Lucas Rossi | Class of 2010

I am from Peoria, IL. I came to ISU in the Fall of 2000, pursuing a career in medicine. I wanted to become a physician like my father and grandfather. Many in my family have such a profession. I majored in Clinical Laboratory Science (CLS), a wonderful major I must say. I came to ISU with a pretty tepid faith. It was only until I was invited to a Koinonia (NK21), that I was reintroduced to the Church through the Newman Center and the FOCUS team, which arrived later. I began attending Mass regularly and participating on Team for other Koinonias. Being at the SRBCNC was life changing. The Chaplain, Fr. Gary Caster, and all the student leaders, especially the FOCUS team, really helped catalyze my growth in the Church. Evening Adoration especially became a regular devotion. It was during a certain evening that I actually heard Jesus tell me in my heart to :"Be a priest." After much prayer and discernment, I broke up with a serious girlfriend (who is now married), turned down an internship at OSF St. Francis, and withdrew from my last year of studies. Then I applied to the Diocese of Peoria as a seminarian. This was in Fall 2004. My pastor at the time, Fr. Greg Ketcham was also instrumental. It was through the sharing of his vocation story that the Holy Spirit really inspired my heart to pursue a vocation to the Priesthood/celibate life, during my senior year. I am now a Third Year Theologian at the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, OH and am incredibly happy! God-willing, I will be ordained a priest in May 2010. Prayer is truly the heart of discernment. In prayer, we lay our heads on the breast of Our Lord, like St. John, and we hear His love calling us to follow Him. Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam.

Jeremy Freehill | Class of 2013

I am from Tremont, IL and began studying at ISU during the fall of 2006. The SRBCNC was a gift from God during my time at ISU. I was blessed to meet so many people on fire with their faith, to be able to attend daily Mass when I didn’t have class, go to adoration, be apart of a FOCUS Bible study, and attend a Koinonia retreat that fall. The Catholic Center in the midst of the chaos of university life, allowed me to hear once again God’s call for me to enter the seminary, as the center provided me with a place where I was able to return to a life of prayer, therefore, allowing me to once again encounter Him in the silence of my heart. For “God speaks in the silence of our hearts and in the silence of our hearts we listen” Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta.
Prayer is necessary in our Christian life, for it is our hearts in prayer, as He did for me at the SRBCNC, that we hear Him remind us of His infinite love, His divine mercy, and His call for us to follow Him. We really have nothing to fear but must always pray. The SRBCNC was a wonderful place to learn to pray and to begin to enter more deeply into prayer with my desires. We all have a desire to do something remarkable. We all have a desire to perfect ourselves, for truth, a desire to love and to be loved, and a desire for perfect happiness, for complete joy. These desires have been placed in us by God. We must bring these desires back to Him, to Him, who truly satisfies. The Catholic Center helped me see that He alone satisfies and that nothing in the world or at the university can fulfill our deepest longings.
I can’t help but once again mention Blessed Mother Teresa whose life was driven to satiate the thirst of Jesus, as Jesus continues to cry out even today, as He did on the cross: “I thirst”. How she was moved by His thirst for us, His thirst for souls and for love. Jesus wants to fulfill those desires in our hearts and wants to use us to truly do remarkable things. He also wants us, like Mother Teresa, to hear how much He thirsts for souls and for love. How much He thirsts for you and for me, for our love. Today, more than ever, we need places like the SRBCNC that allow us to hear Jesus cry out to us: “I thirst”. We need places like the SRBCNC that help us see our own thirst for God, the one who truly satisfies every longing in our heart. Jesus wants all of us to be saints. He wants all of us to follow Him and to discover our vocation that is written in His Sacred Heart. I ask all of you to please pray for me and for all your seminarians. Please pray for one another, for your fellow university students. Pray that together, we might with God’s grace be holy, and truly do “something beautiful for God” Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta. Mary, Mother of Jesus, Be a Mother to me now.

