Seminarian Joseph Kern

Lisbon, ND
Pre-Theology I
Saint Paul Seminary; St. Paul, MN

Joe Kern grew up in Verndale, MN in a strong Catholic family, always attending Sunday Mass and serving as an altar boy through his high school graduation. During the spring of his senior year, the only things that came to mind for his future were teaching, coaching, and the priesthood. No serious thought or discernment was given to the priesthood at that time, so he went to Valley City State University to play football and earn his bachelor's degree in elementary education with a coaching minor. He started teaching and coaching in Lisbon, ND in the fall of 2003. In 2012, he experienced a powerful and transformative confession, recommitted himself to the Gospel and a life focused on Jesus Christ. Shortly thereafter he started praying the rosary daily, and the spiritual graces and blessings started increasing. In 2015 he started receiving spiritual direction. He began attending daily Mass and spending a lot of time with his pastor, Fr. Scott Sautner, praying the liturgy of hours, making holy hours of Eucharistic adoration, and going to confession regularly. As his spiritual life continued to deepen, he began to experiece a strong attraction to the priesthood, but believed it would not be possible. He contacted the vocation director, and after several months of prayer and discernment, was accepted as a seminarian for the Diocese of Fargo.