Seminarian mixes faith and football

Published: 2005-02-01

MADISON, Wis. (CNS) -- It takes focus and courage to be a seminarian and to be a football player. Ben Kessler, recently named an All-American, is both. "It was a nice honor," said Kessler, a seminarian studying to be a priest of the Diocese of Madison who attends St. John Vianney College Seminary on the University of St. Thomas campus in St. Paul, Minn. Kessler, a junior with a 4.0 grade point average, takes classes at the University of St. Thomas, where he is majoring in philosophy and business management and is scheduled to graduate in four years. He is the first seminary student to play football at St. Thomas. A 6-foot-2, 250-pound defensive tackle, Kessler earned second-team All-Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference honors after recording 10 sacks for the university team, the Tommies. Kessler, who wakes up each day at 5:30 a.m., begins his day with morning prayer and Mass. Football practice, classes and studying keep him going until 11 p.m. It's a challenging cycle, but rewarding, Kessler said, adding that he "wouldn't have it any other way."

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