Reverend Peter J. Clem, Y.A.

Fr. Peter Clem was ordained a priest of Jesus Christ June 4, 2022.

Read the Arlington Catholic Herald interview with Fr. Clem.

What did you do prior to entering seminary?

I graduated from George Mason University with a B.A. in Communications in 2013. I then did a Year of Volunteer Service at All Saints in Manassas as a Youth Ministry intern. After this year, I made a consecrated commitment in Youth Apostles in 2014. I spent two years living in community while continuing to do ministry at All Saints before applying for seminary.

What influenced your decision to apply for seminary entrance?

I had been seriously discerning the priesthood since my freshman year of college. I knew God wanted me to wait so that I could further discern and to pursue my vocation through Youth Apostles. Looking back on my life, I see small ways in which God has called me. In those moments when I have said yes, I felt an interior peace and true joy.

Why do you want to be a priest?

I desire to live radically for Jesus because it fills my heart with joy! I hope that I can share this joy with others and they will also fall in love with Jesus. In particular, I want to share the sacraments with as many young people as I can.

What are your favorite pastimes?

I love playing soccer, listening to Broadway musicals, watching movies, going to theme parks, and laughing till my side hurts.

What is your favorite quote?

“To love another person is to see the face of God.” -Jean Valjean

Who is your favorite Saint and why?

As one of the patron saints of Youth Apostles, I have come to love St. John Bosco. His life continues to inspire me from his incredible discipline to the love he had for young people to his devotion to Mary, Help of Christians, and the Eucharist. “It's not enough to love, people have to feel that they are loved.”

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

Develop a consistent prayer life and find ways to serve those around you. Be a man of prayer and action. If you seek holiness and are open to God's will, you will realize the call through an interior peace. Be bold, do not be afraid, say yes to the Lord and when you do, do it joyfully!