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

Pre-Theology I

BIRTHDAY
March 11

PARISH
Holy Cross Parish, Kaukauna

CONTACT
nicholas.vandehey@gmail.com

INTERCESSOR
St. Nathaniel the Apostle, also
known as Bartholomew. Jesus
identifies him as a “true Israelite”
with no “duplicity,” meaning he
was authentic and real. I desire
that same steadfastness, always
recognizing Jesus in every
situation.

If you found yourself with half an hour of free time, what would you do
during that time?
I would try to either do something active like a walking or running rosary or
do the exact opposite and take a nap!

What is your favorite mystery of the rosary?
The Second Joyful Mystery — The Visitation. While we often, and rightly so,
focus on the sacrifice of the cross, I love The Visitation because it reminds us
of the great joy in receiving and coming to know Jesus and his mother. It also
invites us to recognize God’s presence in others, just as Elizabeth does.

If someone came to your hometown, what is one thing they would have
to do and why?
We would definitely have to eat some good food because there is honestly
nothing more entertaining to do. A good cookout with some yard games,
cards, and great company is really what makes it home. We can compete,
share stories, and simply enjoy the presence of family and friends.

Briefly, how would you explain what happens at Mass to someone?
At Mass, we climb the mountain of the Lord where he bends down toward us,
and we reach upward, simultaneously recognizing both our littleness and our
greatness in being God’s children. We first hear the word of God proclaimed.
Then the sacrifice of the cross is re-presented as the perfect sacrifice for the glory
of God and the redemption of sins. We offer ourselves back to God, recognizing
our need of a Savior, and he gives himself fully to us in the Eucharist. Renewed,
we are sent outward on mission to witness to the world the joy of the Gospel.

Explain how a priest helped you discern a call to the priesthood.
Throughout my life, many priests have helped me discern a call to the priesthood,
especially through their own joy, sacrifice, and witness to the Truth. Whether
it was in the confessional, the Eucharist, or even through simple experiences
and relationships, the priests that had the biggest impact on my life always
pointed me toward holiness and a personal love of Christ.
I remember being particularly uncertain about the idea of being a seminarian
at one point, and a priest reminded me that I was Nick Vande Hey first and then
a seminarian. I was a beloved son of the Father first, and everything else flowed
from that identity. Beginning to live out of that identity, saying yes to God in the
little things, and recognizing that priests are normal dudes, eventually helped
me realize a desire for priesthood that really came from a desire for Jesus.
Simply walking with me toward holiness and deeper intimacy with Christ
brought me to a place where God could reveal the true desires of my heart.

How do you view a priest’s relationship to the Blessed Mother?
While I think it can be difficult to be receptive to the Lord and receive the
love that Christ desires to share with us, Mary demonstrates how to be
perfectly receptive to the Father. She teaches us how to receive Jesus with
joy and always points us back to him. For priests, this relationship with Mary
is essential so that they may be open to the will of the Father and say, as
Mary did, “May it be done unto me according to your word.”
I believe an openness to Mary also leads to an openness to her spouse, the
Holy Spirit. She teaches us not only how to recognize the Holy Spirit but also
how to act in response to that love. Just as Jesus went to his mother in his
human need as a child, we also should take our own human needs to Mary.
Just as she brought the intentions of the wedding couple at Cana to Jesus,
so, too, will she bring our intentions and our hearts toward him. I think Mary
understands the heart of a priest in a unique way because she knew the heart
of Jesus, the High Priest, witnessing many of his joys and sufferings. In the
same way she can be present to all of our hearts, demonstrating how to live
purely and helping us to give our hearts back to Christ so that he can heal
them and make them whole.