Peter Danner

Configuration III

Parish: St. Francis Borgia, Cedarburg

Seminary: Saint Francis de Sales

Birthday: August 17

Intercessor: St. John Paul II

Tell us your vocation story.

I grew up in a well-practicing Catholic family and was encouraged from a young age to discern what the Lord might be calling me to do with my life. I ended up receiving my call halfway through college. The mass had become one of the most important parts of my week and I wanted to get more involved with my faith. I got to know other young Catholic adults at UW-Milwaukee and a few of them were discerning the priesthood. The Lord used that to stir my heart about the possibility of entering seminary. As I discerned the call to enter the seminary, I found it difficult to say yes, but the Lord was very patient and did not give up on me.

What is the greatest challenge facing a man considering the seminary?

Life in the seminary is beautiful, but it is very different from the way most people live in our culture. It is a more radical offering of one’s time and will to God and so the ‘fear of missing out’ that a lot of men from my generation experience can certainly be a hurdle in the way of entering. The commitment can seem daunting, but it’s in committing to the Lord’s will in this kind of way that we become truly free.

What is your favorite Psalm verse and why?

Psalm 139:2, “You know when I sit down and rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar”. I love how it communicates the depth at which God loves and knows us each personally.

What are your favorite activities outside of the seminary?

I love singing, playing, and listening to music as well as reading, baking, running, rock climbing, and hiking.

Where do you like to go pray?

I love to pray at my home parish’s adoration chapel, but really, anywhere that has Eucharistic adoration.

Where do you do your best studying?

Any environment where technology cannot distract me.

Which saint should people ask to intercede for your vocation?

Our Blessed Mother, St. Joseph, and St. John Paul II.