Christian Brayer
Propaedeutic Stage
Parish: Holy Apostles, New Berlin
Seminary: Saint Francis de Sales
Birthday: January 1
Intercessor:
I had first thought about the priesthood in high school but was not sure how to approach it or what to do about it. I decided to just go to college and pursue a degree in business. During my freshman year of college covid hit, and I ended up meeting with the vocation director for Milwaukee to see if priesthood could be my vocation. I ended up visiting the seminary and I honestly thought everyone was way too holy for me and I didn't think the Lord was calling me to be a priest at that time. Therefore, I went back to La Crosse, graduated and moved out to Pennsylvania for a job in sales. While in Pennsylvania I had more time on my hands so I spent more time in the chapel praying and being with the Lord. Then one day as I was walking out of Mass the priest pulled me aside and said I would make a great priest, out of the blue and it was not on my mind at all but after that it definitely was. A couple months later I moved back to Milwaukee and received a text from the new vocation director Fr. Malucha three weeks after I got back to Milwaukee and asked me to meet up. I agreed and then things kind of just transpired from there. Eventually, I knew that I should fill out the application and a month later I actually received the courage to fill it out. A couple months later I was living at the seminary working grounds crew!
The greatest challenge facing a man considering the seminary is leaving behind your personal desires and will. You need to try and abandon your will to only follow God’s will for your life. He is the one who knows what is best for you. However, it is very hard to try and neglect your own will because we are selfish and we think we know what is best for our lives.
Favorite Psalm verse is probably Ps 23:4 “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” I really like it because it articulates that no matter how difficult things are in our life if we turn ourselves to the Lord or abandon ourselves to the Lord, he will give us the strength and the perseverance to battle through the tough times with him at our side. It also illustrates how the devil can do nothing to harm us when we are with the Lord. It reminds me when I am tempted to just run to the Lord, don’t try to do things on your own.
My favorite activities outside of seminary are playing sports. I enjoy volleyball, spikeball, basketball, and pickleball. I also like to play a German card game called sheepshead.
I like to pray outside whenever I can. I have a spot on Lake Michigan where I go sit on the rocks and pray or read and it is very peaceful. There is little noise outside of the waves crashing into the rocks.
I do my best studying in the library. Some people like to study in their room but that does not usually work well for me. If I have a bunch of things to get done, I usually like to go to the library.
People can ask Saint Catherine of Siena to intercede for my vocation. I really enjoy reading about Saint Catherine of Siena. She also spends time talking about the importance of praying for priests.
© Archdiocese of Milwaukee Vocation Office | St. Francis de Sales Seminary | 3257 S. Lake Drive, St. Francis, WI 53235 | 414.747.6437
