Deacon Nathaniel Daubner
Deacon Nathaniel is the son of Nathan & Jennifer Daubner and has four sisters and three brothers.
Seminary: Saint Paul Seminary, 2260 Summit Avenue, St. Paul MN 55105
Home Parish: St. Louis Bertrand, Foreston
Birthday: October 12
Deacon Nathaniel enjoys playing piano, singing, reading, biking, acting, softball, and baseball. His gifts are patience, perseverance, and music. Areas of interest are Literature, Dogmatic Theology, and Ecumenism.
The holy witness of his pastor was the instrument that the Lord used to place a desire for the priesthood on Nathaniel’s heart. Around the time of his First Communion, Nathaniel was greatly inspired by Fr. Don Wagner, who modeled a prayerful and loving example of the priesthood. This desire to be a priest continued to grow throughout Nathaniel’s childhood and into the years before high school. Faith was important in his family and his desire to become a priest, was not only accepted in his family, but enthusiastically supported. However, during high school, this desire changed. After an experience of mostly homeschooling, Nathaniel participated in some classes at the public high school and became involved in extracurriculars. Amid this high school experience, Nathaniel found himself pursuing other desires such as music, sports and relationships. Priesthood was now placed on the back burner in favor of these other more flashy desires. Towards the end of his high school experience and after some major disappointments, Nathaniel felt called to re-evaluate the desires of his heart and once again, the priesthood came up. While Nathaniel desired to pursue a career in law enforcement after high school, he felt it was important to at least try seminary since the thought was still tugging on his heart. Upon allowing the Lord to enter into his heart by stepping out in faith and trust in the Lord, Nathaniel has found God invitation to be his priest. Now a deacon, Nathaniel finds himself in his last year of seminary formation preparing for ordination to the priesthood. This experience of seminary formation and ministry as a deacon is truly a gift from God and it became possibly only by trusting that the Lord will provide the next step. All that one has to do is follow him.
Deacon Joseph VanDenheuvel
Deacon Joseph is the son of Russ & Nancy VanDenheuvel and has three sisters.
Seminary: Saint Paul Seminary, 2260 Summit Avenue, St. Paul MN 55105
Home Parish: St. Joseph, Bertha
Birthday: December 23
Deacon Joseph enjoys playing board games, sports, fishing, and spending time with his nieces and nephews. His gifts are problem solving and conversing. Areas of interest are football, basketball, and baseball.
Deacon Joseph’s hometown is Bertha; he grew up with two older and one younger sisters. Growing up, he was inquisitive and had many questions about his Catholic faith. During his senior year of High School, he enlisted in the Minnesota Army National Guard and spent many weekends at Camp Ripley and the St. Cloud airport. In the Fall of 2016, he moved to Brookings, SD, to attend South Dakota State University. Upon arriving on campus, he got involved at the Pius XII Newman Center and participated in a weekly bible study. After attending a SEEK conference in San Antonio, he felt the Lord inviting him to go to the seminary. He was hesitant, but after another year of prayer and striving to follow God’s plan in his life, he reached out to the vocation director and started applying for seminary. He is now in his seventh and final year of seminary.
Tobias (Toby) Ellis
Toby is the son of Dan & Carrie Ellis and has two brothers and two sisters.
Seminary: Saint Paul Seminary, 2260 Summit Avenue, St. Paul MN 55105
Home Parish: St. Mary’s Cathedral, St. Cloud
Birthday: July 4
Toby enjoys playing piano and tuba, cards, board games, riding his electric unicycle, and drama. His gifts are musical, academics, sensitive to others, sacrificing, self-control, patience, and preserving. Areas of interest are chemistry, playing the organ, and loves hiking, especially when visiting national parks.
Toby felt the Lord calling him to the priesthood at a young age, but was hesitant to follow that call, always looking for one more clear, unmistakable sign from the Lord. One day during his senior year of high school, he went to an adoration chapel, determined to stay there until he had an answer from the Lord whether or not he should become a priest. One hour past, and then another, during which Toby was getting more and more angry with God. If he was doing this for the Lord, why did it seem like God was ignoring him? At the peak of his frustration, he heard a tiny but powerful voice say, “Toby, you just need to trust me.” It was a small whisper which cut him to the core. At that moment, all the memories of people telling him that he would make a good priest, the daydreams of delivering a homily or holding Jesus Himself in his hands after consecration, and the thoughts of the priesthood that filled him with joy came flooding back into his mind. He had been given signs, and the question now became if he was willing to trust God enough to make the step to enter seminary. He was given the grace to realize that he must pursue the Lord by pursuing the priesthood and his prayer became, “Yes, Lord, I trust in You; help me to trust you more deeply each day.”
