David Adamitis: Life as a Catholic Seminarian

Mount St. Mary's Seminary and School of Theology

“Yo, before we start this... what pair of hiking boots should I get?”

On the surface not much has changed with David Adamitis. He still loves the outdoors, and he still loves shoes. I look at my phone and I’ve gotten two pictures from David, one of an olive-green boot, the other a light tan. “Go with the tan,” I say. “Tan goes with anything.”

David is calling from Mount St. Mary’s seminary in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he’s been a seminarian since August 2024. He talks on his cell phone, which was just returned to him a couple months prior (first-year seminarians give up their phone for 8 months upon arriving at Mount St. Mary’s). I can hear the smile in his voice, as he thanks me for the boot recommendation and asks how my weekend was.

David then tells me about his afternoon, how each day at “The Mount” features aspects of prayer, study, and community. His schedule is filled with Mass, a Holy Hour, Rosary, and the Divine Office. “We spend at least two and a half hours in the chapel as a community,” he tells me. This community of prayer is one thing he values most.

I ask him how it feels being a student again. David graduated from Ave Maria University in 2022 with a degree in accounting and a minor in Theology. He chuckles and gives me a mixed reaction. “It’s pretty good, I have classes in philosophy, theology, human formation,” he shares. “The seminary even requires you to take classes in business…”

“But I don’t attend those,” he mentions.

Wow, I think, skipping class already? Not a good look, David.

He quickly explains, “…because those aren’t for first-years.”

Whew.

I ask him what experience he enjoyed most in his time at the Mount. “The Apostolic work has been awesome,” he says. “I’ve been volunteering with the Franciscan sisters, ministering to the poor once a week- it’s been amazing.”

But he can’t pick just one experience. “The amount of time spent in prayer has also been life-changing.” He tells me of his newfound love for the Divine Office, a series of prayers said throughout the day.

“It really sanctifies my day,” he says. “Praying recharges me throughout my busy schedule- and it’s a comfort knowing my day is ordered around prayer.”

He attempts to explain the profound effect daily prayer has had on his love for God. Having deepened his prayer life, he says, “I have this burning desire for God,” which is both satisfied and encouraged by his time in prayer. “My love for God has gotten so much deeper.”

As he explains this to me, he recognizes how this may sound to others.

“That probably sounds so corny,” he admits. “If someone had said this to me a couple years ago, I would’ve laughed.”

But he’s not laughing it off now. Today, David recognizes the importance of prayer. He shares, “Until this year, I didn’t know it was possible to feel that close to God.”

Maybe David has changed more than I thought…

“I’ve learned that my capacity for prayer can grow so much more,” he tells me. Relaying a phrase he learned in seminary; he tells me that he equates prayer to “digging a spiritual well that will sustain you for your life.”

“I am very different than I was in August,” David shares. He read my mind.

We drift to the topic of sports, and I can hear David’s excitement through the phone. “Every Wednesday we have a formal dinner and then some seminary-wide activity,” he tells me. Most times it’s a tournament of some kind, ranging from frisbee to basketball, and in the winter, mini-golf through the halls.

I ask him what tournament he enjoys most, already knowing his answer. David played varsity frisbee during his time at AMU.

David looks for an open teammate (Mount St. Mary's Seminary)

“Frisbee, duh.”

Yeah, I thought so.

He also informs me of his plans to run the Cincinnati “Flying Pig Marathon” this May with a few of his seminarian brothers. “My goal is to qualify for Boston [Marathon],” he tells me. To reach that goal David must run under 2 hours and 49 minutes. For reference, that’s just under 6 minutes and 30 seconds per mile. (In addition to frisbee, he also ran cross country in college.)

“I’m feeling good,” he tells me. “I’m so thankful that running is something I can continue to do while in seminary- I’ve been hitting 60 miles a week.”

I ask him how he’ll fare against the steep hills along the marathon route. “I think I can do it,” he says, laughing. “But put an asterisk on that, just in case I can’t.”

It’ll be a tall task, but David is used to tackling difficult challenges.

I ask him what the most challenging part of seminary has been thus far. He pauses for a minute to think about his answer. After the question hangs in the air (for longer than I expect), he replies.

“The loss of autonomy and the ability to see friends,” he says. Until March, his only means of communication was email and a spotty, landline telephone. He must get permission from his superior to see friends outside of the seminary grounds, as well.

“Last semester a good friend was traveling through Cincy, and I asked my superior if I could be dismissed to see him,” David explains. “He denied my request and I wasn’t granted permission.” He acknowledges, “that was really hard.”

But David understands. “I see the benefit… the goal is inward formation, turning my focus away from outside influences,” he shares. “Its also a test of humility and obedience to my superior, I have to follow him as I follow Christ.”

Along with his superior at Mount St. Mary’s, David shared his appreciation for Fr. Jonathan Meyer, a priest at All Saints Parish in Dearborn County, Indiana. Fr. Meyer, known online for his powerful sermons on the Eucharist, has been mentoring David since the two met in 2023. “I had an insane time with him over Palm Sunday,” he tells me. “He invited me to go to his parish’s Wizard of Oz production… four kids fell during the play, it was hilarious.”

David with Fr. Jonathan Meyer (Photo: David Adamitis)

Yeah, I smile, there’s the old David again.

David explains that he drove him back to the rectory, but before they arrived, Fr. Meyer suggested a detour. “Pull over here, we got to get a burger,” he told David. The pit-stop lasted longer than expected. “We chatted for hours, until 11pm” David explained. “We talked about everything…I just asked him questions and he spoke truth, it was so powerful.”

For David, Fr. Meyer is a model for holiness; “he just pours himself out in service to others.”

This too is David’s goal- to serve others and lead them to Christ. At the end of my conversation with the seminarian, I conclude that at his core, David hasn’t changed.

But he has grown. Renewed in prayer and community, he is becoming who he was made to be.