VanDenheuvel Ordained as a Catholic Priest

by Trinity Gruenberg

trinity@inhnews.com

Joseph VanDenheuvel, son of Nancy and Russ VanDenheuvel of Bertha, recently took a significant step in his spiritual journey by being ordained as a Catholic priest.

After graduating from Bertha-Hewitt in 2014, he felt a profound calling to the priesthood, which he initially grappled with before ultimately embracing it following years of prayer and reflection.

“It was a lot about feeling called to the priesthood, and for a large portion of time, I didn’t want to pursue it. But that’s what I kept being called to; that’s what God was asking of me. After a few years of prayer, I made the decision that what God was asking of me is also what I wanted,” VanDenheuvel explained.

After deciding to pursue the priesthood, he entered the Catholic seminary. He attended Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary in Winona starting in 2018, followed by St. Paul Seminary in 2021.

At the first seminary, he studied philosophy and other subjects, including Latin, for three years. The second seminary focused on theology and the pastoral aspects of being a priest.

“Part of the process is discerning if this is really what you want. Once ordained, it’s a lifelong commitment. By the end of my studies, making the decision was easy,” he said.

Not everyone makes it through seminary. Approximately 30-40 percent will complete the first seminary and continue to the second.

In VanDenheuvel’s first seminary class, he began with 23 classmates, but only seven completed the program...

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