John Norman
College IV
John Norman was born in Schenectady, New York. From there he moved to Ft. Collins, Colorado, ending up in Papillion, Nebraska just after starting kindergarten. He is the son of Joe and Joan Norman. He has an older brother Dan and two younger sisters Chris and Kay.
John attended St. Columbkille Catholic Grade School in Papillion through eighth grade and graduated from Papillion La Vista High School in 2005. He is currently a senior in college at St. John Vianney Seminary College in St. Paul, Minnesota. His college classes are taken at the University of St. Thomas. He has been an active member of St. Columbkille Parish and is an Eagle Scout.
John says, "Seminary life is a very rich experience. I wake up weekday mornings for a 6:00 AM holy hour. It's a powerful experience to wake up for the Lord. I can't think of a better reason. I study with 150 other men who are striving for holiness. We are there for each other. We pray hard and play hard. The seminary life is forming me into a man in Christ, a father. Whether I become a priest or a parent, the skills I learn here will help me."
The first time I ever thought about becoming a priest was in first grade. The priest came to visit our classroom and taught us. He was the coolest person I knew and so I wanted to be like him, but as I grew up the thought was far in the back of my mind. When I reached high school, I felt a real desire to seek God. The possiblity of a vocation came up again. After struggling with God, I realized that as a graduating senior in high school, I was the most free to choose that I would ever be. I wanted to give God and the seminary my first and freest choice.
"I think the idea of a seminary strikes fear into the hearts of most men. Good guys with generous hearts and zeal for the Lord are afraid of becoming weird. I would challenge you to come and visit a seminary. Talk to Fr. Hoesing, the Vocation Director, and meet the seminarians. You will meet real men living real lives for Christ in these seminaries, discerning the will of God. God is using these seminaries to make strong priests, strong fathers for his Church."
Men in Christ. Men of the Church. Men for Others.
