But something happened on the way to financial success: a required freshman philosophy course at Marquette set in motion a paradigm shift. He soon found himself asking questions that were never pertinent to his career plans — questions about life’s meaning and God’s role in it. “The tenor in the business world was profit-driven and I had deeper life questions that I felt weren’t being addressed,” said Lavann. “When I had to take this first philosophy class I realized that philosophers do that all of the time.”

Soon, the young man, who dropped out of the religious education program at St. Theresa Parish, Eagle before being confirmed, saw the dollar signs transform into signs of a religious vocation. He switched his major from business to philosophy and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in 2001.

Born and raised in Mukwonago, Jason, 27, is the son of Barbara and Gary Lavann, members of St. Therese Parish, Eagle. He has two older sisters, Laurie Burge and Cheryl Gretzinger. On May 20, Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan will ordain Lavann, and four of his classmates to the priesthood. According to Lavann, during his four years at Marquette he began making deeper connections with his childhood faith. He received the sacrament of confirmation his freshman year and attended a Life Directions retreat to help him discern his future.

“I had never been on a retreat before and I thought, what’s out there for me?” Lavann said. Fr. Bob Stiefvater, vocations director for the archdiocese at the time, suggested he find a spiritual director. “I came to discover that faith is not so much about having the answers, but it’s about experiencing and entering into the sacred mystery of life, of God,” said Lavann. “It’s a beautiful mystery and I grew attracted to that.” As Lavann’s spiritual life blossomed, he made another connection important in Catholic life: charitable service. It was this dimension of the faith that finally led him to discern the priesthood.

“I had a friend who was a Catholic Worker at Casa Maria, and I also got in touch with a group of students from Cardinal Stritch (University) who would go once a month to a maximum security prison in Waupun and have Mass with the inmates and meet with them afterwards,” he said. “It was just gradually, through experiences like that, where I just started to discover that ministry, and in a particular way, priestly ministry, is really an invitation into peoples’ lives in a very intimate and profound way.” During his junior year at Marquette, Lavann taught religious education to kindergarten students at the East Side Child and Youth Ministry, which serves Three Holy Women Parish in Milwaukee. As a senior he volunteered at Guest House, a men’s homeless shelter in Milwaukee. “I never had a clear moment where I’d say I absolutely know I want to be a priest. But those kinds of experiences opened the door for me to reflect on ministry,” he said.

Beginning his sophomore year at Marquette, Lavann participated in programs offered by Saint Francis Seminary for young men considering a vocation. Once a week he would join other young men at SS. Peter and Paul Church residence for dinner and discussions. The next school year he was accepted into the SS. Peter and Paul Residency Program. In this program, which Lavann continued his senior year; he lived at SS. Peter and Paul and participated in daily Mass and prayer services, and continued to discern a call to the priesthood. “At the end of my college career, I thought, ‘I’m not positive (priesthood) is where God is calling me, but … this seems to be fitting well. I might as well take the next step and see where it takes me,’” he said.

The next step was formal application to Saint Francis Seminary, where he entered in the fall of 2001.Although his heart is in parish ministry, Lavann is also interested in youth ministry and Catholic-Jewish relations." I like working with high school youth. They have a lot of wisdom that they offer the church and we’d be wise to learn from them in some aspects,” he said. “I also have a great passion for Catholic- Jewish relations.” He currently serves on the Catholic-Jewish Commission of Milwaukee and, as a seminarian; he participated in a conference for Catholic seminarians and Jewish rabbinical students in Connecticut. “That’s been a wonderful experience that I hope to stay involved in as a priest,” he said. Lavann said he is humbled by the prospect of serving in Jesus’ name. “I remember something Bishop (Richard J.) Slab once said,” stated Lavann. “He said, ‘Ordination gives you permission to learn how to become a priest.’ It’s something now, as I stand here, that I’m taking to heart. I don’t have much more figured out, but I’m ready to start learning and I’m excited about that.

“You come out (of the seminary) with a sense of openness to that ministry of Christ, and that just keeps deepening and unfolding,” he said. Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan will ordain him and four other men priests for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee May 20.