Adam Goetz

Hello, my name is Adam Goetz. I was born September 2nd, 1999 of my parents Della and Jerry Goetz. I have one sister, Marissa, and a big cat named “Brutus”. I went to Seton Catholic in Peosta (this was before the new school in Peosta), Epworth and Farley for grade school then to Beckman Catholic High School in Dyersville. After Beckman I went to Iowa State University in Ames for one year, majoring in biophysics. I then transferred from ISU to the Saint Pius X seminary at Loras College, switching my major to philosophy and neuroscience.

Where and when did your sense of call develop?
My sense of call developed gradually throughout the years. It first started off when I was seven years old, and I always thought it would be cool to speak to a congregation and give them moral guidance through a homily. In high school, I felt called to live out my faith more and got more involved with my school's religious community. Finally, in college, I got deeply invested in the Saint Thomas Aquinas community over in Ames, and started expressing a lot of feelings and confusions I had to the priest there. He helped me realize that I may be called to something more.

What do you feel the role of the priest is?
The role of a priest is simply to be a doctor of the spirit. They should be keen and realize the deficiencies (of love, faith, community life, etc.) that others suffer from. The priest should be strong and courageous enough to break the news to their people. They should also be able to not only prescribe “doctor's orders” to their people, but also be humble and well-spoken enough to make sure that their people understand the vitality
of the instruction they issued.

What motivated your interest in the priesthood?
Seeing the happiness of other priests is what interested me in the priesthood. I talked to many priests about their choice, and how they felt currently in their position, and I have heard nothing but positivity from them all. They told me how fantastic it is to be able to
give a divine feast to others, providing them the ultimate source of salvation. I have always been one that loves to assist others, help them out, carry their cross, whatever altruistic idiom you want to use, and so I find it so endearing to be able to help out other people with the element that leaves everyone vulnerable: their spirit.

What advice would you give to a man considering the priesthood/seminary?
I would recommend initially talking to your friends and your local priest about your thoughts and what they see in you. Next, pray and contemplate what they've said (the validity and consistency of what they said, etc.). Then pray and ask God about what it is that attracts you to the priesthood and what you can bring to the table. Finally, be not afraid: return to your friends, family, and priest and honestly tell them what your new
feelings are.

Were you hesitant or nervous to take the first steps to enter the formation process?
Most definitely! It's nerve-racking to start something so different and so life-changing. Just as much as Newton's First Law pertains to objects of motion, it extends the same effect towards humans and our spiritual life: we like to be complacent and we dislike change. I met the steps of formation with a lot of hesitation, for I started to realize what a commitment the whole process would be. Then I realized, if I truly want to answer my question of priesthood, I'd have to jump on in and give it a full commitment. It's like the first time skydiving: you wanted so dearly to get the chance to, so are you really going to waste it away out of fear? No, you have to make that leap of faith and feel the beauty, the ease and the embrace of free-falling. Just as if it was like falling in love.