Abide: Tell us a bit about yourself.
Travis: I grew up in Grande Prairie, AB with my
parents and my sister. I am currently 22 years old and reside at St. Joseph
Seminary in Edmonton. I am studying for the Archdiocese of Grouard-McLennan in
NW Alberta. Having completed my philosophical training, I am presently enrolled
in the propaedeutic program, a year of spiritual formation at the Seminary, and
spend most of my time in prayer, study, and service.
Abide: Has your faith always played a big role in
your life?
Travis: I actually stopped going to mass when I was
about 12 years old. It was a burden to me, as I’m sure many young people can
identify with, and when I questioned my parents they, having hardly been catechized themselves, weren’t prepared to answer any of my questions. It
wasn’t until I was in high school that I came back to the church. My girlfriend
at the time convinced me to attend a retreat at the Way of Holiness near
Hinton, where I had a profound encounter with Jesus in Eucharistic Adoration. I
fell in love with the Scriptures, reading them day and night. Within a few
months I was shown how to pray the Rosary and devoted myself wholly to it. In
my final year of high school I was led to attend daily mass and encouraged
other students to attend as well.
Abide: When did you first consider the possibility
that God might be calling you to the priesthood?
Travis: When I was 16 I attended some ordinations
in Vancouver. Though I wasn’t actually open to the priesthood at the time, (I
was in a relationship), I was somewhat attracted to the idea of living
exclusively for others. The long and short of it is that within six months our
relationship had crumbled as the idea of priesthood became a constant thought.
We broke it off and I began attending daily mass. Not long after I was in
contact with Archbishop Pettipas and on my way to the seminary. As I mentioned
earlier, I am studying for the Archdiocese of Grouard-McLennan (NW Alberta). God
willing that I complete my studies, I would return to my Archdiocese where I
would be ordained and serve as a priest for the remainder of my years. I chose
the Archdiocese of Grouard-McLennan because that’s where I am from and that’s
where I want to serve. It’s also a missionary diocese with not a lot of
structures in place. That means we have to be creative leaders. That’s my kind
of place.
Abide: What aspects of being a diocesan
priest appeal to you the most? What do you think will be the biggest
challenges?
Travis: People are looking for meaning in their
lives. They are looking everywhere for the purpose of their existence, in this
or that spirituality or whatever it may be. They are meant for something more
than work and consumption and they know it. I want to be able to share with
them the joy and peace that I have received from Christ. I can’t think of any
better way than for me to offer my life in service of the Church as a priest. I
don’t really know what my biggest challenge will be. I do know that whatever it
is, it will also be the greatest source of God’s grace for me and for whomever
I am serving.
Abide: Do you have any advice for other young
adults who are discerning the call to the priesthood or other forms of
consecrated life?
Travis: Yes. Be a saint. If you want to take
seriously a possible call to priesthood or consecrated life, or the married
life, you must first and foremost take seriously our call as Christians to be
holy. If you’re not praying, start; if you’re not attending mass, attend, and
with devotion. The Eucharist is the source of our life as Christians, no less
is it the source of every vocation in the Church. Also, it will be very helpful
to find a good spiritual director who can challenge you to be a saint and to
recognize God’s action in your life.
