My name is Jeffrey Frieden, and I am in my third year of theology at Mundelein Seminary in Mundelein, Illinois. I was born on February 4, 1997 in Ames, Iowa to Jeff and Jenny Frieden. I have one younger sibling, my brother Jack. I was baptized in St. Cecilia’s in Ames, but I have been a parishioner at St. Pius X in Cedar Rapids since I was three years old. I graduated from Xavier High School in Cedar Rapids in 2015.
Where and when did your sense of call develop?
The sense of call first developed when I was in grade school. I played Mass a couple of times when I was a kid. Eventually, I started altar serving and reading books about faith and religion that my mom would bring home for me. It was always there as I grew up, but I would try to put it on the back burner sometimes. I first talked to Fr. Schatz about it at a Catholic Men’s Conference my sophomore year in high school, but he told me to wait until I was a senior. I contacted him again when I was a senior and here I am.
What do you feel the role of the priest is?
I believe that, in the words of Jean-Baptiste Henri Lacordaire, the purpose of a priest is to “…Go daily from men to God to offer Him their prayers and petitions, [and] to return from God to Men to bring them His pardon and hope…” I can’t think of a better description of the sacraments and the role of a priest. When a priest makes his promise to live a life of prayer, who does he pray for? He prays for the people. What does a priest do in his preaching and in celebrating the sacraments? He brings the Gospel message of hope, forgiveness, and love to the people.
What advice would you give to a man considering the priesthood/seminary?
My advice is for high school students who believe that they are called to the priesthood, or at least to the seminary, is to serve God’s people where they are. First, serve your parish. Be trained for every liturgical ministry that you can, if not because you want to serve your parish then because you will have to serve in all of them while you’re in the seminary. If you are asked to help with RE or serve as a youth representative on a council, do what you can but don’t overextend yourself. Second, serve the poor in your community. And don’t just organize food drives, either. Go out and serve them face to face. Try to get to know the poor and see them as Children of God. If you can, try to serve regularly at one place so that you can develop a connection with the people you serve. No matter what you do, the most important thing is it remember that you are a servant. Do not expect to be given a leadership role or a special, privileged status just because you are considering seminary. Help however you are asked to and do not complain. Since trying to navigate the discernment process can be a little tricky, I’ve included a year-by-year guide to the process:
God bless anyone discerning the priesthood!
How did your friends and family react when you told them that you were considering the priesthood?
My friends and family were all very supportive. There haven’t been any negative experiences with friends or family, although there have been some humorous misunderstandings. I’d especially like to thank my parents and family for all of their support, as well as the entire Xavier and St. Pius X communities.
Were you hesitant or nervous to take the first steps to enter the formation process?
I was not hesitant to take those first steps. If anything, I was a little too eager. I wanted to join seminary long before I was ready to join seminary. That being said, I got cold feet when the rubber hit the road, but I’m glad that I’m here.