Reverend Andrew Clark

St. Charles Borromeo Seminary
Christendom College
St. John the Baptist Parish

Read about Fr. Clark's journey to the priesthood.

What did you do prior to entering seminary?

After graduating college I worked at a couple of different companies before I entered the seminary. Over the course of three years I worked at a school, an inside sales firm, and on the office side of a home inspection company. At the home inspection company I spent my time coordinating with home owners, relocation companies, and home inspectors.

What influenced your decision to apply for seminary entrance?

It is very hard to quantify a man's decision to enter seminary. I knew from the time I was 16 that one day I would go to seminary but I kept putting it off (for no good reason). By the summer of 2015 I had had enough of my own cowardice. I have been surrounded by good priests my entire life so had examples of what the vocation lived well looked like, which helped me see the choice as a worthwhile option.

Why do you want to be a priest?

Ultimately I want to serve to follow Jesus Christ wherever he leads me and I believe that he wishes me to be a priest. For myself, I wish to bring the Sacraments and the grace of God to people in their everyday lives.

What are your favorite pastimes?

I have spent many hours of my life reading, playing sports, debating, and most of all talking. I think conversations are at the heart of every good friendship so I have always prioritized sitting around with friends and talking (many times into the wee early hours).

What is your favorite quote?  

“But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony. It is possible that God says every morning, "Do it again" to the sun.; and every evening, "Do it again" to the moon. It may not be automatic monotony that makes all daisies alike; it may be that God makes every daisy separately, but has never gotten tired of making them. It may be that He has the eternal appetite of infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we.”
― G.K. Chesterton

Who is your favorite Saint and why?

St. Thomas Aquinas. His mind was like a medieval cathedral but he always remained humble and curious. His ability to draw from the saints and philosophers while keeping the best of each one has made him the most important theologian in the history of the Church (some might debate that but they'd be wrong), the Angelic Doctor. 

What advice would you give to a young man thinking about the seminary?

If the thought of seminary gives you peace and joy then pray about it, reflect on it, and then chat with a priest. It's natural to fear that God might call you to something beyond you or that you don't want. Do not be nervous; God uses the deepest desires within us to move us toward his will. Whatever God is calling you to will bring you joy and fulfillment.

Any other facts about yourself that people might find interesting?

I'm a Ruthenian Eastern Rite Catholic who had to obtain special permission to enter the seminary for the Latin Rite.