Scott Kahler
Scott is the son of Kay Kahler and has three sisters.
Seminary: Saint Paul Seminary, 2260 Summit Avenue, St. Paul MN 55105
Home Parish: Our Lady of Lourdes, Little Falls
Birthday: June 7
Scott enjoys music, soccer, climbing, cross country skiing, and downhill skiing. His gifts are caring, friendly, accepting, calm, and creative. Areas of interest are sports and outdoor activities.
Scott Kahler grew up in a practicing catholic family and attended the Catholic Schools in Little Falls through 8th grade. Right before Scott entered high school, he attended a Steubenville conference because his friends invited him and he received a change of heart towards how he lived out his faith. The faith shifted from something he just did with his family and at school, to something he believed in and desired to authentically live out. Returning to the Steubenville retreat after his sophomore year, Scott felt his first call to the priesthood. Not knowing what to do with it he didn’t tell anyone, but internally reflected on the call in his heart. It wasn’t until Scott’s senior year when he went on a seminary visit that he knew that seminary was where the Lord was calling him after high school. It was there at seminary that Scott’s love for God and the priesthood grew and looks forward to the day of his ordination in the St Cloud Diocese!
Mark Nosbush
Mark is the son of Daniel & Monica Nosbush and has six brothers and five sisters.
Seminary: Saint Paul Seminary, 2260 Summit Avenue, St. Paul MN 55105
Home Parish: St. Louis in Paynesville
Birthday: January 22
Mark enjoys outdoor activities, cards, ceramics, and being around his family and the farm. His favorite sport to watch is hockey. He is interested in physiology and psychology. Mark’s gifts are critical thinking, service to others, and responsibility.
Mark grew up on a hog farm in Paynesville, MN in a large family. He is the youngest of twelve children, with six brothers and five sisters. He enjoyed working with his hands when he was young and worked in construction, mostly wood framing, in his twenties for seven years. Mark first started to feel the call to the priesthood at twenty-five. This was after he started taking the faith more seriously and seeking greater communion with God. The Blessed Mother was a grace through the early years of his discernment and continues to be. He did not immediately answer the call, but the Lord was persistent and was able to draw him into his love. After a TEC retreat, a seminary visit to the Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary, and much prayer, Mark took the jump and entered IHM seminary at twenty-seven years old. A bible verse that has been a help for Mark on the way is John 6:68, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”
Neal Anderson
Neal is the son of Steve & Lisa Anderson and has two sisters & one brother.
Seminary: Pontifical North American College,
mailing address: Pontifical North American College, Neal Anderson, VATICAN CITY, 00120 VATICAN CITY STATE, EUROPE
Home Parish: Seven Dolors, Albany
Birthday: December 5
Neal was raised in Albany, MN. He says, “Albany not only has the most beautiful church in the diocese but the best bakery too.” He enjoys cribbage, fishing, ping pong, and hanging out with the poor in St. Cloud. He feels called to discern the priesthood because it might be the path that leads him closest to the heart of Jesus. After falling in love with Jesus in college, he later felt that Jesus’ command, “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations” (Mt 28:19) might be best fulfilled in his own life as a diocesan priest. Also, Neal is excited to serve the St. Cloud Diocese. He says, “The Holy Spirit is working big in St. Cloud Diocese! LET’S GO!”
Jack Tyrrell
Jack is the son of Jay Tyrrell & Joy Bettermann and has two brothers and one sister.
Seminary: Saint Paul Seminary, 2260 Summit Avenue, St. Paul MN 55105
Home Parish: Sacred Heart, Staples
Birthday: March 10
Jack enjoys playing the piano, singing, and volunteering. His gifts are music. Areas of interest are cross country, track, and music.
“Jack grew up in a Catholic family. In the middle of High School, he found he had an interest in philosophy and the intellectual tradition of the Church. After finding that the Church has strong reasons for having its teachings, Jack looked further into the lives of some saints, particularly Padre Pio. The incredible lives of the saints were inspiring for Jack and he resolved to follow in their footsteps. He began a prayer life and attempted to strive for holiness, and this led him to discern that God was calling him to the priesthood. Since then, Jack has been through minor seminary and his conviction for God’s call only grows stronger.”
Nicholas Daubner
Nicholas is the son of Nathan & Jennifer Daubner and he has four sisters and three brothers.
