Seminarian Benjamin Reinhart Finds True Vocational Calling: “God Had a Plan for My Life”

When asked to describe his road to the seminary, Benjamin Reinhart recalls that it was a long and bumpy one.

“I floundered around until about the age of 30, like a ship without a rudder,” Benjamin says.

But he now feels like he is living out his calling, as he enters into his second year at St. John Vianney Theological Seminary in Denver, Colo., having spent the past month in a pastoral assignment here at Queen of the Holy Rosary. Benjamin is a seminarian of the Archdiocese of Kansas City, Kan.

As far as seminarians go, Benjamin is on the older side, at 41 years old. He is so happy to be where he is now, living out his vocation.

“I dabbled in everything, from underwater welding school to broadcasting, but nothing ever really stuck,” he says. “I had a conversion, and realized I was supposed to be doing something with my life.”

The first step in Benjamin’s return to the Catholic Church was through two women who told him of God’s love for him when he was attending the University of Hawaii at Mānoa. At that time, he had been away from the Catholic faith for 15 years.

May our Queen of the Holy Rosary family keep seminarian Benjamin Reinhart in our prayers through the coming years!

“When they prayed for me, I felt love — God’s love,” Benjamin says. “They proceeded to tell me that God had a plan for my life. This started the road to conversion. God intervened in my life. I didn’t know what He wanted, but I knew He was real in that moment.”

Benjamin spent some time after this discerning where he was being called. He looked into many religious orders, but nothing was the right fit. He spent time praying and meeting with priests and spiritual directors. He started at the seminary, then took a twoyear break to discern religious life. He’s back at the seminary, and he feels this is really his calling. Having worked as an addiction counselor, he knows there’s a great need for Jesus.

“There are so many people out there who need shepherds,” Benjamin says. “There are a lot of people who need a guide. They want to grow, but they don’t know how.”

In his five weeks with us, Benjamin has provided important help to Fr. William Bruning, led some evening teachings, and visited the homebound and those in nursing homes. If all goes according to God’s will, Benjamin will be ordained in May 2024. In his free time, Benjamin enjoys lifting weights, cooking, traveling, and making pilgrimages.

May our Queen of the Holy Rosary family keep Benjamin in our prayers through the coming years!