By Charles Igwe
Will Heller, a 21-year-old weightlifting champion from Toledo, Ohio, has chosen a path few would expect for an athlete of his caliber. At the end of August, Heller, who holds state records in Ohio and Michigan and won the national university championship in 2023 in the 102 kg category, entered Saint Paul’s Seminary to pursue a vocation to the priesthood.
Heller, who began weightlifting at the age of 17, was celebrated for his feats, including a maximum starting lift of 324 pounds and a clean and jerk of 388 pounds. Despite his success in the sport, his journey of faith took a new direction thanks to an unexpected calling.
Raised in a Catholic family, Heller attended Catholic schools throughout his life. Yet, as he candidly admitted, his commitment to the faith was minimal for much of his youth. “I went to Mass on Sundays, but I wasn’t deeply involved,” he shared. “I alienated myself from the faith when I got to Northern University.” It wasn’t until he met a FOCUS missionary during his time at university that he began to reconnect with his faith and feel the stirrings of a potential calling to the priesthood.
A turning point came during his freshman year, after attending Midnight Mass and getting involved in Catholic Campus Ministry activities. Despite his initial reluctance, he began to take the possibility of the priesthood more seriously, particularly after attending a Eucharistic Congress and witnessing a Priestly Ordination. With the encouragement of his parish priest and after months of spiritual discernment, Heller applied to the seminary in October 2023 and was accepted the following January.
Though his decision marked a significant life change, Heller didn’t completely leave weightlifting behind. In fact, during his seminary interview with the Bishop, he inquired about the possibility of continuing his athletic pursuits. The Bishop was supportive but emphasized that his studies and spiritual life would take priority. Coincidentally, the seminary’s propaedeutic program director is also a weightlifter, and Heller found a fully equipped gym in the seminary’s basement, something he sees as a sign of God’s will.
In an interview with CNA, Heller drew a powerful analogy between his athletic discipline and the spiritual life. “Lifting weights is like battling sin,” he explained. “It takes constant effort and perseverance. Just as I lift the barbell from the ground, we must continually work to overcome sin. It’s not easy, but through repeated effort, we grow stronger.”
As Heller embarks on his seminary journey, he remains open to the future, trusting in God’s plan. “I don’t need to know what comes next,” he said. “If God wants weightlifting to be part of my life, it will be.”
