Our Seminarians

Paul Y. Kim

Home Parish: St. Paul Ha-Sang, Flushing
Pastoral Year Parish: St. Athanasius, Bensonhurst
Seminary: Seminary of the Immaculate Conception, Huntington

Listen to the call that God has presented to you. If you get the slightest feeling that God has chosen you for the priesthood; pray about it and the answer will come. Be Not Afraid.

After the death of my father, the priests in my parish played a major role in my life. Without the excellent examples of my parish priests; I do not know where I would be, or what my faith life would be like. I am eternally grateful to the priests that have been a part of my life; through their kindness, I was able to hear the call of God. The examples of the fine priests in the Diocese of Brooklyn have played an important role in my road to the priesthood. Fr. Gabriel Lee is a true inspiration for me; he has helped me by his priestly example and his wisdom.

Living in Queens for the last 23 years, I am happy to call it home. The Diocese of Brooklyn in great and unique because of many parishes we have in our neighborhoods. Whether I am in Brooklyn or Queens, I know there is a Catholic Parish where I can go to for Mass or for confession. The diversity of the parishes in Queens and Brooklyn truly makes the Diocese great; I can honestly say that there is no other place that I rather be a priest than in Brooklyn.

When a man becomes a seminarian, he joins a special “brotherhood”. A seminarian is one who is seeking to do the will of God, never alone but with and for others. The life of a seminarian is based on prayer, studies and a common life of activities. The seminary is an enjoyable place, precisely because of the other seminarians, who like you are trying to hear the call of God; they are there to help you, as you are there to help them.

I have been in seminary formation for a number of years now; currently I am studying theology at the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception in Huntington New York. I enjoy playing many sports; but if I had to pick a specific sport, it would be basketball and baseball. I am athletic, and I am a person who enjoys outdoor activities.

I was a part of the various levels of formation, from the high school level, to the college level, and now the major seminary level. For me, going on retreats, and participating in various church related functions helped me to hear, and to continue to hear God's call. The examples of the excellent priests of the Diocese of Brooklyn have played a major role in my discernment to the priesthood. I would encourage a man considering a vocation to the Priesthood of Jesus Christ, to talk with a priest in your parish, and listen to his vocation story. Listen to what he say about the seminary, and also visit the seminary to get first hand taste of what seminary life is like.