Seminarian Profile:
Carlos Villanueva

Do your family and friends think it is a good idea that you are becoming a priest?
Yes and no. My family is very supportive and so are many of my friends. Still, there are some who don't understand the vocation and think that it's a waste. Others think it's strange and tell me, "Whatever makes you happy..." But it's not only "whatever makes you happy." It is about abandoning myself to Christ in an intimate relationship with Him and loving as the Spirit inspires me to love. It is much deeper than "whatever makes me happy." It is experiencing Christ's love and sharing it with the world in the person of Christ.

Do you ever have any fun? What do you do in your free time?
It may be hard to believe, but seminarians have lots of fun. A lot of the time it's just from being in each other's company and being silly. I'm always amazed by the creative personalities here and often thank God for my new family of brothers. The spirit in the house is so light-hearted and full of life.

If you were not a priest, what do you think you would be?
I think I'd like to be a youth minister.

How many brothers and sisters do you have?
I have two sisters, one younger and one older.

What is your favorite TV program?
I don't really watch TV anymore, so I don't know.

Who is your favorite singer or music group?
I have two favorite singers who I think should record professionally together, Alissa Christopherson and Hannah Waterfield. I love their music because they sing of Christ's love and Passion, and I'm biased because they're good friends of mine.

Do you ever get bored while studying to be a priest?
Sure, but hardly ever.

How is a seminary different from a regular school?
We have more structure in our daily schedules because we pray together and have one meal a day together. We also have formation conferences twice almost every week.

How often do you see your family?
I don't get to see my family much, which is typical for studying out-of-state. We do have a Family Weekend when all of our families are invited to the seminary for the weekend. I also get to see my family when we have breaks (October, Christmas, Winter, Easter).

Can you really be happy as a priest since priests don't make much money?
Yes! If it were God's will, I could be happy living as a poor monk. This is because it is experiencing God's love in my life that fulfills me. There is no greater joy than to abide in His love. Life is so different in His love—it's exciting and full of wonder. And when one is full of God's love, one cannot help but share that love. It just spills out naturally.

How often do you pray?
Well, I try to make my life a prayer. In terms of community prayer, I celebrate Mass everyday and I also pray at least Morning Prayer, Evening Prayer and Night Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours. I also make time for 30 minutes to an hour of silent prayer before the Eucharist, and I try to pray the rosary daily.

Who helped you decide to become a priest?
Well, I haven't decided yet, but there are a few priests who have helped me really get started in my discernment: Father Gary Caster, Father Anthony Dittmer, and Father Brain Brownsey. Each of them helped me realize that there is nothing to fear if I am sincerely seeking to do God's will. He will lead me to where He wants me, even if I make a "wrong turn" in discernment, because His plan is perfect.

While I was still on the fence, Fr. Dittmer's words were especially consoling—that if I am generous with God, He will be infinitely more generous to me. There is no way I could outdo God in generosity. All I knew was that I loved God and I wanted to give myself to Him, but I didn't know how. With Fr. Dittmer's help I decided to be "generous" and apply to be a seminarian.

When did you decide to study to be a priest?  How did you know God was calling you to be a priest?
I decided to study to be a priest after an Emmaus Days retreat. I realized that I wasn't happy at ISU, and I was given an opportunity to try something new. Already I had the inclination that God was calling me to be a priest, but I was scared to act on it. After talking with Father Brownsey I realized that I had nothing to lose. Now that I'm here, the Lord has shown me in many ways that I am exactly where He wants me to be. Signs of this are a sense of peace and joy that withstands trials.

What do you think the best thing will be about being a priest?
I think the best thing I look forward to is being intimately close to Christ. Already it has been a joy to be formed into the person of Christ as a seminarian, as my heart is conformed more closely to His that I may share His love and love with His heart. God willing, the indelible mark put on my soul upon ordination will complete my conformation.