Seminarian Chris Wahlen

Christopher Wahlen’s vocation to the priesthood developed gradually through years of prayer, service, and a growing desire to follow the Lord wherever He called. Raised in Mitchell, South Dakota in a Catholic family, he first encountered the faith at home before attending Dakota Wesleyan University, where he earned his nursing degree and became a registered nurse. Caring for veterans and other patients gave him a profound appreciation for the dignity of every human person and the privilege of serving others with compassion.

Although Christopher was raised Catholic, it was as a young adult that his faith truly became the center of his life. After experiencing God's healing mercy through the sacrament of Reconciliation,  he began to pursue a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ. Through frequent reception of the sacraments, daily Mass, Eucharistic adoration, praying the Rosary and the Liturgy of the Hours, faithful spiritual direction, and bringing Holy Communion to the sick, his love for Christ and His Church continued to grow. During this time, he began to recognize that the Lord might be inviting him to serve not only through healthcare but also through the priesthood.

Through years of prayer and discernment, that invitation became increasingly difficult to ignore. While leaving behind a career he loved and the familiarity of home required trust and sacrifice, Christopher experienced a profound and lasting peace whenever he entrusted his future to the Lord. He came to realize that his deepest desire was simply to do the will of God, trusting that the Lord's plans are always greater than his own.

Grateful for the abundant love and mercy Christ has shown him, Christopher desires to spend his life serving God and His people, helping others encounter the same hope, healing, love, and mercy he discovered through a relationship with Jesus Christ and His Church.