‘I Think I Want to Be a Priest’: Deacon Peter An shares his journey

We’re excited to share Deacon Peter’s inspiring journey as he opens up about his vocation and the experiences that shaped his calling! From childhood moments in Seoul to serving as a deacon today, Deacon Peter’s stories are filled with faith, family, and incredible moments of grace. 

Can you tell us a little about yourself—where you grew up and about your family?

• I was born in Seoul, South Korea as a cradle catholic. I remember when I was little, I would sing (shout) the parts of the Mass in the cry room of the church, holding the hymnal upside-down. ​We’re a family of four: my parents, myself, and my younger sister. We moved to Calgary in 2007, and we attended St. Anne’s Parish. We all volunteered at church, and our life was very much centered around the parish life. I graduated high school and entered St. Joseph Seminary in Edmonton, and my sister became a travelling nurse. My parents happened to be in Seattle for my father’s work, so my sister joined them. My sister is still in Seattle, but my parents and I are now back in Calgary.

Deacon Peter’s family and friends

What inspired you to pursue priesthood? Was there a moment or experience that sparked your calling?

• Back in Seoul, I began volunteering as an altar server after receiving my first Holy Communion. At one morning Mass, I was the only altar server, and I knelt for the Consecration. When the priest began to recite the Words of Institution, it felt like he and I were separated from this world, as if we were the only ones in this world, in this profound union with what was happening on the altar. I never got to ask my pastor if he also shared this experience, but I thought that this was his experience with the Lord, and that I was the one that got to partake in it. It was in that moment I thought for the first time, “I think I want to become a priest.”

Deacon Peter in his first year of Seminary

Deacon Peter in his second year of Seminary, volunteering at a summer camp

Many young people wonder how to recognize God’s call in their lives. How do we know God is calling us?

• Being able to actively-listen, or listening with intention, is a very important part of having a real conversation. When I began to actively listen to those around me, I was also able to actively-listen to God. Grace builds on nature. When we begin to form good habits or virtues, not for our own merits but to conform ourselves to God, He will give us the grace.

Now that you’re a deacon, what’s been the most awesome part of serving so far?

• The most awesome thing about being a deacon has been this sort of elevated level of freedom I now have in dedicating myself to God and His people. I was always free to serve, but now as an ordained minister of the Church, my role is to serve; I am a servant. Serving the Lord and His people is what I am supposed to do, and what I am called to do.

Litany of the Saint - during the Ordination

Photo of the goalies after Philosophers vs Theologians hockey night

When life gets tough, how do you stay grounded in your faith? 

• When there’s turbulence in our lives, we rely upon our anchors. For some of us, our family is our anchor. So, when things get rough, we turn to them. Some of us have our faith as our anchor, so we turn to God. Some of us have ourselves as an anchor, which if you think about it, just means that you can’t anchor yourself to anything. I don’t think it’s me that’s staying grounded; rather I rely on the Lord and He gives me the grace to remain in Him. My shortest prayer is exclaiming in my mind, “HELP!”

Deacon Peter’s story is a beautiful reminder of how God calls us in unique and personal ways. May God, who began His good work in him, bring it to completion and fulfillment.

MORE PHOTOS FROM DEACON PETER'S ORDINATION ON DEC 28, 2024