I was born and raised in a small town called La Crescent in Southeast Minnesota. I was raised Catholic and I even attended a Catholic elementary school through sixth grade. At school I learned about Jesus, the mass, various saints, the sacraments, the bible, and more. After graduating from Crucifixion, I attended the public high school in La Crescent and received the sacrament of Confirmation. Despite getting confirmed, my prayer life started to disappear and I had begun to lose interest in the faith. 

Everything changed for me during my college years. I chose to attend the University of Wisconsin Platteville to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering. My goal at the time was to earn good grades, get a high paying job, and eventually start my own family. At UWP I attended mass every Sunday, but I did not get very involved in the Newman center as I wanted to focus on my studies. On paper my college life was very good as I had great grades, many close friends, and I was involved in different clubs/groups, such as the marching band. However, I could tell that something vital was missing from my life. In response, I decided to do something I hadn't done in a long time: I prayed to God. I prayed that He would help me out and put me on the right path. In exchange I would do whatever He asked of me. 

One day after Sunday mass I attended a free brunch put on by the hospitality team. While I was eating, a FOCUS missionary joined me and we began to converse. Eventually he asked me if I wanted to join a bible study. I had never been part of a bible study before, but I felt that I should say 'Yes'. The study was about the story of salvation, and it made me realize that the stories I had learned in elementary school about Adam, Moses, Abraham, David, and Jesus were all one connected narrative of God's love for His children. 

On another Sunday, I attended brunch again and was asked by another student if I wanted to be a disciple. I had no clue what it meant at the time, but I decided to say 'Yes' since bible study had worked out for me. My discipleship leader challenged me to attend daily mass, adoration, and confession. He also taught me different prayers, such as Lectio Divina and the Memorare. At that time I decided to become more involved in the Newman center. I joined the Knights of Columbus, I served at mass, and I even started my own bible study. 

Even though I was happier than ever with my faith life, I hadn't thought about becoming a priest. That all changed one day after mass. I was about to walk out the door when I noticed a pamphlet sitting on a table. The pamphlet was titled : "Is Jesus calling you to be a Catholic priest?". I realized that I had never asked myself that question before, so I decided to read it. While I was reading it, I had a powerful moment where I felt overwhelmed by God's infinite love for me. I knew at that point that I needed to discern if I had a vocation to the priesthood. My discernment primarily consisted of me receiving the sacraments and attending Eucharistic adoration. In adoration I would think about myself as a priest at the alter, in the confessional, and even just talking to parishioners. I noticed in those moments that my heart desired to give myself completely to Christ so that I could serve and guide His sheep to heaven. From there I applied to the seminary and was accepted. There is much more to my story than that, but if I gave you every little detail it would be longer than the New Testament.

I am incredibly blessed to be on this journey towards the priesthood. The last few years have been the happiest and most fulfilling of my life and I can't even imagine all the blessings God has instore for me in the future! 

Being a seminarian is awesome, but it can be tough at times. The most important way you can support my brothers and I would be to pray for us. I can genuinely tell the impact that the prayer of others has on my life. However, I also want to pray for you! Please feel free to reach out to me via text, phone call, or email with any prayer requests/intentions you have. 

With that being said, being a seminarian is expensive. I greatly appreciate any financial support you can give me, regardless of size. Please discern your personal financial situation before sending any money. If you do wish to financially support me, I can work with Venmo, cash, check, or whatever method works best for you. My contact information, mailing address, and Venmo account are all listed below. Again I am incredibly grateful just to share how God has been working in my life, and I know that He will do the same for you if your heart is open. 

Cell Phone #: (608) 792-3781

Email: alexdanielson9@gmail.com

Venmo: @Alexander-Danielson-2

Mailing address: 206 Haralson Lane La Crescent MN, 55947 (I will update this with my new seminary address as soon as I can)