New Seminarians | Dylan Prentice

Dylan Prentice
Graduation Date: Attended 2017-18 school year
Major: Was pursuing a Master
of Music in Voice Performance
One of your favorite saints: St. John Paul II
Seminary: Saint John Paul II Seminary in Washington, DC

What does SMU Catholic mean to you?

SMU Catholic Campus Ministry was a wonderful faith community to be involved in. As a graduate student, I felt that I would be too old to be involved in the ministry, but was warmly welcomed from the start. To see such an incredibly large group of faithful, devoted, and young Catholics evangelize across the campus community was absolutely heart-warming and inspiring. The chaplain and director, Fr Arthur, is truly a blessing for the SMU Catholic community and the campus as a whole. The peaceful, joyful, and energetic priestly witness that he brings to the community opens the Catholic community to evangelize in the specific way that the unique SMU student body needs. He has truly been a role model, incredible spiritual director, and friend to me.

Describe your call to the priesthood.

I first felt the call during the spring of my senior year of undergraduate studies at DePauw University in Indiana. I was on a student-led retreat and witnessed a Eucharistic miracle during Adoration. In the span of about two or three months, I began serious discernment for the priesthood, contacted my home Archdiocese’s vocation office, applied, and was accepted to seminary. In a crazy turn of events, I decided not to attend seminary that year and instead to pursue a graduate degree in voice performance at Southern Methodist University. Over the course of that year, I not only grew as a vocalist, student, and person, but I also grew immensely as a child of God. I became involved in the SMU Catholic Campus Ministry singing at Mass on Sundays, as well as getting involved and volunteering at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, which was close to where I was living. I signed up to be a scheduled adorer from 3-4 AM on Wednesday mornings at St. Pat’s perpetual Adoration during the week. I knew this might be rough working and being in school, but I felt the Lord calling me to do this. So, I went every week at that same early time, far before the sun came up. Eventually, I just loved that time with the Lord so much that I said to myself, “Man! I gotta have this every day!” So I began to pray a holy hour in front of the Blessed Sacrament everyday (at a different time, of course). Then, I began going to daily Mass and confession weekly. I developed a strong devotion to the Blessed Mother and the Divine Mercy Chaplet. One night while praying my holy hour, I just had this feeling come over me. I was so at peace, and immediately I knew that I wanted to pursue a call to the priesthood. Not only did I realize I was still called to seminary and, God-willing, the priesthood, but I also realized that I wanted to follow that vocation. And I knew that if those were the deepest desires of my heart, then the Almighty Father had placed them there and that they are really His desires for me. So, I reached back out to my Archdiocese and the vocation director, reapplied, was accepted again, and began
priestly formation this past August.

One of the most important details that I didn’t necessarily realize at the time that was so formative for me was the priestly witnesses in my life. I had come to know so many good and holy priests over the years that were wonderful role models, mentors, spiritual directors, and friends.