​My journey to Assumption Seminary

My journey to Assumption Seminary

By Jose Santiago Perez

For Today’s Catholic

As I get closer to the end of my college years at Assumption Seminary, and prepare to graduate from Mexican American Catholic College and University of Incarnate Word, I have begun to reflect on these past four years that I spent as a collegian at Assumption Seminary. My name is Jose Perez and I am 26 years old. I come from the Diocese of San Bernardino, California, and I am a senior in college. These past several years have been a great blessing for me as I continue to discern my vocation to the priesthood, because of the transitions I have gone through, and in the growth in my academic formation.

I went through a transition when I came to Assumption Seminary four years ago. First, it had been a while since I was a long distance away from my family. When I was at St. Junipero Serra House of Formation in the San Bernardino Diocese, I saw my family every weekend. Therefore, imagine transitioning to not seeing them for periods of four months at a time. Although this was hard, it has helped me grow more as a human person, becoming more self-dependent and open to making new friends at the seminary. It has also helped me value the importance of family, and as a consequence, it has helped me to be united with all my brother seminarians.

Furthermore, coming to Assumption in San Antonio has helped me improve in my academic formation. Growing up I have always struggled with academics. I was never on the Dean’s list, or a 4.0 student, nor could I earn a grade higher that a “C.” I knew therefore, that coming to Assumption Seminary, I was going to receive all the help needed to succeed in my classes. First, the classes are in person, so I have direct contact with the professor whenever I have a question. I also had a tutor throughout my four years here who helped me with my writing assignments; and so, I transitioned from earning C’s and D’s to B’s and A’s.

Being at Assumption Seminary has helped me grow in so many ways while studying in College the past four years. I was able to grow more as a human person and my academics also improved. I can’t wait to see what God has planned for me as I transition to theology studies in the fall of 2021.

Jose Santiago Perez is a seminarian of the Diocese of San Bernardino.