Vocational Biography on Fr. Keith A. Mathur

Introduction and Brief Vocation Story
My name is Fr. Keith Mathur and I am stationed right here at Saint Thomas More Parish. I am originally from Forks Township outside Easton, Pennsylvania. I am 25 years old and was ordained a priest on June 6, 2009 at the Cathedral of Saint Catherine of Siena, Allentown.

My journey to the priesthood began in the 4th grade when I started altar serving. I recall thinking how “cool” it would be one day to be like the priest. The young priests at my parish during my early years greatly influenced my desire. However, my visions of the priesthood were in no way constant from 4th grade to High School. I wanted to be something different everyday. My thoughts of the priesthood seemed to fade entirely when I entered high school. Activities and friends seemed to occupy my time. I enjoyed playing all different sports. My true passion is golf and I wanted to become great as Tiger Woods- obviously that hasn’t happened yet!

My first serious consideration; however, came in my junior year of High School at Notre Dame in Easton. When everyone was going to the guidance counselor to begin applying to different schools, the notion of becoming a priest entered my head again. However, there was one problem: I had not even the slightest idea how to become a priest and I was too afraid to ask anyone so I just tried to push it out of my mind. However, God has a sense of humor and he got me good one day in high school after having these thoughts, one of the priests asked me if I wanted to go visit the seminary that weekend. I smiled sheepishly and said what is a seminary? I never heard of that term. He explained that is where men study to become priests! I went down for the weekend with different guys from Central Catholic, Becahi, and Notre Dame. I truly enjoyed my time at the seminary that weekend, but I wasn’t 100% sure it was for me. After speaking with numerous priests, going on a Kairos retreat, and talking about it with my family, I decided that I felt God was calling me to be a priest and that the best opportunity for me to seriously see if this is my true calling is to enter to the seminary and “give it a shot!”

Life in the Seminary
I entered Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary in August of 2001. These past eight years at the seminary have been a great time in my life. I have met so many wonderful friends from around the country, have received a solid education, and have had awesome assignments around our Diocese. Now I don’t want to paint a merely perfect picture in anyway. There have been some bumps and challenges in the road. There were 2 or 3 days early on where I didn’t know if I could make it all eight years. Nevertheless, I have found great joy and peace in myself knowing that I am following what God is calling me to do. When I entered the seminary in 2001, 16 men entered with me from across the country, only half of them will be ordained priests this year. However the other half have at least discerned their calling in life and decided it was not for them. My advice to anyone seriously considering a call to the priesthood is to surround themselves with good priest role models, build up a solid prayer life, and a total openness to following the Lord’s call. With these in place, the ability to at least entertain the thought of entering the seminary becomes much easier.

Family Support
Along the journey each and everyone’s families react in different ways to a son entering the seminary. My family was very welcoming to a vocation. My mom is so happy and proud of me and I thank God everyday for her support. Without her, these past eight years would have indeed been more challenging. My dad died from a heart attack was I was in 2nd grade (8 years old) but I know he has been looking down from heaven these years and has guided my vocation and I thank him most certainly. I have two older brothers (they are 39 and 38 and live in the Lehigh Valley) and they are nice to have around--- they still pick on me and beat me up like big brothers tend to do with the little brother and I am so happy to have 5 little nephews and nieces to torture their Uncle Keith when he comes home from the seminary. In addition many other people are along the way to offer great support: friends at the seminary, priests in the Diocese, the people at your home parish, the parishioners at various assignments, the Serra Club, the Knights of Columbus, and numerous other organizations who pray constantly for our vocations each and everyday.

Conclusion
I am so appreciative for each and everyone of you and the kindness and support that you have showed me throughout the year. I ask for two small favors: firstly to pray for more young men to be open and able to hear the call of God in their lives and secondly to pray for me in the final months as I prepare to become a priest of Jesus Christ. Know of my prayers for all of you that you will hear the call of Jesus in your lives and that you will heed his voice! God Bless!