Brian Fink | Class of 2014

I was born and raised in Northern Utah, and I thank God for my LDS friends who through their example of kindness and wholesome friendship made for a healthy and happy childhood. After graduating from high school, I attended the University of Illinois in Champaign and received my BA in English and Education in 2003. I began working at the SRBCNC in the fall of 2005 as a campus minister and immediately felt at home in the community. The students and staff were welcoming and their example of holiness and genuine friendship with God strengthened the faith and formation I'd received from St. John's Catholic Newman Center at the University of Illinois.
As a staff member, my role in the community was unique. However, I was able to participate in several Koinonia retreats, sing in the choir, help teach RCIA, and be involved with liturgical and social planning. I also spent two years doing development work for SRBCNC, sharing the good news of the Center with alumni, parents and friends and encouraging them to be involved on a more foundational level as financial supporters, volunteers, and advocates of the mission.
With regard to the fostering of my vocation, I have Fr. Dittmer and the entire SRBCNC community to thank. I was daily edified by the authentic desire each person had to fall more deeply in love with Christ and I witnessed countless acts of charity. My time at SRBCNC played a crucial role in helping me to respond with courage and humility to the Lord's call.
Now, each day at the seminary provides me with another opportunity to say yes to God. And I pray that He will continue to guide me along His way, that I become His priest and work for the salvation of souls in His vineyard (if He so wills it), and that I might ultimately be united with Him in heaven to share in the glory of the angels and saints.

Ben Tonner | Class of 2014

The ISU Newman Center really harbors a good environment for students. In my particular case it was an immense help in my spiritual journey towards the seminary. The opportunities to live out one's faith and share it with others are abundant at the Newman Center. I owe a great deal to all of the students, staff, and claergy who give of themselves so that I could flourish. The St. Robert Bellarmine Newman Center is a gift of immeasurable goodness and blessings.

Neil Kirchoefer | Class of 2015

I am from Germantown Hills, IL, and I graduated from Metamora High School in 2006. I came to ISU as an undeclared major, but then switched to English Education, and later to psychology. I was very excited to be a part of the SRBCNC as soon as I entered as a freshman. I went through a great deal of questioning about my Catholic faith as a young teenager, but experienced a change in my sophomore year of high school with the help of my parish youth group and Peoria Teens Encounter Christ. Thus, I was very stoked to be a part of every opportunity our Newman center has to offer such as Rangueil choir, FOCUS bible studies, theology classes, and Koinonia. The biggest thing that had an effect on me was simply witnessing the strong Catholic lives that were being led by my fellow students here at SRBCNC. Led by their example, I dove deeper into prayer and began attending daily mass and adoration. Through this, as well as the example of Fr. Dittmer, my desire to enter seminary grew more and more, and the rest is history!

Maxwell Perri | Class of 2015

While in the St. Robert Bellarmine Catholic Newman Center many graces were given to me by God. It was a place to hang out, somewhere to learn about Catholicism, and even start genuine friendships; but even more so it helped me to seek and foster the gift of faith that God has given us all so that we may find the pearl of great price in Him through ourselves, each other, and Christ Himself in the sacraments

Carlos Villanueva | Class of 2012

I'm from Arlington Heights, IL. At ISU, I studied biology 2002-2005. My "involvement" at Newman started when a mentor of mine from the Gamma Phi Circus started bringing me to K-Mass and Sunday Mass. But that was quite irregular, especially after he transferred to U of I. Grace prompted me my junior year to quit the circus so that I didn't have an excuse to not go to church. By this time, I was praying rosaries frequently for my own conversion (although I didn't know it then). I was then invited to attend a Koinonia retreat. It was there that Jesus and Mary seized my heart by allowing me to experience their great, transforming love in the retreatants and leaders. I thus began the habit of receiving the sacraments regularly at SRBNC and attended adoration and daily Mass. I also participated in FOCUS bible studies and the choir. My life was forever changed because of the SRBNC. When I began discernment shortly after my 'conversion', it was Fr. Caster who most influenced me. Regular themes in his homilies included following the deepest desires of my heart and to have no fear in taking up my cross. Since my entrance in the seminary, there have been great struggles, but I have never ever been happier. My advice to everyone at SRBNC -- have a prayer life and relate to God all your desires. You'll find His desires for you in those desires which are consistent and which consistently bring you a deep peace that lasts. May God bless you all!

Delphinas Mutajuka | Class of 2013

I am Delphinus Mutajuka, I come from Arusha city Tanzania East Africa, officially a seminarian for the Diocese of Peoria. Before being accepted as a seminarian for this diocese, I was sent to Illinois State University in 2007-2008 to take English classes as part of my orientation with the aim of learning American English and Culture. I was living at the Newman Center. Being at the SRBCNC I involved myself in different spiritual, intellectual and physical activities such as the Koinonia retreat, K-mass gatherings, serving Sunday and daily Masses, Adoration, taking Theological Foundations class, attending spiritual conferences, as well as participating in games and social gatherings. All these activities had great impacts in my life because they made me easily adjusted to American Culture, strengthened me spiritually, intellectually and socially. I enjoyed meeting different people, sharing spiritual insights and making friendships. I also enjoyed the community life at the Newman. So I am now a 1st year Theologian at the Pontifical College Josephinum, in Columbus, Ohio, I am incredibly happy. I still have four more years before Ordination. God- willing, I will be ordained as a priest in 2012. My sincere thanks go to the staff members and all the students at SRBCNC - wishing you well and let’s pray for one another for better success.

