Tonight: Anchorage man to publicly declare his desire to become a priest

CatholicAnchor.org
Seminarian Spencer Hodgson, who has been in formation since 2014 to become a priest for the Anchorage Archdiocese, will take a pivotal step in his journey tonight, June 1, when he participates in the Mass of Candidacy with Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz at 7 p.m. at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church in Anchorage.

Known also as the Rite of Candidacy, this is the moment when a seminarian formally and publically declares before the archbishop his desire to become a candidate for the sacrament of holy orders.

Hodgson grew up in Anchorage and graduated from South Anchorage High School. He is a long time parishioner of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton.

Upon attending St. Olaf’s college he became involved in a Catholic campus outreach. There a married layman, who was a volunteer in the program, had a deep effect on Hodgson’s spirituality.

“He showed me what it meant to be a Catholic man, that real men can still love God and see beauty in the church,” Hodgson told the Anchor in 2014. “Being a regular guy doesn’t mean you can’t be radical in your faith.”

If Hodgson had a “light bulb” moment about his vocation, it may have taken place during his sophomore year when he attended a retreat with St. Paul’s Outreach. There, a young priest named Father Craig Vasek spoke about his vocation to the priesthood.

“He was very hip, cool, down-to-earth and still vibrantly Catholic,” Hodgson remembered. “It was the first time I’d ever considered a vocation to the priesthood.”

Hodgson has taken plenty of time since then to think and pray over his decision. He first completed his undergraduate degrees in psychology and religion at St. Olaf’s before embarking on seminary.

Hodgson feels called to parish work in the Archdiocese of Anchorage. He looks forward to accompanying people on all stages of their spiritual journey, from the joys of baptism and marriage to the sorrows of death.

He also feels great optimism about the church.

“Personally, I think things are really on the way up. We have great leadership from Pope Francis,” he said. “You can feel the Spirit moving.”