Dominican Sisters Open Mic
Ep. 9: Journey to Priesthood (Fr. Seamus Kettner)
Host: Sr. Miriam, O.P. (Openlight Media)
Guest: Fr. Seamus Kettner
Date: March 25, 2026
Episode Overview
In this heartfelt episode, Sr. Miriam sits down with Fr. Seamus Kettner to explore his gradual and grace-filled journey to the priesthood. Their discussion traverses themes of vocation, suffering, spiritual guidance, the Marian influence in his life, and the subtle yet powerful ways God works in individual hearts. Fr. Seamus shares the challenges and milestones—from his Catholic upbringing, through doubts and restlessness, to profound conversion moments—culminating in his ordination and his love for serving as a priest. The episode is suffused with candid reflections, humor, and a deep sense of hope for anyone discerning their own path.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The Law of Gradualness in Vocation
- God works slowly and subtly in people’s lives; vocations are "a gradual process"—rarely a single moment of clarity.
- Fr. Seamus describes himself as a mix: the storyteller gift of his Irish heritage and the brevity of his German side (04:22).
- His journey was marked by resistance and moments of “battling with the Lord,” eventually leading to deeper trust.
2. Family & Early Faith Formation
- Fr. Seamus grew up in Pinckney, MI, attending St. Mary's Catholic School.
- His father (German/Dutch, raised Lutheran) and mother (Irish Catholic, non-practicing after adolescence) met at college over basketball (04:41).
- Faith in the family reawakened when considering school for their children. His parents’ return to faith led to his and his sister’s baptism at age four and a half on Pentecost Sunday, also John Paul II's birthday (08:29–08:37):
"My walk to the Father's kingdom began that day... I had a seal on my soul, marked forever." – Fr. Seamus
3. High School Years: Sports, Identity, and Wounds
- Baptized later than most, he went on to play basketball (his passion) through high school at Catholic Central Novi (10:09).
- During these years, his parents divorced, creating deep wounds and mistrust (12:24):
"I can't trust God and I can't trust my parents and I just have to trust myself. That's not a good place to be." – Fr. Seamus (12:25)
- Sports and academic achievement became means of finding identity and coping (13:33).
- Despite daily proximity to the chapel, he avoided it entirely during high school, reflecting spiritual resistance despite external religious setting (11:39).
4. College: Restlessness, Searching, and the Role of Philosophy
- Attended Wittenberg University in Ohio, attracted by scholarship (16:03).
- Studied psychology initially, but switched to philosophy, drawn by existential questions about the soul, truth, and what it means to live forever:
"The mysteries of self and soul... I can't even figure out my own self, you know, how can I figure out somebody else?" (17:40)
- Became restless and unfulfilled, looking for meaning in friendships, pleasure, and achievement; admits to falling into college culture and distancing from faith (19:51).
5. Turning Point: Studying Abroad in Ireland & Marian Influence
- In junior year, without a clear plan, he impulsively decided to study abroad in Ireland, encouraged by his mother (21:26).
- Received advice from his childhood priest (Fr. Ken):
- Pray the Rosary (which he’d never done on his own before)
- Visit Our Lady of Knock Shrine in Ireland (22:33)
- While in Ireland, he encountered Christian peers who inspired him with their lived faith (23:15).
- After much prodding from his mother, he made a trip to Knock, experiencing significant spiritual breakthrough (24:43):
"Her persistence, her annoyance, if you will... like, oh, my goodness, for her sake I gotta go." – Fr. Seamus (24:29)
6. Profound Conversion at Knock: Confession & Healing
- Arriving at Knock (after travel misadventures), he attended Mass and was powerfully convicted of Christ's real presence in the Eucharist (26:14).
- Moved to go to confession with a particular priest, who gently probed about his early life, specifically his experience of his parents' divorce and estrangement from his dad (28:52–30:08):
"I was 12 when my parents had divorced. But ... I didn't speak to [my dad] for almost four years, from my freshman year of high school to my freshman year of college."
"Seamus, those are very transformative years of your life... I think you've been a little too hard on yourself, a little too self-critical. For penance, I want you to say three Hail Marys, one for your mind, your body, and your soul." (30:09) - Leaving confession, he experienced overwhelming peace for the first time, recognizing it as a grace beyond his own efforts (30:09–31:32).
