My name is Jacob Esker. I grew up in central Illinois just outside the little town of Dieterich. I am the middle child in a family of seven and I am currently twenty-six years old. My story is a little long, but if someone were to ask me what the one thing is that got me to where I am today, I would say it is the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Queen of Heaven and Earth.
From an early age, Mary had an important place in my heart. Through seeking her intercession, I became grounded in the Catholic faith during my junior high years. When we were growing up, Mom and Dad always used to make us sit down and say a Rosary in the evenings. I never saw the value of the Rosary until my college years when I embraced the devotion myself. When I decided to say the Rosary for myself, it was done with much more love and many more graces came from that prayer.
Turning back to my vocation story, I had heard the call as early as high school, which is now eight years ago. I looked into it a little bit, but I guess I got cold feet and said “no, it wasn’t for me.” I continued to say this every time thoughts of seminary and priesthood came up over the next seven years. It wasn’t until the spring of 2021, when it felt like life had me slammed up against a wall, that I started to question what I was doing. At the time, I was studying elementary education at Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville, finishing up my junior year. I was enjoying the student teaching part, but I was really struggling with what I was being taught. On top of that, I was recovering from a broken arm. I could tell I wasn’t happy, and my mom could see it too. She suggested I say a 54-day Rosary novena with the specific intention of finding my vocation and she said she would say it with me. I figured it couldn’t hurt and so we started on Memorial Day that May.
Around the middle to end of July, I received the answer I wasn’t looking for; I had the thought that I had to check out priesthood again. I wasn’t keeping track, so I don’t know if it was day 54 or not, but I know God’s timing was perfect. Once I finally accepted the invitation that I realized was being presented, it felt like things just started falling into place. So much was perfectly orchestrated in that short amount of time that it could only be the work of God. If things had been any different, I probably wouldn’t be here in seminary right now. I still don’t know for sure if I’m called to priesthood yet, but I am confident that right now, I’m in the right place.