Caleb Scherzinger
- Diocese/Religious Community Diocese of Evansville
Degrees Pursuing at Saint Meinrad
- Master of Divinity
What attracted you to the priesthood?
For me, one of the biggest attractions to the priesthood was helping others on their journey to encounter Christ. I find that accompanying others as they encounter Christ and grow in a life of faith is fulfilling. Within the role of the priesthood, I mainly see that in the sacraments of reconciliation and the Eucharist.
I find that an essential part of walking with people is healing. One of the most healing aspects of our faith is being able to forgive and be forgiven. In this forgiveness, we can see the love and mercy God shows each of us. The sacrament of the Eucharist is a source of strength for journeying in the world. As a future priest, I see my role in accompanying as being able to bring these sacraments to those on their journey with Christ.
Who or what influenced you to begin study for the priesthood?
There are two important people who influenced my vocation. The first was my pastor in high school, Fr. Eugene Schmitt. Fr. Eugene showed me what it means to be a good and holy priest. He was present to those in the community – whether at high school sporting events or to a family whose loved one is in the hospital. He also was a prayerful and gentle priest. When working with others, he is there to listen and hear people and their struggles, taking those struggles and concerns into consideration when making a decision.
The second person who influenced my vocation was Fr. Jerry Pratt. I met Fr. Jerry in college at the University of Southern Indiana. Fr. Jerry helped me with my vocational discernment. He was there to listen to my concerns about discerning priestly vocation. He also encouraged me to pursue this vocation by inviting me to the Hill and giving me other opportunities to see what the vocation of priesthood is and how I could see myself in that role.
What were you doing before you came to the seminary?
I studied accounting at the University of Southern Indiana in Evansville. Upon graduation, I entered the seminary at Saint Meinrad.
Favorite saint and why?
My favorite saint is St. Francis de Sales because he embodies spiritual accompaniment. In his writing, he consoles others on their spiritual journey. I feel that his insight shows us how we can accompany others on their faith journey.
Favorite Scripture verse and why?
Proverbs 12:27: “A slothful man will not catch his prey, but the diligent man will get precious wealth.” This passage speaks to me in that one of my favorite pastimes is hunting. Another reason this verse speaks to me is because of the idea that if you desire something, you need to put in the time to acquire it. Sometimes we want things but do not want to do the work. This verse motivates me to do the work necessary to achieve my goals in life and ministry.
Hobbies?
My hobbies are hunting, reading and gardening/potted plants.
What aspect of seminary life has been most rewarding?
One of the most rewarding parts of seminary is the ability to understand better who I am. One buzz phrase around seminary is “self-knowledge, self-acceptance and self-gift.” I find that one of the great rewards of seminary is being able to take the time to explore these three categories to serve others better, based on who I am as a person. The intention in seminary is to understand these categories and function in a way that allows you to work in God’s plan. Understanding this role has allowed me to serve others in ministry better.
Best advice you’ve heard in seminary?
The best advice I have heard in seminary is, “You get out of seminary what you put into it.” One of the things about seminary is that formation requires that for one to grow, he has to choose to grow. In this understanding, it is important to realize that if I do not want to do something, I do not have to do it. Though, if I don’t, I may be doing a disservice to myself and those in my future ministry – and miss out on an opportunity to grow in some aspect of my life.