John Trambley - Holy Apostles Seminary
I was born and raised in Iowa. I joined the Boy Scouts of America and, with the help and encouragement of my parents, earned both the Eagle Scout and Ad Altare Dei awards. My Eagle project was organizing and leading the scouts of my troop in painting a fence at Living History Farms on the edge of Des Moines. Not long after that, Pope John Paul II scheduled a visit to Living History Farms. We figured he was coming to inspect the paint job!
I remember my parents, sister, grandmother, and I getting out of bed before dawn on the day the Pope was scheduled to arrive. It was October of 1979. Large crowds were expected, and driving was not allowed. We had to walk several miles to get to Living History Farms. After we got there we waited for many hours. The temperature dropped while we waited and, since we had not brought enough sweaters and jackets, we wrapped ourselves in plastic trash bags to stay warm. Finally the Pope arrived in a helicopter and the temperature warmed-up as he celebrated the Mass. I remember the thousands of other people there. That was the first time I had ever seen Pope John Paul II in person.
I also served as altar boy and lector at St. Mary of Nazareth Catholic Church. My Dad also served as a lector and my sister played guitar for one of the weekend Masses. Mom supported all of us from the pews.
Starting in 1984, I spent four summers on the seasonal staff of Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimarron, New Mexico. I spent one summer working in the dining hall. The next summer I taught fly fishing. The next summer I was teaching roping, branding and horseback riding. The last summer I taught blacksmithing, gold panning and gave tours of an old gold mine. During my time off, I would go to Mass at base camp and assist the priest.
When I graduated from Buena Vista College in 1989, I moved to New Mexico to be closer to my parents, aunt, and grandmother who had moved to Albuquerque in 1988. I had majored in art and mass communications.
I also attended St. Bernadette's Catholic Church, where I joined their youth group. We met every week for Bible studies. Later, a lay person asked me if I had ever thought about being a priest. I said I was planning a career as an artist or in television.
After working briefly as a graphic artist, I was hired full-time by KOAT-TV where I spent almost fifteen years working in the programming department. I started as a programming assistant. I edited nudity and adult language out of movies before they aired and checked and labeled other shows and placed them into the run for the master control operators. I also answered viewer questions and complaints.
When the assistant program director quit, I was promoted to that position. I had more paperwork in addition to my previous responsibilities. When the program director retired in 2000, I was promoted to program director. I assisted the general manager with scheduling television programs and FCC reporting requirements. I often met with representatives of companies like Paramount, Disney and Buena Vista. We went to lunch quite often, too. It was a good job, but I felt like it wasn't right for me.
By this time I was attending Risen Savior Catholic Community. The new pastor, Monsignor Olona, told me he wanted to talk with me. I was reluctant to call and make an appointment. (I knew what he wanted to talk about!) A few weeks later, my parents and I arrived early before Mass. We were asked to bring up the gifts. When we brought the gifts, he told me in a voice that only we could hear: "I still want to talk with you." After Mass, my parents said "You're in trouble now!" I called and made an appointment.
Monsignor Olona and I met for lunch. While we were there, he said I should think about being a priest. He told me the good things as well as addressing the scandals. He answered all of the questions I could think up. Afterward he said I should talk with some other priests and do some reading about the priesthood.
