Meet Diocese of Lansing seminarian, Christian Salata. 28-year-old Christian hails from the parish of Christ the King in Ann Arbor. He attended school at Spiritus Sanctus Academy which is run by the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist.
“It was really an amazing time for me at that school because it was there I came to know God, have a relationship with Him and it is where the desire to be a priest came into my heart,” recalls Christian.
A pivotal day in Christian’s path to the sacred priesthood, Deo volente, occurred upon Tuesday, April 19, 2005 when Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was elected Pope.
“The entire school went crazy when white smoke appeared. Almost every student had bells in their hands and we were running up and down the hallways ringing them. All the students gathered in the gym to watch the first appearance of the new pope, Pope Benedict XVI. When he came out I remember distinctly that I had a desire to be a priest. I think I remember saying the words ‘I want to do that’.”
Christian recalls “great peace and joy” in his heart upon being accepted to seminary for the Diocese of Lansing. He is now studying at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit.
“If there is one thing I wish I could have done differently would be to always make time for God in silent prayer. Just sitting with Him in front of the Blessed Sacrament, resting with Him. God works through our efforts to be there, even if we think our prayer is not bearing much fruit, God rewards us by making the effort just to be with Him. Always keep God as a priority, the priority, in your life.”
Please keep Christian in your prayers in the months and years to come. Saint Charles Borromeo, patron of seminarians, pray for him.
• Do you also feel that Almighty God may be to the Sacred Priesthood? Contact Father John Whitlock, Director of Seminarians for the Diocese of Lansing on 517-342-2507 or at jwhitlock@dioceseoflansing.org