“We should not be discerning our vocations just by ourselves. We need the help of other people who love us and have the best in mind for us.” Fr. Paul Graney joins Fr. Craig Giera and Fr. Drew Mabee to share his journey to the priesthood. He describes the “light-switch moment” in his college dorm that sparked his discernment and reflects on the importance of mentors, community, and the desire to belong to something bigger than yourself. His story highlights how God uses every part of our lives—even hockey and pickup trucks—to draw us toward our vocation.

(0:25) Fr. Craig and Fr. Drew open the episode, recorded on the feast of Sts. Simon and Jude, by welcoming their guest, Fr. Paul Graney. The trio catch up on recent events in their lives and joke about the fact that Fr. Paul and Fr. Craig are often mistaken for each other. The conversation turns to Fr. Paul’s modified F-150 and love of playing hockey.

(08:30) Fr. Paul recalls growing up in Oxford, playing backyard hockey on the rink his dad built, and the joy of his high school varsity team’s first big win. He then shares how skiing trips with friends led him to a non-denominational youth ministry that he increasingly attended throughout high school.

(18:11) Fr. Paul explains how his Protestant youth minister encouraged him to consider ministry, something he initially rejected due to a fear of public speaking. While attending Oakland University, he experiences a sudden interior prompting: “Do you want to be a pastor?”

(27:40) Fr. Paul attends a small evangelical Bible program, learning Scripture, learning to preach, and serving in soup kitchens. He eventually moved to New York City and got a job at the Starbucks at Rockefeller Center, across the street from St. Patrick’s Cathedral. This led to an impromptu meeting with the priest and a return to the Sacrament of Confession and the Catholic faith.

(50:03) Fr. Paul attended a discernment weekend at Sacred Heart Major Seminary, where Fr. Tim Birney, the vocations director, encouraged him to live the Catholic faith for a few years while continuing to discern the priesthood. Once he finally entered the seminary, his biblical background helped him navigate the shift from a Protestant to Catholic understanding of Scripture.

(56:03) Fr. Paul recounts how his godfather and parents responded to his return to the Church, and how his renewed faith eventually drew them back to regular Mass attendance.

(58:24) Fr. Paul offers advice to men discerning the priesthood: stay close to the sacraments, listen, seek mentors, and immerse yourself in parish life. He concludes by reflecting on the gift of belonging to the “team” of Jesus Christ and the fraternity of the priesthood. He then closes the episode with a prayer for all discerning men and for the Church’s priests.

The Lord said, “Fine. You keep on shutting the door. I'm just going to take the hinges off the door and take the door away.” Fr. Rich Dorsch joins Fr. Craig Giera to share his vocation story, with cohost Fr. Drew Mabee absent from the podcast this month. Fr. Rich reflects on his path from altar serving as a child to hearing and accepting God’s call to the priesthood. He and Fr. Craig also discuss the importance of prayer, community, and perseverance in discernment, and how even health challenges can become encounters with God’s mercy.

(0:25) Fr. Craig welcomes Fr. Rich Dorsch of St. Hugo of the Hills Parish. Fr. Rich shares early lessons from ministry, including learning to see challenges as opportunities, and moments during Mass and confession when he feels overwhelmed by God’s love for His people.

(3:17) The priests reflect on how wearing the Roman collar often draws strangers to conversation, even when they are running personal errands. Fr. Rich describes how these moments remind him of community and the presence of faith even in ordinary settings like grocery stores and gas stations.

(5:56) Fr. Craig shares about a recent discernment gathering, emphasizing how men often begin to hear God’s call in their mid-20s. Both priests encourage listeners not to fear that they are “too old” to discern and to trust that God works through every season of life.

(8:40) Fr. Rich remembers a difficult and overwhelming first time altar serving, an experience that almost made him quit. Later, he gets involved in campus ministry at Grand Valley State University.

(15:36) As Fr. Rich’s faith grows, friends, family, and even his girlfriend suggest the priesthood. Though resistant, he begins to recognize that his deepest joy comes from serving in the Church. After college, Fr. Rich works in hospital emergency transport and later joins his family’s dental insurance company.

(26:13) A young man recognizes Fr. Rich from a hospital interaction that helped bring his family back to faith. Fr. Rich says that after years of him firmly closing the door to the priesthood, it was like the Lord had removed the hinges and taken the door away, awakening in Fr. Rich the certainty of his vocation.

(31:28) Fr. Rich begins taking evening theology classes and attending daily Mass before finally enrolling in Sacred Heart Major Seminary. The priests discuss some of the challenges of adapting to seminary structure and community life, and Fr. Rich admits he nearly left twice before learning to go all in on his discernment.

(50:09) Fr. Rich recalls how some health challenges and dietary restrictions became unexpected avenues of grace and early ministry. His time in the hospital also deepened his compassion for those who suffer and helped him unite his priesthood with Christ’s own suffering on the Cross. He then offers some advice to young men discerning the priesthood and closes the episode with a prayer.

“It's in the midst of all the struggle that the Lord really draws us ever closer to His Most Sacred Heart.” Fr. Bryan Shackett joins Fr. Craig Giera and Fr. Drew Mabee to share his vocation story. Fr. Bryan reflects on his journey from resisting the priesthood to embracing God’s call, the importance of prayer and confession in his discernment, and how teaching church history has deepened his faith. Along the way, the priests swap stories about parish life, discuss American Catholic history, and even dive into Tolkien’s wisdom on faith and perseverance.

(0:24) The episode opens with lighthearted banter over energy drinks and the “cross” of small inconveniences. Fr. Craig and Fr. Drew welcome Fr. Bryan to the podcast studio. He shares how he balances parish responsibilities with teaching at Sacred Heart Seminary and later touches on his love of history and J. R. R. Tolkien.

(2:12) Fr. Bryan explains the courses he teaches, including U.S. Church history and the age of iconoclasm. The priests reflect on the importance of art and beauty as a window into the divine, safeguarding the truth that God became man. This sparks a discussion on how religious imagery serves as catechesis for the faithful.

(5:38) The conversation turns to the anti-Catholic laws in the colonies and how difficult it was for priests to minister. Figures like Archbishop John Carroll and Fr. Gabriel Richard are highlighted as courageous leaders who built the foundation of the Church in America.

(11:51) Fr. Bryan says that the study of history is important because God “broke into history” to bring about our salvation. Thus, learning Church history helps Catholics understand their family story and see God’s hand at work.

(12:38) Fr. Craig and Fr. Drew share humorous ministry moments, including “incensing through the plants” and Fr. Craig’s beard-themed homily.

(15:57) Fr. Bryan segues to his vocation story, recounting how, as a college student, he initially resisted suggestions that he might be called to the priesthood. A discernment weekend at the seminary, prayer before the Blessed Sacrament, and gentle encouragement from his pastor began to open his heart. He describes experiencing God’s love in a powerful way, even when he was reluctant to accept it.

(26:54) Through confession, adoration, and spiritual direction, Fr. Bryan slowly broke down the obstacles he had placed before God. He recalls the pivotal experience of World Youth Day in Sydney, where his call to the priesthood was confirmed in a profound way. Mary’s intercession and the support of faithful mentors helped him find peace in saying “yes.”

(56:26) Fr. Bryan offers his advice to men discerning the priesthood and offers a brief reflection on the life and writings of J. R. R. Tolkien. Then, he closes the episode with a prayer of thanksgiving.