T.J. Vandermeer

What did you do prior to entering seminary?
There was only a one year gap between high school and seminary for me. During this time I worked in construction, I was an Iron Worker, meaning I helped build big industrial buildings, often warehouses, but I did help build a few hockey arenas, and even a church! That was a great experience, I really liked it. I have gone back to work in the same company for the last three summers since being in the seminary.

What influenced your decision to apply for seminary entrance?
My desire towards the priesthood has pretty much always been there, but I was invited by the former vocations director, Fr. Patrick, to attend a Come and See weekend in the Seminary, this was in my last year of high school. I really enjoyed it, but I felt that God was calling me to wait a little bit before I entered the seminary. So I did, I worked in construction for that year, and then I went to another Come and See. This one was exactly one year after the first one. It was at this Come and See that I really heard God calling me to give the seminary a try. It was a very intimidating step, but I felt God's hand through it all. Now, four years in, I certainly do not regret that decision. 

Why do you want to be a priest?
I want to do the will of God. That is ultimately the only thing I want to do with my life. Right now I hear God calling me to be a priest. I have not made any final decision yet, but I try my best to do God's will everyday and he keeps calling me closer and closer to the priesthood. I do not know for certain if I want to be a priest, but I do know that I am in the right place to truly discern what God wants me to do. That is why I am here.

What are your favourite pastimes?
I like playing sports, especially soccer. I also like building things, as I said I used to work in construction, and I think there will always be a little bit of a builder in me. Last semester I built a little shelf for my room here in the seminary, right now I am working on a kind of desk for my room. For me this is a great way to relax, it takes my mind off of my studies for a little bit. 

What is your favorite quote?
That is a very open ended question, but one of the quotes that come to mind at this time is one from Pope Benedict XVI, he said: "The World offers you comfort. But you were not made for comfort. You were made for greatness." I think that is really how I try to live my life. I am certainly not perfect. I am no saint, but I try, everyday, to strive for greatness. Never to settle for cheap comfort.

Who is your favorite Saint and why?
I have a few I would say. Maybe St. Bosco, or St. John Vianney, but I think my favorite has to be St. Francis of Sales. That was a man who lived a truly fearless and courageous life. He did not settle for anything less then greatness. He went out into very hostile places and preached the Gospel fearlessly. He is an inspiration for me, and, in the case that I am called to be a priest; if I am half the priest he was, I will be a very good priest.

What advice would you give to a young man thinking about the seminary?
Pray. For me, prayer is the most important thing anyone can do in a day. I know it is tough, I know it is easy to forget or postpone, but if you give God time to work in you, he will work through you, and amazing things will happen. Also, take it one day at a time. The only time we can influence is the present moment, not the past, not the future. The gift of the priesthood is a amazing thing, but it can also be very intimidating, don't think that you have to be a perfect man before you enter the seminary, I have been in here for four years now, and I am still very far from perfection. If God is calling you to give the seminary a try, then do it. Do not let fear be the thing to keep you from entering the seminary.