In a time of declining vocations, one Wisconsin family is helping to reverse that trend by giving 3 of its sons to the Priesthood of Jesus Christ. The Strand brothers, Luke, Vincent, & Jake have all answered the calling and been ordained priests of the Catholic Church.

So how did three brothers from one family all receive the same calling to become priests when not even their family saw it coming?

Their mother, Bernadette Strand, did not expect her sons to all enter the priesthood. “It takes you off guard, (having) one after the other come and talk to us” she said.

Their grandmother Ruth, had hoped one of her grandsons would join the priesthood. “Grandma would always say, ‘Maybe one of you boys is going to be a priest’ and I think we’d just laugh: ‘Whatever, grandma.’ I mean we’re not going to study to be a priest,” Luke Strand said.

All 3 brothers said they heard their calling at the end of high school or college, despite that all three wrestled with the decision for years, primarily because of the vow of celibacy.

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