Isaac Neppel

Introduction/Tell things about you, your family, your Catholic journey

Hi. My name is Isaac Neppel. I was born in Creston, Iowa but moved to Ames when I was three, so I consider St. Thomas Aquinas Parish and Catholic Student Center my home parish. My parents are Jerome (Jerry) and Brenda Neppel. I have a younger sister who attends Michigan State and a younger brother at Iowa State University. I attended college at the University of Northern Iowa (Go Panthers!) and graduated with a B.S. in environmental science with an emphasis in air quality and mathematics in May 2019. I truly began to explore the priesthood at UNI. I am extremely grateful for the many staff and students at St. Stephen the Witness (the Catholic student center at UNI) who pushed and challenged me in my faith life while at college. Upon graduation, I applied and was accepted in the seminary program for the great Archdiocese of Dubuque! I want to thank everyone who has influenced and guided me toward seminary. Prayers do work! Please continue to pray for seminarians, all parish priests, and me!

Where/when did your sense of call develop?

I first felt called to the priesthood in elementary school. I attended St. Cecilia Elementary School, so it was common for the priest to stop by the classrooms. It was during these visits I begun to realize what priesthood is and the role of a priest in people’s lives. I found it to be a beautiful moment and realization, even if I did not fully understand the call. This continued throughout elementary school and into high school, especially after I was Confirmed. While in college, I became to take my vocation more seriously. I joined a discernment group, attended PITA dinners, and participated in exploring priesthood weekend. As the years went by, I found myself more at peace and confident this may be how God is calling me to serve. By the time my senior year of college arrived, I could not deny the ever-growing call to apply to seminary and discern if this is God’s call for me.

Were you invited by others to enter seminary?

Not specifically but I was invited to attend vocational events put on by the archdiocese (PITA dinners, vocational discernments, exploring priesthood weekend). Since entering seminary, however, I have received much support from family and friends, to which I am extremely thankful!

What was your main motivation in pursuing your call?

My main motivation in pursuing my call is answering the questions, “How am I called to serve?” and “Where do I feel most at peace?” The call to serve others has guided my discernment as service is very important to me. All vocations are a call to serve and give one’s life away, however that may look. If I am only serving myself, there is something amiss within my life. If the first question revolves around the external call, the second one is centered on the internal call. One’s vocation is found where one is most at peace. This is not to say there will never be challenges or times where one feels like everything is in utter chaos, but there should be an overall sense of peace and tranquility surrounding one’s vocation. It is in finding peace where one discovers one’s vocation.

Who were/are your biggest influences?

There are too many to name! There are numerous people who have influenced me at different times in my life. God has abundantly blessed me by surrounding me with wonderful people when I need them the most, to which I am eternally grateful! Fr. John Seda and Fr. Richmond Dzekoe, who were my pastors when I first felt called and who showed me what the priesthood is and the unbounded joy when the priesthood is lived well. I would like to thank Fr. Aaron Junge and Fr. Ken Glaser for offering insights and guiding me along my vocational path as I began to actively discern. Lastly, I would like to thank all the lay men and women who live their lives in dedication to God. Their witness is an enormous inspiration for me. I am always amazed and humbled by their love, dedication, and service to the Church.

What advice would you give other men who are discerning their call?

To anyone discerning their vocation, first pray! I know this may seem obvious but if one is not praying, one is not discerning! Start simple and small—maybe 15 minutes of silence a day. Be consistent! If you miss a day, do not stress. Return to prayer the following day. It will help to have a schedule. Second, read the Scriptures, especially the gospels. Listen to what Jesus is saying in the gospels and what He is saying to you. Again, begin small—do not do too much at once. Vocational discernment is a marathon, not a sprint. This was a huge challenge when I was first discerning, and I wished I had learned this earlier. Finally, you will need to talk to someone. I know it may sound scary, but we cannot discern by ourselves. We need someone else to help guide us. Talk to your pastor, the vocations director, or another priest you are close too and be honest. He cannot help you if he does not know what is going on in your life