his example.” Schmit commented one of his favorite prayers is the St. Michael Prayer and his favorite novena is the Surrender Novena. This fall, he looks forward to “continuing to grow in my relationship with God and growing in fraternity with the other seminarians.”