Vocations

The younger of my two brothers, Elliot, wrote the following for Vocations Weekend in the Archdiocese of St Paul Minneapolis last weekend. I wanted to share his important message:

Hello, my name is Elliot Huss I am a sophomore at St. John Vianney College Seminary on the campus of University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. I just want to give a brief history of where I am from and what led me to the seminary.

I was born and raised in Coon Rapids; a parishioner of Epiphany for my whole life; I went to Epiphany grade school, Coon Rapids Middle and Coon Rapids High School. I played football and basketball in high school, I took a lot of Advanced Placement Courses, and was Class President my senior year. When it came time to decide what I was going to pursue after high school I was impressed by a Division III school that was recruiting me for football. I wasn't necessarily the ideal size at 5' 5", 135 lbs. for college football so I grasped at any chance I had of playing at the next level, even if it meant going to a Protestant school and ignoring a possible call to the priesthood. However, several things happened my senior year of high school that really made me think twice about my decision to put seminary on hold.

I started to notice that the friends I had known for so long to be good people with strong values and convictions were making poor decisions with drugs, alcohol, sex, and I really didn't know what was causing them to suddenly abandon the ideals they had held for so long. It made raise the question: Who will lead these people to a better life? Who will let them know there is something more than this valley of tears to live for? And the honest answer was that I couldn't look any further than myself:

What was I going to do to lead them to a better life?
How was I going to let them know that there is so much more to live for than this life?

I am a young man, 19, who wants to stand up for Christ and for, you, His Church. I do not know if I am to be a priest, but I know if the Lord wants me, I am ready and willing.

As it turns out I didn't have to give up my dream of college football after all, I was able to work out with the University of St. Thomas football team this past spring. Although I chose not to continue to play for St. Thomas in the fall I was able to build many relationships with the players and coaches that have created a strong bond between the seminary and the team.

I thank God daily for bringing me to the seminary and I also thank him for the good people of Epiphany. I ask that you continue to pray for me and know that I pray for you. Finally, please encourage your son, grandson, brother, or nephew, to take a good look into his own heart and ask himself:

Who will lead these people to a better life? Who will let them know there is something more than this valley of tears to live for?