Meet Seminarian Kevin Richardson

Tell us about your family.
My parents are Paul and Tracy Richardson, they live in Uniontown Pa, I also have a sister named Abigail she is younger from me. We are a close family, and we do a lot together. We go on family vacations, and we go boating a lot in the summer at Yough Lake in Addison Pa. Some of my favorite memories with my family are camping and going on vacation to Disney World and Arizona.

I graduated from California University of Pennsylvania in May 2018 in a Bachelor of Science in Education. I love teaching and my field was middle school history.

My previous job was a full-time substitute teacher for my school district Laurel Highlands in Uniontown. I was all grade levels, but my favorite was 5^th grade. I loved teaching them history, but I also loved being the gym teacher that was always fun the kids loved gym a lot. My favorite thing was to show the students videos on the History channel about different things they maybe did not know before.

Some of my favorite hobbies are…
 Traveling- I love to travel my favorite place I have been to is Arizona I love it there and hope to go back one day.

Waterskiing- I grew up waterskiing I believe I was like 3 or 4 when I started to learn to waterski. There honestly is not any part of my like I can’t remember being on a boat and waterskiing. I love it and have so many good memories of it. I love to waterski with my dad, my sister, and my friends. I also wake board and sky ski.

Genealogy- I love doing ancestry research for my family and anyone who asks me. I think it is important to see where we come from and who our ancestors are. I also love to see where that person is buried also and get a glimpse of who they were by pictures and how their headstone is designed.

Camping- I love camping and the outdoors. I am an Eagle Scout, so I grew up camping with my dad and Boy Scouts. I have been on many great trips through my troop 620 at St Mary Nativity in Uniontown. I think camping can teach someone a lot about themselves and survival techniques.

Vocation Story
So, I was raised in a catholic home and went to catholic school for nine years at St. John the Evangelist in Uniontown. Growing up my former pastor was Fr. William (Bill) Kiel. He was very close with my family and came to our home often for dinner. I always joke I have only seen my mom wedding china set on the table for one person and that was Fr. Bill. He taught me a lot in my life. I asked him one day I would like to be a priest what do I need to do. I am probably like 10 at the time. He explained to me to just start with prayer and go to Jesus every day and pray to him. So, I did learn to pray daily and I went through school and graduated from St John in 2009. I went on to public high school Laurel Highlands in Uniontown.

While I was there in Oct 2010 my grandfather Paul Richardson Sr. passed away suddenly. I was in shock and angry and upset. I cried a lot to God and asked why. I never felt sure why. So after high school I went on to college and I tried to stay in my faith but it meant nothing to me. I had a void in my heart. I would attend different protestant churches from time to time. In 2018 my senior year at Cal u I took a class called History of Christianity since 1500. The professor I had was Dr. Paul Crawford. He was an amazing professor, and I learned a lot about the reformation. Part of the class was we needed to go to a Tridentate High Mass and a non-denominational church. When I went, I was not super excited at first to go to a Latin Mass. My grandma grew up with it and I knew she didn’t enjoy it growing up. So, I went, and the mas starts, and I am impressed by how much incense is used. I felt lost though and bored because I had no clue where they were in the mass except the homily. I notice the priest faced the altar most of the Mass. I was not a fan at first then communion came. So, I go up to receive and I was told I had to kneel and receive on the tongue only. I receive Holy Communion and I look at the priest and I feel this voice say, “Don’t leave me this is where you belong”. I go to my seat, and I felt joy and peace in my heart. Currently, I was still attending Protestant churches and going to bible classes at one of them. After I graduate, I continued to go back to the Latin Mass and the same feelings hit me every time at communion. I started to take my grandma and her friend Rose with me, and we all loved it. I knew then Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist. So COVID hits in spring of 2020 and I lost my job in March that year. I prayed and really thought about my vocation. I called the Vocations office, and I am now two years done with seminary and I know in my heart I made the best choice.

Typical Day
My day is usually the same as I wake around 5-5:30 and have adoration from 6-6:45 then Mass. We then usually head to Gannon for classes. We have classes every day and Mass on campus at the Mary Seat of Wisdom Chapel on Thursdays. We finish around 3 then we head back to the seminary. Evening prayer is said in the chapel at 5 as a house every night then we have dinner together in the dinning room.  We then have usually a conference or music practice Monday nights after dinner and Thursday nights we have apostolic assignments. We then after the conference or dinner we do homework then off to bed and restart. On formation weekends we can have a few conferences throughout the weekend.

Future Priesthood
For me the biggest part for me I look forward to bringing people to Jesus Christ. I can’t wait till I can bring Jesus to his people in the sacraments when they need him and see his grace given to them. I know I will love celebrating Mass for family members and friends who have died and remember and pray for them.

Mentor
For me the biggest mentor for me has been  the late Fr. Bill Kiel. He was my influence when he was alive, and I know from Heaven he is praying for me and others. His intercession I believe plays the biggest role. Also, my family support. Without my family I don’t think I could continue they give me love and support anytime I need it.

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