Seminary: Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary, Winona
mailing address: St. Mary’s University #1001, 700 Terrace Heights, Winona MN 55987
Home Parish: St. Louis Bertrand, Foreston
Birthday: December 22
Nicholas enjoys biking, hiking, billiards, pool, glass engraving, drawing, painting, and ceramics. His gifts are drawing, painting, and piano. Areas of interest are cyber security, biblical commentaries and insights, wood working, and psychology.
From an early age, Nicholas acknowledges that there was a persistent sense of calling in his heart, a quiet but undeniable nudge toward the priesthood. When pondering the priesthood during a moment of deep prayer and reflection before the Blessed Sacrament, he felt an overwhelming sense of peace and purpose that he hadn’t experienced before. This experience marked a pivotal turning point in his discernment. He realized that his vocation was not just a personal decision but a response to a divine invitation to serve others through faith. His journey has since been shaped by this profound encounter, guiding him toward the priesthood with conviction and joy.
Paul Guertin
Paul is the son of William Guertin & Amy Fair and has one sister and one brother.
Seminary: Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary, Winona
mailing address: St. Mary’s University #153, 700 Terrace Heights, Winona MN 55987
Home Parish: St. Andrew, Elk River
Birthday: December 16
Paul enjoys math, skiing, biking, camping, and reading many things such as science fiction, philosophy, and theology.
Paul first received his calling from the Lord in high school during weekly Eucharistic adoration. It was here that he repeatedly and consistently heard the words of the Lord, “Feed my sheep.” During Mass, Paul’s desire to serve the Lord grew ever stronger, as well. Throughout this deepening intimacy, the Lord would keep asking Paul to remember His plans. Finally, during his senior year of high school, when it was time to make a decision about what he would do next, the Lord encouraged Paul even more, especially with the Apostle’s words in 1 Corinthians 7, “I want you to be free from concern. The unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs-how he can please the Lord.” This inspired Paul and filled him with the courage he needed to step away from his worldly ambitions and follow the Lord into seminary. Throughout all this, St. Faustina and St. Paul remained close in Paul’s heart. It was through their guidance and intercession that he was able to hear the Lord’s voice and follow Him.
Henry Statz
Henry is the son of Ted & Marisol Statz and has three sisters & two brothers.
Seminary: Saint John Vianney Seminary, 2115 Summit Avenue, St. Paul MN 55105
Home Parish: St. Mary Help of Christian, St. Augusta
Birthday: January 12
Henry’s gifts are piano, drawing, good listener, friendly, and good work ethics. Areas of interest are theatre, musicals, ultimate frisbee, and cross country.
When Henry graduated college he immediately entered the workforce doing manual labor. During that first year out of high school, Henry went on a Come and See to the Saint John Vianney College Seminary. On this visit, Henry was inspired by a seminarian to ask God what God willed for his life. In the following months Henry spent time in silent prayer before the Eucharist. It was during this time that he felt a call to priesthood. In pursuit of God’s will he joined the seminary the very next academic year.
Collin Prom
Collin is the son of Donald & JoAnne Prom and has one sister.
Seminary: Saint Paul Seminary, 2260 Summit Avenue, St. Paul MN 55105
Home Parish: St. Mary, Upsala
Birthday: April 17
Collin loves sports, the outdoors, music, reading, hunting, and spending time with friends. Collin’s a people person.
Collin felt drawn to the priesthood from a very young age and would often tell others that he planned to be a priest as a child. Over time, the Lord kept placing a desire for the priesthood on his heart throughout high school but in a stronger way during his time at the University of Mary. As he grew in his relationship with the Lord through the sacraments and consistent prayer, he started to notice more and more desires for seminary and to give his entire life to the Lord. Noticing all of this, Collin came to realize that Christ was calling him to pursue the priesthood that he might lay down his life in service to Christ’s church.
Thomas Dockendorf
Thomas is the son of Kevin & Lynn Dockendorf and has two brothers and three sisters.
Seminary: Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary, Winona
mailing address: St. Mary’s University #751, 700 Terrace Heights, Winona MN 55987
Home Parish: Mary of the Immaculate Conception, Rockville
Birthday: September 15
Thomas’ gifts are painting and drawing. Areas of interest are exercising and basketball. Some of Thomas’ hobbies down in Winona include fishing, hunting, hiking, playing basketball, lifting weights, cooking, and reading books about the Saints and the Catholic faith.
