Priestly vocation

By Sharmane Adams  |  The Catholic Compass  |  May/June 2022

“The priestly vocation is a mystery. It is a mystery of a wondrous exchange — admirable commercium — between God and man … Unless we grasp the mystery of this ‘exchange’ we will not understand how it can be that a young man, hearing the words ‘Follow me!’ can give up everything for Christ, in the certainty that if he follows this path he will find complete personal fulfillment.” (Gift and Mystery, John Paul II).

Many of us have fond memories of playing Mass as a young child. Chris Holcomb, who entered St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary in August 2019, remembers his first call to the priesthood when he was just five years old while playing Mass with his older sister, Rebecca Carter. He recalls growing in the faith in second grade. In middle school, Chris became active in altar serving at his parish, Little Flower Catholic Church in Pensacola. 

“I remember being very close to Jesus in the weeks following my first Communion in the second grade. My teacher, Mrs. Barbara Blume, gave each of us a small, white plastic cross as a gift with “Jesus Loves Me” written across it. I wore it every day and only replaced it when my parents gave me my first holy medal about a year later. Confirmation was another important time for me, as I was very eager to be fully initiated into the Church and receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit,” Chris said. 

Chris’s relationship with Christ continued to take root when he witnessed his grandfather’s death in the ninth grade. “That period was impactful, as it helped me see the value of faith in difficult times. Death and life, the cross, and the resurrection are at the heart of our faith,” Chris said.

Chris graduated from both Little Flower Catholic School and Pensacola Catholic High School. Before attending Florida State University to pursue a master’s degree in film production, Chris studied mathematics and theology at Spring Hill College in Mobile, Alabama. After college, Chris worked at Little Flower as a youth minister and taught math and religion at Catholic High. 

“I enjoyed my eight years of service in those positions because I knew my work made a difference and truly served the Lord. Nonetheless, I felt the Lord tugging at my heart. Eventually, I began spiritual direction and was encouraged to attend the diocesan discernment retreat in March 2019. Although it took me several more weeks to give a definitive ‘Yes,’ it was there that I realized that going to seminary was not something to fear.” Chris said. 

While at the retreat, Chris began speaking to one of his former Catholic High students, Peter Jutras, a current seminarian. Their conversation helped him realize that discerning a vocation to the priesthood was not something he would be doing alone. Chris spoke of spending most of his life not talking about his desire to enter the priesthood. At the retreat, he finally felt peace knowing that he could have an open dialogue with others who understood the process. 

“I cherish journeying on this path with my brother seminarians both in the diocese and at the seminary because of the fraternity that this common call brings about in our lives. Seminary, especially in the first few years, is an extended opportunity for discernment, and it is important to have people to support you in prayer and friendship,” he said. 

Aside from academic formation, Chris has enjoyed the pastoral opportunities of being a seminarian. He is currently serving in ministry at a local retirement home in Boynton Beach. 

“A priestly vocation is both a gift and a mystery. It is something to be cherished, guarded and allowed to bloom. Even if one discerns that priesthood is not his vocation, the opportunity to grow spiritually cannot be underestimated,” Chris said.