Growing up, Gabriel R.’s aunt, a religious sister, was one of his greatest role models. At 15, Gabriel began to sense God calling him to something more too. He entered the seminary after graduating from high school in 2019. Today, Gabriel is a major seminarian at The Saint Paul Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota, studying for the Diocese of Winona-Rochester.
Along the way, Gabriel has been supported not only by family and his diocese, but also by the Catholic United Financial Foundation’s Schuler Seminarian Fund. The grant program assists seminarians with their education expenses as they prepare for ordination to the priesthood.
Gabriel’s Journey
Gabriel learned about the Schuler Seminarian Fund from his vocations director while studying at Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary in Winona, Minnesota.
“I decided to apply because the scholarship funds are granted directly to the seminarian,” Gabriel says. “This helped me with additional and sometimes unexpected expenses during my time as a college seminarian, including gas, car repairs and class textbooks.”
Each time he received the grant, Gabriel said he felt deep gratitude.
“I am appreciative of the generosity of those who make it possible,” he says.
For Gabriel, Catholic United Financial has been part of his story since childhood. He has been a member for most of his life, after his parents joined when the organization began supporting the Catholic elementary school he attended.
“My grade school helped to lay the foundation for my continued spiritual growth in the Church,” Gabriel says. “I am very grateful that Catholic United Financial’s generosity helped me to receive an extremely good Catholic education in my early years of schooling.”
That early experience eventually blossomed into a vocation. After four years of formation at Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary, he continued his studies at The Saint Paul Seminary. A lifelong singer, he was involved in the production of an album of sacred chant at each seminary.
“The Lord has continued to invite me into the mystery of this priestly calling,” he says.
The Schuler Fund’s support has allowed him to focus more fully on that calling.
“The Schuler Fund grant has supported me as a seminarian, lessening the need to focus on financial concerns,” Gabriel says. “I have certainly been blessed by the generosity of many people, including those who have contributed to the fund.”
A Bit of History
The Schuler Fund was created in memory of Monsignor Richard J. Schuler, a priest of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis who served from 1945 until his death in 2007. Schuler was a longtime spiritual director for Catholic United Financial and a passionate supporter of priestly vocations. He was known for welcoming seminarians into his rectory for prayer, conversation and fellowship, and for encouraging parishes to pray regularly for vocations. That legacy continues through the foundation’s work today.
Schuler Fund grants are awarded directly to seminarians like Gabriel to help with cost-of-living and incidental expenses. Recipients must be studying for a diocese within the five-state service area of Catholic United Financial (Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa and North and South Dakota).
A Record-Breaking Year
Gabriel’s story comes at a hopeful moment for the Church. In 2025, the foundation received a record number of applications for the Schuler Fund, awarding 205 grants—up from 172 in 2024 and surpassing the previous high of 180 in 2017. The increase included notable growth in applications from Iowa and Wisconsin, a sign of renewed interest in vocations across the region.
“Gabriel is a seminarian who will be serving our members where they live, work and worship,” says Robert Heuermann, executive director of the Catholic United Financial Foundation. “He represents the future of our faith and fulfills the purpose of the Schuler Fund.”
Seminaries are seeing an increase in the young men who have been called to serve through vocations.
“After years of declines, our prayers for vocations are answered with a strong and growing group of men following their calling,” Heuermann says. “These men will become the future leaders of the Church who will strengthen our faith and grow our members in the pews.”
For Gabriel, becoming a priest is not about personal achievement but about service. As he continues his formation, he looks forward to the day he can serve the faithful of southern Minnesota.
“As a priest, I am most looking forward to administering the sacraments, especially the Eucharist,” Gabriel says. “The Eucharist has been a focal point of my own journey toward the priesthood, and it will be such a great blessing to celebrate the Mass.”
A gift to the Schuler Seminarian Fund is an investment in the next generation of Church leaders. To learn more about the Schuler Fund or to make a donation, visit catholicunitedfinancial.org/ schuler-fund.
