SEMINARY
St. Francis de Sales Seminary
3257 S. Lake Drive
St. Francis, WI 53235-3702

Pre-Theology I

BIRTHDAY
June 15

PARISH
St. Therese Parish; East Krok,
Pilsen, and Stangelville

CONTACT
josephcherney00@gmail.com

INTERCESSOR
The Blessed Mother. The title
Our Lady of Sorrows reminds
me that just as Mary cooperated
with the Holy Spirit and remained
faithful in difficult times, so should
I, trusting in God’s providence
when encountering difficult
moments.

If you found yourself with half an hour of free time, what would you do
during that time?
That's just enough time for quickly keeping myself up to date with the news
or reading a few chapters in a book.

What is your favorite mystery of the rosary?
The Fifth Luminous Mystery — The Institution of the Eucharist. I always find
new beauty in reflecting on how the sacrament pulls us closer to Jesus.

If someone came to your hometown, what is one thing they would have
to do and why?
They would have to visit the local businesses that are staples here in rural
Kewaunee County: Konop’s Meat, which has drawn people from all over the
area; Krohn’s Dairy, for cheese of every shape and size made with local dairy;
Parallel 44 Winery, for local wine; and St. Lawrence Catholic Church, to see
one of the most beautiful churches in the diocese. Through the support of
parishioners, the church has not changed since 1883.

Briefly, how would you explain what happens at Mass to someone?
More than any other part of the Christian life, the Mass is where we encounter
God in a very real way. The first part of the Mass is known as the Liturgy of
the Word, where the community listens to how God has worked throughout
history starting with the Jewish people, including figures like Moses and King
David. The next two readings are from the early Christian communities, either
from the apostles or from St. Paul, and the Gospel speaks of the life of Jesus.
The second half of the Mass centers on holy Communion, where the priest
makes Jesus truly present under the appearance of bread and wine.

Explain how a priest helped you discern a call to the priesthood.
When I was in college, one of the priests on campus helped me to discern by
his example in serving the students. The priest’s work in praying with, advising,
and being a model of someone in love with Jesus caused me to ask myself if
I desired to live that life. This priest guided me in understanding my prayer
life, pushing me to serve the local community through food drives to show
that priesthood involves being with the people you are called to serve.
When I expressed interest in the priesthood, he took that seriously, making
sure I truly wanted to pursue this call from the Lord. I remember when I asked
him to explain what he loved about being a priest, he told me, “Without
the Eucharist and being able to provide Jesus to others, I couldn’t have the
strength to do this.” The Mass then became for me a place where both the
priest and the people in the pews are restored by Christ.

How do you view a priest’s relationship to the Blessed Mother?
“To Jesus, through Mary.” This quote by St. Louis de Montfort describes the
core of the relationship a priest has to the Virgin Mary and one that, without
proper devotion, leaves the priest without a vital point of spiritual growth.
Mary wants each of us to develop a relationship with her son, Jesus, and she
is our model in following him. For priests, Mary becomes their mother in a
special way as they are united to Christ through the sacrament of holy orders.
Mary is meant to be a special intercessor for priests and one that I believe is
necessary for the spiritual strength priests need. She can intercede with her
Son better than anyone in times of struggle, joy, or simply to thank him.
In my own life, I have seen my relationship with Jesus grow by leaps and
bounds as I made the intentional decision to deepen my relationship with the
Blessed Mother. God-willing, if I am ordained a priest, she will be an even
more necessary part of life and service to the people of God. That is why de
Montfort’s quote strikes me so deeply, because it is through Mary that we are
all are called to draw closer to Jesus.