Florida Catholic | Seminarian Alex Smith

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Meet the Seminarian

Humor, humility help in discerning vocation

Twenty–four year–old Kyle Smith’s favorite saint is the patron of comedians, St. Lawrence – no joke.

Published: 04.11.08

Home parish: Our Lady of the Rosary, Land O’Lakes

Seminary: St. John Vianney College Seminary School attended before seminary: Saint Leo University

Hobbies: I like to walk, hike, play soccer and play foosball. Believe it or not, foosball is taken very seriously at the seminary.

FC: When was the first time you thought of the priesthood?

KYLE SMITH: The first time I thought about the priesthood was probably in high school, around my sophomore or junior year.

FC: Who influenced you to want to become a priest and how did that person influence you?

KYLE SMITH: My mother (Margaret) and my pastor (Father Ron Aubin) helped to influence me to explore the priesthood as a possible vocation. My mother was very open to any vocation I would choose. Her constant belief is that my happiness would be in the vocation that God wanted for me. My pastor has been a strong advocate for a vocation to the priesthood by showing his constant love for being a priest. The way he is the shepherd in my parish is truly awesome. If God wills that I be ordained, I hope someday to be as much of priest as he is.

FC: What is your favorite Scripture passage and why?

KYLE SMITH: Hebrews 5:1-4: “Every high priest is taken from among men and made their representative before God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He is able to deal patiently with the ignorant and erring, for he himself is beset by weakness and so, for this reason, must make sin offerings for himself as well as for the people. No one takes this honor upon himself but only when called by God, just as Aaron was.”

So far this is my favorite passage in the Bible because it speaks to my vocational call. I think this piece of Scripture is empowering and humbling at the same time. Those who are chosen to be priests are not extraordinary on their own merit; they are flawed and imperfect men. They are, however, made extraordinary by God so that they can be capable to do his work. This piece of Scripture makes all the struggles of seminary life bearable because it is not my merits that will get me along, but God dragging me in my weakness and incapacity to do the things he wants me to do for him.

FC: What are some of the most important parts of the discernment process?

KYLE SMITH: If you are thinking about discernment to be a priest, I would say, firstly, do you feel a calling or not? If you feel the call to priesthood is completely inconceivable then you are probably not called into a vocation. However, if you feel the slightest indication that you might be called to the priesthood there might be something to it. Do not expect a call to the priesthood to start off with a phone call from God or for a lot of bright lights to be involved; however, don’t discount the call if it does happen that way. If the call happens, it will be something subtle and something you find to be pleasant. If you feel the call, examine it and take the steps to see if there is something more. Take your time; God is in no rush for you to make the right decision. Talking to priests about the life can be a helpful way to more clearly discern your call. The most important part is to follow through with the discerning process and pray.

FC: What advice would you give to someone considering a vocation to the priesthood or religious life?

KYLE SMITH: Give it a shot; you will never know if God is calling you to the priesthood if you do not take the steps to find out more about the life. As far as I know, no one has been lost to this world because they started the application process to become a seminarian. It was tough for me, but eventually all of my wounds healed and even though I have a slight limp, I can still walk. Just kidding!

FC: Who is your favorite saint and why is he/she your favorite?

KYLE SMITH: I am going to say St. Lawrence. He is the patron saint of comedians, so he is a man after my own heart. There is a story about when he was being martyred by being grilled to death, that he made a joke to executioners. He said, “I think you can turn me over now, I am done on this side.” I have to assume that that had to be a trying time for him, and what did he do to make the situation bearable? He made a joke. It takes a real man to take a painful situation and make it laughable. I think good laughter is pretty close to hearing God speak to me. If I can hear God in a good belly laugh, nothing can beat that.

FC: What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned, spiritually, so far, while at the seminary?

KYLE SMITH: God wants your happiness. He knows you are broken and unworthy, but he still wants you even though you think to yourself, “What can God want from me?” The answer is simple, but incredibly hard to hear, and it is he wants you wholly and entirely.

In cooperation with the diocesan Vocations Department, The Florida Catholic is periodically publishing a series of brief profiles of the men preparing for the priesthood in the diocese. For more information, visit the Vocations Department’s Web site at www.spvocation.org. E-mail the vocations director, Father Len Plazewski, at spvocation@aol.com. He also can be reached at 727-345-3452.

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Humor, humility help in discerning vocation

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