7. Marian Guidance: Our Lady of Knock & Consecration
- After confession, Fr. Seamus reflected on the silent, pointing presence of Mary at Knock, as in his own life:
"She really appeared with her family... Mary didn't say anything... she went just pointing to Jesus, the healer of body and soul, the healer of families." (33:41)
- Wrote his first anonymous prayer intention about discerning his vocation at Knock (36:18).
- Recognized that God, through Mary, had been gently knocking on his heart all along (33:48; 36:41).
- Later made a formal Marian consecration on the Feast of the Assumption, highlighting Mary’s perseverance in leading him to Christ (39:11, 45:37):
"She tunes our ear to hear the voice of the Lord... she clears our vision, she's a windshield wiper... a humble handmaid doing anything for us, to help us see and to hear the Lord." (46:52)
8. Discerning Priesthood: Religious Life, Seminary, and Ordination
- Lived with Fr. Ken for a year before seminary, a time of deep formation (38:34).
- Briefly discerned with the Marian Fathers, found peace and strong Marian devotion but ultimately felt a stronger call to diocesan priesthood (“like a shoe just a little too tight”) (41:12).
- Entered Sacred Heart Major Seminary, experienced rigorous years of discernment, culminating in a 30-day retreat that brought moral certitude about his vocation (42:05):
"That 30 day retreat was really... the moral certitude that I felt called to be a priest." (42:05)
- Ordained on June 10, 2023, at age 27 (42:42). The most moving moment was Fr. Ken placing the priestly stole on his shoulders (42:57):
"I just received the gift of tears, right? ...The Lord, my yoke is easy and my burden is light. The washing of that peace and then the love, really—the love of God..." (42:59)
9. Life as a Priest, and Continuing Marian Devotion
- Now serves at St. Francis of Assisi in Ann Arbor; very grateful for his parish and ongoing pastoral work (42:49).
- Renews his Marian consecration daily:
"First thing upon rising, I get on my knees and I make my act of consecration prayer. It's really in essence a promise to try our best to live out our baptismal vow... to choose God." (48:04)
- Mary continues to quietly but persistently point him—and others—to her son.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
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On Restlessness and Surrender:
"I was anxious, I was unfulfilled, I was restless, and I had no idea what I was going to do with my life. And I was just... I was angry, too. You throw that in the mix, that's a bad combo. That's a bad day, right?" – Fr. Seamus (19:51)
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On Marian Guidance:
"She tunes our ear to hear the voice of the Lord..." (46:52)
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On the Profound Peace of Confession:
"There was within me a peace that I knew I couldn't give to myself; I'd tried for many years, many years. And now that is something else, that's coming from someone else." – Fr. Seamus (30:09)
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On Our Lady of Knock:
"She's knocking, knocking on your heart. Knocking, knocking on your heart, right?" – Sister (31:32)
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On Spiritual Fatherhood:
"Father Ken, placing the stole over my shoulders... seeing me confirmed... placing the stole, the priestly stole on my shoulders—I was like, you know, the Lord, my yoke is easy and my burden is light." – Fr. Seamus (42:59)
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On the Gradual, Quiet Work of God:
"Even the fact that you may have spent those years in high school walking past the chapel. There was the knocking... Our Lady of Knock. And God is continually looking for us because he loves us and brings us back into relationship with Him." – Sister (48:36)
Timestamps for Key Segments
- Opening & Childhood Faith Story: [00:00–09:35]
- High School, Sports, and Wounds: [10:09–15:44]
- College Restlessness and Search: [16:03–19:51]
- Ireland and the Knock Pilgrimage: [21:19–26:14]
- The Knock Confession & Healing: [26:14–33:41]
- Marian Consecration and Ongoing Vocation: [36:18–41:12]
- Seminary, Ordination, and Spiritual Life: [41:32–42:57]
- Reflections on Marian Devotion & Spiritual Practice: [45:36–48:04]
Conclusion
Fr. Seamus Kettner’s journey to the priesthood is a moving story of gradual conversion, spiritual guidance, and God's quiet persistence. Through suffering, restlessness, and pivotal experiences—especially his Marian pilgrimage—he found peace and purpose. The episode is an invitation to notice the subtle ways God works in our lives, often through the gentle presence of Mary, and to open ourselves to the slow, steady knock of divine love.
Useful for:
- Anyone discerning a vocation
- Listeners curious about the gradual process of spiritual growth
- Catholics seeking inspiration about Marian devotion and sacramental grace
- Those longing for healing after suffering or family wounds
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