Originally from Tinley Park, Illinois, Ben Anderson ’22 graduated with a major in Theology with plans to enter the seminary for the Archdiocese of Chicago.

“This is a decision that I made with the help of a lot of prayers, the people around me, and people like the vocation’s director for the Archdiocese.  I would have never been able to make this decision without studying Theology at Holy Cross and learning from the professors. In addition, the close-knit community at Holy Cross helped me to realize that this is God’s calling for me,” said Anderson.

“When I entered college, I was undecided on what I should study. One of the first core classes that I took was Theology.  When that class started, I was thinking that I would not learn much because I went to Catholic school my whole life. However, Dr. Albarran was able to structure the class in a way that people who grew up Catholic and people who are being introduced to the religion would be able to learn from the class despite their varying degrees of knowledge. One day after class, Dr. Albarran suggested to me that I should become either a Theology major or a minor. After a lot of thought and prayer, I realized that becoming a Theology major was my calling at college,” noted Anderson about his journey.

“When I was making my college decision, I looked at what stands out the most about each college. It was clear that Holy Cross had the strongest community,” said Anderson. “I looked at what I enjoyed the most during my time in high school and realized that I enjoyed the small, close-knit communities I was a part of. So, between the focus on faith and the small campus, I knew that Holy Cross was the right choice for my college career.”

“During my four years at Holy Cross, I was able to take advantage of the opportunity of the tri-campus by working at Fighting Irish Media since my freshman year. I worked as a cameraman for Notre Dame sporting events. I have had the opportunity to work on broadcasts that have been on ESPN and their affiliated networks, NHL Network, NBC, and many other nationally televised games. In addition, I was a resident assistant in Anselm Hall for two years. This was a way to foster the community that caused me to come to Holy Cross. This also allowed me to serve my residents by walking alongside them in their college journey and planning events to create a community that would be enjoyable to live in,” recalled Anderson.

“A memorable moment was my junior year when Anselm Hall won the first Holy Hall Tournament,” said Anderson. “The whole week the hall came together and made sure that we participated in every event. Every night people were talking about the different events that were happening for the tournament. It was amazing to see the hall and college community come together like that. It helped me  remember how special the Holy Cross community is and realize the importance of living in the moment and enjoying the small things in life because that is what was happening that week.”

“I will spend the first year in the spirituality house on the grounds of Holy Name Cathedral.  The following six years will be at Mundelein Seminary where I will study philosophy and theology.  After those six years, I will be ordained a priest, God willing,” said Anderson.