How a Ninja Turtle-loving kid wound up as a Catholic priest. Father Andrew Trapp is the priest at Transfiguration Catholic Church in Blythewood, SC. He gave this talk to the "Why Catholic?" young adult group in Charleston in May 2011.
Good luck on your journey, Alaister! The main thing is to keep a strong prayer life and keep growing closer to the Lord so you can here his voice in a noisy world. He will lead you where you need to be!
Thank you Fr. Andrew Trapp your story really helped me learn more about the Faith over the years. I am in RCIA this year! God bless you and your ministry! :)
I was just accepted to Seminary to continue my discernment to the Priesthood in Detroit. It's great to see young Priests tell their story. You'll be in my prayers Father.
Awesome words, Father Andrew! I'm truly inspired by what you've shared about your calling to become a priest. I really hope I would get to know as my priest my church. Somehow we really need a priest like you more in this world. People will start to love the words, pray, fast, read the bible, attending masses and even serve the LORD in different ministry through LOVE. Father, I'm hoping to meet you in the future and I think is possible. God bless you, Father!
Fr. Trapp, Thanks for posting your story on RU-vid. I enjoyed watching it. In fact, during all the year we studied together, I never heard the full story. It's good. Fr. Kitzhaber
I go to the church he is a prest at and he is the best he is funny and I am 12 he has helped me to be guided to The Lord and he is a grate prest with a grate sense of humer.if you want the church it is a grate church. I suggest you go😄
thank u father, it is very good that you have done good job , it is inspiring to youth and those interested to join in the seminary good father keep it up ,
Thank you for this talk, Father! I'm a college student and am discerning my vocation, and things like this are really helpful to remind me to be open to God's will.
God bless you Father! It was a wonderful story; very moving. I am not Catholic yet, but will be converting by Easter and your story got me chomping at the bit exited; enthused.
"Peter Parker" picked a peck of pickled peppers.." My mother would say to me, "Peter Pigott picked a peck of pickled peppers.." I would say to myself, "Mother, that's not very funny..." I was ordained in 1965. Great vocational video! I have passed it on to our Vocation Director. From Canada. Thanks.
Very nice video. I found this by chance. When I read the title I thought it was some kind of joke, so I was skeptical, but I must say I was pleasently surprised from the very beginning of the video :) I subscribed!
Hi Michael, that is wonderful that you are open to God's call to the priesthood! I encourage you to talk with the vocations director of your local diocese, and with the pastor or chaplain in college. They will be able to give you some great guidance!
Hi Father thank you for giving us such lesson to learn God bless you always on your calling and keep inspiring people to answer the calling of God for them just like you had inspired us.
hey peteristhebest, I'm a lay person but from my understanding God will forgive any sin if you confess with a repentant heart. We KNOW that we will all sin again because we are not perfect. But what's important is that we try, and we pray and ask God for the strength to overcome these sins that we find so hard to let go of. You will understand how to be sorry if you first understand what love is all about. Don't give up, brother! Go for confession and pray for His blessings and graces.
Hi Raiderfan, that's great congratulations on becoming Catholic! Usually there is a two year wait before entering seminary, but you've still got plenty of time. I encourage you to talk to your local pastor about it and also contact your diocese's vocations director, they will be able to give you some good guidance.
Hi Father, I just want to tell you thanks and how inspiring this video has been for me since I watched it months ago. I'm also seriously considering becoming a priest, but I'm still doing my university Degree right now, and unfortunately I can't just leave to join a seminary. Please pray for me Father, that the holy call to the priesthood be ever on my mind, I plan to enter a seminary a little after my graduation. Thank you Father, God bless you.
Thanks so much for sharing your experiences that led you to your calling (or should I say God's calling). I strongly believe this will help more young men not to close the door when our Lord comes knocking... God bless you!
There is a major change in Andrew's demeanor 17 minutes into this video - the car trip home, listening to the tape... He went from a geeky kid, he looked and acted like a skinny dopey kid. After the 17 minutes, there was a visual transformation - more than a normal guy - a serious, focused, young man, knowing who he is, knowing want he wants, knowing his vocation, what he is called to.
