Deacon Chris Smith appreciates support of priests, family, friends

By Mary P. Walker | Senior Correspondent

Deacon Chris Smith, 32, worked with many retreat teams before deciding to pursue the call to the priesthood. Deacon Smith is the son of Brien and Kathy Smith; he has two sisters. Growing up in College Station, his home parish is St. Thomas Aquinas, where the family is very active.
Deacon Smith was a member of the parish youth group, and served as a lector and an altar server. Educated in College Station public schools, he enjoyed soccer and basketball. Through scouting, he learned to appreciate God’s creation, shared many experiences with his father and attained the rank of Eagle Scout.
After high school, he attended Texas A&M University. While in college, he was a leader in campus ministry at St. Mary Catholic Center. He served on the youth retreat team, which visited parishes within a 100-mile radius and offered weekend retreats to middle and high school students. During his senior year, Deacon Smith served as a campus ministry intern. He graduated in 2010 with a degree in business marketing.
After college, Deacon Smith continued his work in retreat ministry. He joined the National Evangelization Team (NET), where he served for three years as a missionary and led a team of young adults that traveled to parishes in different parts of the country offering retreats.
Deacon Smith said he first heard God’s call to the priesthood shortly after confirmation. He was in eighth grade at a Steubenville Youth Conference and in prayer during Eucharistic Adoration. He did not respond at the time because “I did not think being a priest was ‘cool’ and I wanted to live the American Dream of being a businessman with a big house and lots of kids,” he said.
Yet, the calling continued throughout college. He dated a few women with an eye toward marriage. During his time with NET, the call to the priesthood intensified.
“Once I said yes, I gained a lot of peace, joy and confidence that this is what God is calling me to do with my life,” Deacon Smith said. He has experienced many affirmations of this call throughout his time in the seminary.
Deacon Smith began formation at Holy Trinity Seminary in Dallas, and continued at the Pontifical North American College in Rome. Seminary life brought him the joy of allowing God to form him in prayer, spiritual life and leadership. He also enjoyed his studies and the friendships he formed with his fellow seminarians.
For a short time in the seminary, Deacon Smith grieved that he would never have children of his own. However, God replaced this sadness with the joy of knowing he would have many spiritual children, as well as serve as an uncle to future nieces and nephews and the children of his friends.
Deacon Smith expressed his appreciation for the many priests who have influenced him through the years in his home parish, in college and through his work with NET. In addition, he always had the support of his family, the leaders in his parish youth group when growing up and his core of Christian friends, who encouraged his faith and vocation.
As a priest, Deacon Smith looks forward to celebrating the sacraments and walking with God’s people during the good and trying times in their lives. His advice to those considering whether God is calling them to the priesthood or religious life is to “pray, pray and pray some more.” He especially recommends prayer through the Mass, the sacraments, and Eucharistic Adoration. Because prayer teaches us about God and ourselves, the more we get to know God, the more he reveals the true desires of our hearts, he said.
He will celebrate Masses of thanksgiving June 28 at 10 a.m. at St. Mary Catholic Center in College Station and July 5 at 11 a.m. at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in College Station.