Family: Mary Ann Fleming (mother) and Patrick Fleming (father - deceased); Fred and Gerry Fleming (brothers); Mary Pat Fleming (sister); adult sons Nathan and Nicholas Fleming

Grew up in: Livingston, Mont.

Education: Park County High School, Livingston, Mont.; B.S. in computer science, Montana State University and MBA, University of Montana

Seminary: Second year seminarian at Mount Angel Seminary, Ore., Pre-Theology II

When did you hear the call of your vocation?

When I was in eighth grade at St. Mary’s Catholic School in Livingston, I had thoughts about becoming a priest, but when I transitioned to the secular schools in the ninth grade, I became more enamored with worldly things and forgot about my calling to the priesthood.

What moments or experiences in your life nudged you toward your vocation and/or awareness of it?

In the fall of 2003, I attended a Cursillo at Ss. Cyril and Methodius Church in East Helena and experienced a major conversion experience during the three-day event. After going through other spiritual healing processes during the subsequent year, I asked God one day what he wanted me to do with the rest of my life. The first thing that came into my mind was becoming a priest. Almost 50 at the time, I was very apprehensive of such a major career change at that point in my life, but every time I prayed and asked God again what he wanted me to do, it kept coming up so I thought I’d better pursue it to see what would happen.

How have people reacted to your vocation? What has been most helpful, in terms of support, from your friends and family?

Most of the people I told were very surprised when I shared my plans to become a priest. At the same time though, they were very supportive and kept telling me that they thought I would be a good priest. The encouragement and prayers that I have been getting from all my friends, especially those from the Cursillo movement, have the “wind beneath my wings.”

What has surprised you about being a seminarian? How have your expectations been met or exceeded?

The diversity of people that I have met at the seminary has been very inspiring. We have people from all over the world studying for the priesthood, each with his own special story for how God has called him to become a priest. The sense of community, fellowship and purpose at the seminary is a wonderful thing to be a part of. The bells of the monastery ringing at 5:20 a.m., 6:30 a.m., 8 a.m., noon, 5:15 p.m., 7:30 p.m. – that’s almost 30 minutes of bells ringing every day – can seem annoying at times. However, once I remember that they are calling the ever so faithful monks to prayer and that our ultimate goal is to be closer to God, I realize we can be just a little closer to him each day if we just heed that call.

Who are your top three spiritual influences?

Father Tom O’Donnell has been a wonderful influence in my life and probably the main reason that I was successful in getting accepted to the seminary. He helped me discern my vocation in the early days and work through all the issues that needed to be dealt with. I hold his spirituality, humility and gentleness as a model for me to emulate in my life. Father Bart Tolleson, whom I first met as a seminarian while he was studying at Ss. Cyril and Methodius Church, help to prepare me for life at the seminary. Our time spent together praying the Liturgy of the Hours and discussing what life was like at the seminary made my transition from the business world very easy. His insights and reassurances have proven very valuable in helping me to adapt to seminary life. For my third major spiritual influence I would have to name my Cursillo Fourth Day Bible Study Group. For three years I was blessed to be able to meet with the gentlemen in that group and discuss many parts of the Bible and how the lessons could be applied to our lives as Christian men.

What advice might you give to those discerning a call to religious or priestly life?

I’ll aim my advice to those other gentlemen over 40 who may think they have a calling to the priesthood or religious life. If you think you may be called, don’t be afraid to talk it over with your parish priest. If God really wants you as a priest, he will find a way for it to happen for you, but you need to do your part. Once you start following God’s true calling for you – and this applies to all vocations both religious and secular – you will start to experience a joy in your spiritual life like never before. Yes, it will be difficult at times, but the rewards are heavenly.


Published in The Montana Catholic, Vol. 25, No. 1, January 23, 2009.