Responding to God's Call/Seminarian Anthony Shumway

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Editor’s note: This is one in a series of personal vocation stories from seminarians, religious women, deacons and priests in the Diocese of Salt Lake City.

“I have received everything I asked for and more just by saying ‘yes’ to God and his will.”

In my youth, I saw the priest at the altar and was drawn to the beauty he presented, so when I made my First Holy Communion I become an altar server. I always felt that I got more from the Mass when I was serving than when I was just sitting with the congregation.

Fast forward to after Confirmation: I was going on 17 years old; no longer did I have the thought of wanting to be with the priest but instead I found beauty in girls.

Again, fast forward a few years: After graduating from high school I moved away for college. By this point I was pretty much done with religion. I believed in God, and that Jesus died for me, but the idea of having to go to church to pray was something I couldn’t get behind. For almost five years I was the guy who went to church only at Christmas when I came home to visit my parents. I told God that I needed three things in my life to be happy: a good career, a good family and plenty of money to support my family. That was my focus.

Well, God answered my prayers; he gave me all three of those things in one way or another. I had really close friends who I still say are my family, and I had a great career where I made plenty of money. But the thing I never asked for was to be happy. And I was miserable. It took me close to five years to learn that I needed to not demand God give me what I want but to instead ask God what he wants from me. Once I started to do that I realized pretty quickly that I had no future outside of the Church and that what God wanted me for is to bring the Gospel to people.

I may not have all of the luxuries that I had in the life I gave up, but I do have people who are my family in Christ, and I do have an amazing career and, lastly, I do have all of the support I need so that I can do so much more for others. God may have pulled me from what I thought I wanted in the way I wanted it, but ultimately I have received everything I asked for and more just by saying “yes” to God and his will. By following him I have all of his graces to back me in whatever I can do for him. By turning away from the notion of “me” and focusing on the “you” of God I found that my life is so much more fulfilled and happier.

To someone discerning the religious life or priesthood, my advice would be to start asking what his will is for you, and to spend as much time as you can in silence before the tabernacle so that you can listen to what he has to say, because God doesn’t speak to us by way of flaming bush or booming voice, but a small whisper. God only nudges; it is up to us to accept that nudge and walk with him.

Anthony Shumway has completed 3rd college at Mt. Angel Seminary.