Seminarian Chat: Dcn. Jonah Beckham

Jonah Beckham, ordained to the transitional deaconate in June, continues his journey at St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore, now in the final stage to becoming a priest, God willing, in the summer.

Deacon Beckham, formed early in his life at Saint John the Baptist Catholic Church in Edmond, took time from a hectic schedule for a wide-ranging Q&A, offering a glimpse into his decision to pursue the priesthood, life at St. Mary’s and more.

Q. When you were a boy, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A. As a young boy, I always thought that I would be a baseball player. When I was in middle school, I thought about becoming a police officer, and once I went into high school, I was planning to become a youth minister.
    
Q. When did becoming a priest first become an option in your mind?
A. I was 13 years old when I first considered the priesthood, but it was not until I was 16 that I truly believed that becoming a priest was a real possibility.

Q. Was it a slow build, requiring much discernment to get to that point, or was it more like a thunderbolt? 
A. It was a slow build. Being a priest was something I never really considered or thought I desired. However, during my time in high school, getting more involved with my youth group, doing parish ministry and spending time in adoration, it became clear to me that this was something that the Lord desired of me. Over time, I realized that I desired it as well.

Q. What was the reaction among family and friends to your decision to seek the priesthood?
A. To my best friends, it was not a surprise. I was so involved in my home parish that I thought I would end up becoming a youth minister, so telling my friends I was planning to apply for the seminary was not a surprise at all.

Q. What was the most eye-opening event or realization of your seminarian journey?
A. When I was in college seminary, I remember someone telling me they did not know how to throw a baseball. It was mind-blowing to me to hear this because that was one of the first things my dad taught me, and I always assumed everyone did this.

While he didn't know how to do this, he knew how to do things I did not know how to do. It taught me that not all seminarians are the same; we come from different backgrounds with different hobbies and interests that make us who we are. While we might not all have everything in common, all of us in the seminary are striving to follow God more closely in our lives and bring people closer to God. In the seminarian, you find guys you never thought you would be friends with, and they become the closest friends you'll ever have. 

Q. What does a “Day in the Life” of a seminarian look like for you?
A. The day in the life of a seminarian looks different depending on the man and the seminary, but a typical day looks like this for me:

•     5 a.m.: Wake up.
•     5:30 a.m.: Office of Readings (Liturgy of the Hours) with tea (I do not like coffee).
•     6 a.m.: Meditation (spiritual reading, rosary, etc.).
•     6:45 a.m.: Morning Prayer (Liturgy of the Hours).
•     7 a.m.: Holy Mass.
•     7:30 a.m.: Breakfast.
•     8:25 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.: Classes or exercise or meetings.
•     12:30 p.m.: Lunch.
•     1 p.m.: Daytime Prayer (Liturgy of the Hours).
•     1:20 - 3:55 p.m.: Classes or meetings or study
•     4 p.m.: Holy Hour or conference.
•     5 p.m.: Evening Prayer (Liturgy of the Hours).
•     5:15 p.m.: Dinner.
•     6 p.m.: Leisure or study.
•     9 p.m.: Night Prayer (Liturgy of the Hours).
•     10 p.m.: House silent.

Q. OK, I know people must comment on your deep voice. Right? Has it changed in recent years? And when you get your first assignment as a priest, are you curious to see the response in the pews when you first speak? 
A. The first thing people notice or talk to me about when I meet someone new is my voice and honestly, I get it. Since my time in middle school and beginning in high school, I have always had a deeper voice, and over the years, it has developed and has become deeper. Since my time in the seminary, I have worked with many amazing priests and a speech coach, not to change my voice, but to learn how to use it properly with microphones and speak clearly, as speaking with a deeper voice is not always easily understood. Seeing people's reactions to my voice is always fun, but I am more interested in hearing from my parishioners if I am clear from the ambo and if they can hear and understand me.  

Q. As you get closer to your ordination day, what advice from other priests has resonated the most?
A. "Are you living your Holy Hour?" - Monsignor Andrew Baker, president and rector of Mount St. Mary's Seminary. He asks this question often to remind us of the necessity of not only spending time with our Lord in prayer but also taking the Lord with us and living our lives as men of prayer.

Q. What would be your words for other young men who may be discerning the priesthood yet facing uncertainty?
A. Uncertainty is normal and natural when discerning any vocation in life. Life is not always easy, and we can become filled with fears and worries about the future and what we should do with our lives. Come to our Lord in the Eucharist, be in dialogue with him in prayer and adoration, and ask him to show you your path. Our Lord loves you and has a beautiful plan for you, and if that plan is for the priesthood, say yes. It is a beautiful way of life, and my life currently as a deacon has been the greatest gift I could ever receive. I look forward to becoming a priest more and more every day. Take courage; the Lord is with you.