Spring Appeal

Faith, Reason, and Formation

Deacon Alex Becker (Milwaukee) once had what many would consider a dream job. As an engineer at Disney World, he helped bring the famous Star Wars ride to life – turning imagination into reality through precision, creativity, and discipline. Yet even as he thrived in a world shaped by design and order, Alex recognized a deeper truth: the order he worked with every day had a source. That source was God.

Drawn by a desire to seek the ultimate Truth behind creation itself, Deacon Alex left Orlando to pursue priestly formation at Saint Francis de Sales Seminary. God willing, he will be ordained a priest of Jesus Christ on May 16 – a living testament to how professional excellence can become a pathway to vocation, and how your support helps form priests for the Church.

Deacon Alex’s academic background is surprisingly common among our seminarians! Nearly 20% of our men come from the world of engineering. In our relativistic culture, these young engineers understood that the quest for objective truth leads directly to Jesus.

Michael Hess (Madison) followed a similar journey. As a civil engineer working in construction management, he helped build a hospital in San Diego and contributed to the renovation of a terminal at Los Angeles International Airport in preparation for the 2028 Olympics. He shared, “I think a love for what is true, good, and beautiful defines the common ground between engineering and faith. God created the ordered world, and that includes physics and laws of nature. So too did He create the supreme Truth, Goodness, and Beauty. There is a harmony that reaches to the depths of our souls.”

All of our seminarians arrive with remarkable gifts – intellectual competence, professional experience, and a proven capacity for disciplined work. These seminarians demonstrate that a call to the priesthood often emerges not in spite of professional excellence, but through it.

On a practical level, Deacon Joel Kolb (Milwaukee) shares that persevering through the demands of an engineering curriculum helped strengthen his fortitude – a virtue he knows will be essential as he gives his life in service to God. He continued, “Solutions to engineering problems can be right or wrong – the bridge either functions or collapses. Human actions can be good or evil – our soul either grows in virtue or vice. In both instances, the truth can be known. How I understand reality through reason and revelation directly informs my ability to help others lead a life of truth and goodness.”

For some, engineering became a catalyst for deeper conversion. Seminarian Levi Spaeth (La Crosse) reflects that God revealed Himself through his “rational and analytical mind,” and that the truths uncovered through this way of thinking ultimately “pulled him closer” to the Author of all truth. Engineering has likewise proven to be a natural complement to seminary studies. In his coursework, Levi has recognized clear patterns and meaningful connections among theological themes and concepts, reinforcing the harmony between faith and reason.

SUPPORTING THE FORMATION OF FUTURE PRIESTS

Founded in 1845, Saint Francis de Sales Seminary has served the Church for more than 180 years. Its mission endures: to form the hearts, minds, and souls of men called by Jesus Christ to serve God’s people as priests in the Roman Catholic Church. That mission continues to bear fruit today. God willing, 11 men will be ordained this May, and 28 new seminarians will begin formation in the fall of 2026, bringing the total number of men in formation at the Salesianum to more than 90!

Your support of Saint Francis de Sales Seminary helps provide spiritual, human, and pastoral formation, shaping priests who will preach the Gospel, celebrate the sacraments, and bring Christ’s healing presence into a broken world for generations to come.

Will you prayerfully consider a gift today and become a vital partner in this enduring mission?

– Did you know that it costs $200 per week – or $9,600 per year – to provide room and board for a seminarian?

– Did you know that the formation of a seminarian costs $300 per week, or $14,400 per year?

* Make a gift now: Give online at sfs.edu/support/donate

* Please consider making a recurring gift: Provide steady support all year

* Ask about legacy giving: Contact Joe Smyczek at 414-747-6400

Every gift – no matter the size – directly strengthens the formation of men preparing to serve Christ and His Church. Thank you for investing in our future priests!

Sincerely in Christ,
Very Rev. Luke N. Strand
Rector

Deacon Alex helps build the Star Wars ride at Disney World before choosing to follow the Lord’s call.

Michael’s construction management days lay the groundwork for a life of building up the Kingdom of God.