Steven Arisman

My name is Steven Arisman! I am from St. Agnes Parish and was born and raised in Springfield, IL. I am the youngest of four children. I have an older sister Amy, followed by 2 brothers, Mark and Craig. They are all married. We are a very close family. I am a product of an education by the Dominican Sisters of Springfield. I went to St. Agnes Grade School and Sacred Heart Griffin High School! After high school, I went to Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, studying music education for 2 years. I entered the seminary, studying at Cardinal Glennon College Seminary for one year. After leaving Glennon, I studied at the University of Illinois in Springfield. While studying at UIS, I taught the All City Catholic Grade School Band for 2 years, working with the seven Catholic grade schools in Springfield. The past three years I was working at St. John's Hospital in the Emergency Department, mainly working night shift in Bed Placement Admitting.

I have been truly blessed by God for the opportunity to have such great experiences with teaching and at St. John's Hospital. I heard the call to Priesthood very young. As long as I can remember, I have always thought I was going to be a priest, it was just finding out how I fit into that call. It is an overwhelming and awesome vocation! To think that I have been called to that vocation-it takes some time to realize how you work in that call, and how that call works in your life. God has placed some wonderful priests in my life as great examples, especially the example of my uncle Msgr. Leo Enlow. Without each of those priests, I don't think I would be able to attempt to answer this call well. Through God's grace, many are called to serve, but it just takes the courage to say yes! Know that God doesn't call the perfect to priesthood, He calls everyday Catholic men, and through God's grace, does great and perfect works! I am honored to be studying at such a great Seminary, like Conception Seminary College here in Conception, MO. Please pray for each of us in the seminary, and pray for more to have the courage to say YES!