Hey Fr. Andrew, this a cool video I enjoyed watching it, very cool :D one question though ... why didn't "Anne" just get out your door .. slide over and get ourtthe over side :)
It's wonderful that you posted this and are sharing your vocation story. I think, however, it would be a good idea to also let these folks know (perhaps in your future talks?) that marriage is ALSO a vocation. Your use of phrases like "trading up" and a "bigger treasure chest" are *seemingly* reductive toward the sacrament of marriage. Notice I say *seemingly*: I know that as you are a priest involved in the life of his parish and the families there, that you certainly see the beauty and love and particular calling found in marriage. I just think the metaphors/analogies could have been better.
seek first the kingdom of heaven, and allow god to add everything unto you. This means not worrying about the little treasure one is giving up to for the greater treasure. It is about surrendering to him. It is about finding joy in servitude.
@saintfactory God bless you, Andrew! And we must pray for the holy souls in purgatory who need our help, and that we pray to God that he eases their pain.
That is great that you want to live out your faith! You should check out our diocesan website for vocations, it is charlestonvocations com, and of course talk with your parish priest there. And if you are ever in Columbia area come visit our parish, Transfiguration in Blythewood!
Hi Amy, hang in there! I would encourage you to try to get connected with your local youth group, so you can have some friends to encourage you in your walk with the Lord! It can be difficult feeling like you're the only Catholic around.
father,what a great video, as a catholic i respect other religions and have many questions, i live in johnston south carolina and i love aiken, my name is enrique and i am 26, i have thought of going to seminary college at 35 or 36. god bless and have a great day.
i think im being called to the priest hood im might be going to a catholic school soon and i really feel drawn to the priest hood any help. i also have been going to catholic answers as well and your story inspiring me a lot thank you. deus vos bene dicat
Great video, Thank you Father, I like what you said about spiderman its true preists are Heroes. don't wait for superman or any others just go to your nearest Catholic Church to find heroes. Glory to our lord Jesus Christ and Go Priests!!!!!!!!!!
@LXuXcXiXfXeXr As one Christian author once wrote, "Merely having an open mind is nothing; the object of opening the mind, as of opening the mouth, is to shut it again on something solid." The real God is not like you describe, and he's worth finding!
There once was a pious young priest, who existed on nothing but yeast. He said: "In the end, we must all rise again, And I want to get started at least :D
@Wingdude88YT I do not know much about United Methodism in particular. In general, though, our non-Catholic brothers and sisters in Christ share a tremendous amount of God's truth with us. However, the whole reason I am Catholic is because I believe that the Catholic faith is the fullness of God's truth, with all of the gifts that God intended for us to have on our journey of faith.
I'm not father but if the mass in question is celebrated by a church in union with the Catholic Church..it is perfectly fine, and should be encouraged.
Hi George, I encourage you to receive the Lord's mercy in the Sacrament of Reconciliation and get a fresh start, and try to build up your daily prayer life and spiritual reading so you have some spiritual strength for growth in virtue.
Hi Christoph, good question, certainly you need to investigate and not take my word for Christian claims. There are some great books out there; one of my favorites is "Theology for Beginners" by FJ Sheed.
I always wanted to be a priest but I had a low self esteem .I loved Catholic School but because of my low esteem I flunked out of High School,joined the Navy ,married ,had 2 wonderful children but after 9 yrs,my marriage ended.Now I have to live my life empty.I still dream of being a priest but it can never happen because of my stupidity !
Hi Christoph, I have. Have you? Christ was really who he claimed to be: God in the flesh. And the Catholic Church is the living body that he started so that we could have all the gifts he need for our walk with him.
@ram011, I'm a Catholic but I have never worshipped any idols or carved woods, we just take them as reminder and example of how to live a good life. Veneration is totally different from worship. If you were worshipping the images in the church when you were a Catholic then it was a big mistake..
