Meet the Seminarians
God our Father,
We thank You for calling men and women to serve in Your Son’s Kingdom as priests, deacons, and consecrated persons. Send your Holy Spirit to help others to respond generously and courageously to Your call. May our community of faith support vocations of sacrificial love in our youth and young adults. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God,
forever and ever.
AMEN
WATCH: FALLING IN LOVE WITH GOD
Luke Capoun
COLLEGE II
Home Parish: St. Wenceslaus, Omaha
Seminary: St. John Vianney
Interesting Facts
Coming soon!
Seth Conrad
PRE-THEOLOGY I
Home Parish: St. John the Baptist, Ft. Calhoun
Seminary: Kenrick Glennon
Interesting Facts
Coming soon!
Zachary Eischeid
THEOLOGY III
Home Parish: St. Boniface, Elgin
Seminary: Kenrick Glennon
Interesting Facts
• Discerned priesthood since he was a toddler. But “pushed it back in his mind.”
• Attended the Benedictine College for one year, majoring in Theology.
• Felt the call to priesthood again as a Totus Teacher, only stronger.
• His hobbies are basketball, baseball, jamming on the ukulele, listening to Christian rap, Nebraska football & combating heresy.
Michael Figura
THEOLOGY I
Home Parish: St. Stephen the Martyr, Omaha
Seminary: North American College, Rome
Interesting Facts
• Enjoys playing board games, making music, cooking, biking, playing video games
• Likes working with graphic designs
• Enjoys traveling
• Enjoys learning about the Saints
Logan Hepp
THEOLOGY II
Home Parish: St. Stephen the Martyr, Omaha
Seminary: Kenrick Glennon
Interesting Facts
Coming soon!
Brian Hula
THEOLOGY II
Home Parish: St. Peter, Omaha
Seminary: Kenrick Glennon
Interesting Facts
• Attended University of Dallas
• Graduated from Conception Seminary
• Favorite things to do: fishing, hiking, backpacking, basketball, volleyball, and disc golf.
• Enjoys playing his accordionand reading good literature, especially Dostoyevsky, Chesterton, or Flannery O’Connor
Brian Johnson
COLLEGE III
Home Parish: St. Ludger Parish, Creighton
Seminary: St. John Vianney
Interesting Facts
• Thought he was going to become an engineer or math teacher, but God placed upon his heart to pursue seminary and check out priesthood.
• Favorite things to do: playing sports/staying active, enjoying nature, watching movies, spending time with Jesus.
Caleb Kosch
COLLEGE IV
Home Parish: St. Anthony, Columbus
Seminary: St. John Vianney
Interesting Facts
• Felt the call to priesthood in elementary school.
Hobbies include: running, biking, reading, and hanging out with friends
Thomas LaSala
COLLEGE I
Home Parish: St. Gerald, Ralston
Seminary: St. John Vianney
Interesting Facts
Coming soon!
Steve Mahoney
THEOLOGY I
Home Parish: St. Mary, Wayne
Seminary: Kenrick Glennon
Interesting Facts
• Was not a Christian or Catholic until he attended a Catholic Conference sponsored by FOCUS, while attending Wayne State College.
• Felt the pull towards the priesthood at an ordination. And now begins his second year in seminary.
• Loves swimming, playing sports, and spending time with family.
Thomas Matya
PASTORAL YEAR
Home Parish: St. Charles Borromeo, Gretna
Pastoral Year: St. Stephen the Martyr
Interesting Facts
• He “celebrated Mass” as a boy, but didn’t think about the priesthood until his junior year in high school.
• His pastor encouraged him to consider the priesthood, and after attending a day retreat with seminarians, he saw the joy they experienced.
• He entered Seminary after graduating from Gretna High School.
Ethan Menning
COLLEGE I
Home Parish: St. Patrick, Elkhorn
Seminary: St. John Vianney
Interesting Facts
Coming soon!
Andrew Nigro
PROPAEDEUTIC YR
Home Parish: St. Gerald, Ralston
Seminary: St. Paul
Interesting Facts
Coming soon!
Isaac Ostdiek
COLLEGE IV
Home Parish: St. Bonaventure, Columbus
Seminary: St. John Vianney Seminary
Interesting Facts
• Felt the call to priesthood in 8th grade
• Loves to read all types of books, mostly adventure books
• Enjoys playing board games
Nicholas Paltz
THEOLOGY I
Home Parish: Holy Family Parish/Cedar Family
Seminary: St. John Vianney
Interesting Facts
• Began thinking of priesthood in the 4th grade.
• Credits his pastor, Fr. Eric Olsen and his cousin, Fr. Jeremy Hans, as major influ-ences in his
decision to try seminary.
• Active in Jazz Band, One Act, Speech, & bowling. Enjoys sports.
• Received President’s Award for Out-standing Academic Excellence several times throughout high school.
Matthew Pohlman
THEOLOGY III
Home Parish: St. Gerald, Ralston
Seminary: North American College, Rome
Interesting Facts
• Entered Seminary after graduating from Skutt Catholic High School.
• Vocational awareness was enriched by many God-centered events and faith-filled conversations at Skutt.
• He enjoys music, singing and performing onstage, and working out at the gym.
Joshua Richards
THEOLOGY II
Home Parish: St. Columbkille, Papillion
Seminary: St. Paul
Interesting Facts
• Attended the University of Nebraska Omaha for two years while living at the John Paul II Newman Center, which he calls “an incredible two years!”
• He credits Fr. Joe Taphorn as a priest who was very influential in his decision to apply for seminary.
• His hobbies include playing soccer & spikeball, reading and writing letters to his family and friends.
Nicholas Seier
THEOLOGY II
Home Parish: Sacred Heart, Norfolk
Seminary: Kenrick Glennon
Interesting Facts
• Attended March for Life all four years in high school.
• During school he was involved in: Choir, Quiz Bowl, Nebraska Future Problem Solvers and Golf.
• Graduated with degrees in biological systems and biomedical engineering.
• Enjoys camping, canoeing, hiking and bike riding.
Ryan Sheridan
PROPAEDEUTIC YR
Home Parish: St. Gerald, Ralston
Seminary: St. Paul
Interesting Facts
Coming soon!
Will Targy
PASTORAL YEAR
Home Parish: St. Mary, Bellevue
Pastoral Year: St. Margaret Mary
Interesting Facts
• Graduated from University of Omaha.
• Became a FOCUS Missionary. Served for two years at Mt. St. Mary’s Seminary and final year at James Madison University in Virginia.
• Youth Minister at St. Mary’s in Bellevue for six years.
• Hobbies: reading, movies, Husker football, ping-pong and Frisbee golf, & hiking.
Jacob Walker
PROPAEDEUTIC YR
Home Parish: St. Augustine, Winnebago
Seminary: St. Paul
Interesting Facts
Coming soon!
Kyle Wozniak
COLLEGE III
Home Parish: St. Columbkille, Papillion
Seminary: St. John Vianney
Interesting Facts
•Felt God’s calling in the 7th grade
• Attended a couple of Steubenville Conferences, and every March for Life Walk for the last 5 years.
• Hobbies: running, biking, movies, theatre, music, drawing, and sometimes video games.