Cory Krengiel | Class of 2014

I am from Lemont, Illinois, and went to ISU from Fall 2004 to Spring 2007. I was a music education major and primarily studied percussion. Though I had gone to public school my entire life, my family had gotten me in the habit of going to Mass every Sunday, and that is how I first found myself at the SRBCNC. After Mass one Sunday, I heard about the Koinonia retreat, and though I do not remember signing up, God had his way with me, and I went on NK29. Here I began making friends and feeling like part of the community. The Koinonia retreat also gave me my first real taste of the depths and beauty of the Catholic Church. Throughout my time at the SRBCNC, I was involved with choir, Koinonia, and FOCUS. All of these things, along with friendships with holy people and spiritual direction, helped me reach a point in which I could hear God’s call clearly. I am very happy I heard God’s call and that I had the courage to respond with generosity. Throughout the whole discernment process, I heard Father Dittmer’s voice saying, “God is never outdone in generosity!” He is right.

John Thomas Weizeorick | Class of 2014

I am from Naperville Illinois, a suburb of Chicago.  I studied biology (pre-med) at ISU my freshmen and sophomore years and then transferred to Saint Mary’s University and IHM. I first got involved with the SRBCNC through a FOCUS bible study and eventually went on a Koinonia retreat where my faith took a turn.  I became involved in everything at SRBCNC after my first Koinonia retreat.  I was in a bible study, involved in all of the social activities, Mass, prayer, Bellarmine Board, Sacristan, Koinonia Team member, and much more.  If I hadn’t gone on Koinonia I would not be the catholic I am today. I probably would not have been the catholic I am today were it not for all of my friends at SRBCNC.  Most especially, I would not be the catholic I am today were it not for Father Dittmer.  I owe him so much and really can take no credit for becoming the catholic I am today.  God worked wonders for me through Father Dittmer.  Now as to the question of being a priest, Father Victor (aka “The Master), was the first person to ask me that question so were it not for his and Father Dittmer’s support I wouldn’t be at the seminary nor have the life that I have now. It was at The SRBCNC where I became as catholic as I am today.  It was the environment I was in that “pre-trained” me to be a better catholic.  The foundations of my Catholic faith are rooted in God’s love and the love of God I experienced through each person at the SRBCNC.  I thank God for the people he gave me at SRBCNC, and especially for the love and faith which He gave me.  To end I would like to say to all of my friends at from SRBCNC: let the love of God fill your hearts and consume your lives, and be the best you, you can possibly be by loving God; then true happiness and eternal salvation will truly be yours.

Brian Kusek | Class of 2015

I am from Spring Valley, IL, and studied Philosophy at Eureka college my freshman year ('07-'08). I became acquainted with the SRBNC just before my second semester during the national FOCUS conference. Though I had considered seminary prior to my knowledge of SRBNC, it was there that I finally began to take God's call seriously. During the conference I became engulfed in the fire of God's love, and I made some friends that led me to ISU's Newman Center (the Salve Regina Newman Center's sister center). Here, I was able to join brothers and sisters in prayer and fellowship through adoration, mass, and Koinonia, strengthening my desire to follow God's will. The SRBNC was the most recent call to bring me to the seminary, and I continue to find strength and comfort in the prayers of my brothers and sisters who remain there, and through the brothers that have joined me in this inexpressibly wonderful call.

Jacob Valle | Class of 2015

Coming from Woodstock, IL to Normal, IL in order to go to school at Illinois State University was a big decision for me. An even bigger decision for me was deciding to get involved at the Newman Center that my sister had told me about - I never thought it could change my life so much! When I first showed up at the Newman Center, Fr. Dittmer asked me where I was on my spiritual journey. This was a question I had not really thought too much about, but as I continued to get involved at the Newman Center and continured to grow in my faith, especially through Koinonia, Knight of Columbus, Esto Vir, and altar serving, I learned to put God first in my life. The formation I recieved from the Newman Center is priceless and has truely helped me learn to do the Lord's will. For the Lord knows us best and His plan for us will lead us to true happiness in Heaven!