Discernment for Thomas at a young age was not focused on closely through prayer. Thomas assumed that he would find himself a wife and have plenty of children to raise up in the Catholic Church. It wasn’t until his profound encounter with Jesus in the Holy Eucharist during an Ecclesia Domestica retreat in South Dakota that he started implementing the term vocation into his prayer life. A fervent voice was audible and his ears and heart were opened to a calling from God to enter the seminary and discern the vocation of priesthood for the diocese of St. Cloud. Thomas was enthused and joyful to have answered “yes” to this calling, trusting in God’s plan for his life, although fear and doubt had tried to force its way through the doors of discernment leaving him no choice but to surrender himself to the Lord. In the fall of 2023-2024 Thomas entered the Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary in Winona, MN. His formation and education in the seminary has been off to a great start, studying a mixture of Philosophy and Theology courses. His days are well spent through academic studies and prayer along with a healthy blend of fraternal time among the additional 62 seminarians he is living with.
Vincent St. Marie
Vincent is the son of Steven & Jennifer St. Marie and has three brothers and two sisters.
Seminary: Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary, Winona
mailing address: St. Mary’s University #751, 700 Terrace Heights, Winona MN 55987
Home Parish: Immaculate Conception, St. Anna
Birthday: April 12
Vincent’s gifts are patience and emotions control. Areas of interest are knowledge bowl, dungeons & dragons, plays, musicals, band, choir, and cross country.
During the time before Vincent seriously considered the priesthood as a path he might follow, he didn’t imagine his talents as anything more than tools for his own life, but that would change as he learned more about his vocation. He enjoyed learning, especially about legal systems, so he thought he could be a lawyer. He liked the idea of owning a business, so he weighed that idea. When received the sacrament of Confirmation, he started to take the idea of seminary seriously. Previously in the same year, however, he had participated in his first theatre productions and was thriving in and enjoying the drama club, so when some of the directors asked him whether he had thought about being in theatre as a career, he thought about that as well. As he considered all of these courses, he imagined himself a few decades down each path, but at first, he avoided doing so for the priesthood. When he started doing this, Vincent did not see himself as being fulfilled as a lawyer or entrepreneur; he expected to be interested in such things for a time but eventually grow bored and unsatisfied with them. Having realized this, he thought about how he would be as a priest in the same timeframe, but he did not find the same lack of fulfillment. Instead, Vincent saw a life of adventure and service that piqued his interest like nothing else had. Since entering the seminary, another perspective came to him in prayer: as a part of a Church with an important legal aspect, his attraction to legal systems would be addressed; as the father of a parish, financial involvement would be required, calling back to when he made business plans; and as a priest, Vincent’s attraction to theatre could be fulfilled in the Church’s liturgy, in which the priest’s role is more than just poetic.
David Guyse
David is the son of David & Maria Guyse and has one brother.
Seminary: Saint John Vianney Seminary, 2115 Summit Avenue, St. Paul MN 55105
Home Parish: Mary of the Visitation, Becker
Birthday: January 9
David enjoys deer hunting with his father. His gifts are persistence, discipline, time management, organization, and temperance. Areas of interest are cross country, track, and volunteering.
For David, the call to the priesthood has been one of peace. Entering seminary made him realize that he was not alone in this process, and that he wasn’t discerning priesthood for himself, but for the Lord, for the priesthood is His. Though the path ahead is surely unknown, what is known is that our Lord will always remain beside him and standing as a beacon of guidance. Part of growing in relationship with the Lord was seeing him in everything. From the smiling faces of fellow students on campus, to hearing Him in the soothing chorales of a Latin chant or adoring Him in the Blessed Sacrament.
Zach Klimek
Zach is the son of John and Mary Klimek and has one brother.
Seminary: Saint John Vianney Seminary, 2115 Summit Avenue, St. Paul MN 55105
Home Parish: St. Paul, Sauk Centre
Birthday: July 16
Zach’s gifts are positive attitude, extrovert, outgoing, kind, compassionate, intelligent, musical, lector, and server. Areas of interest are football, golf, archery, and One Act Play.
In middle school, Zach was told by many people that he should be a priest. That sounded crazy to him. He always knew he wanted to do something special when he grew up, but never knew how. That was until, in 10th grade, he attended a NCYC conference followed a few months later by a Steubenville conference. He was touched by the Holy Spirit and wanted to learn more about the faith; the idea of the priesthood started to become a little less crazy. Zach pursued his faith radically and is now in seminary to learn even more and discern the call.