From the Pitch to the Pulpit
Rev. Chase Hilgenbrinck once chased a ball across the emerald strips of professional soccer, spending stints in Chile and the MLS before a decisive moment at age 26 redirected his path toward the priesthood in Peoria.
After completing his studies at Clemson University, where he had excelled in college soccer, Hilgenbrinck now serves as the director of recruitment for the Office of Priestly Vocations of the Catholic Diocese of Peoria, guiding men in Central Illinois who sense a call to the ministry.
His ministry takes him on a circuit of retreats, parish gatherings and school assemblies, where he shares the discipline he learned on the field, urging young men to consider how the same perseverance, humility and willingness to endure hardship can shape a life of faith.
In his talks he often draws parallels between the teamwork of a soccer squad and the communal nature of the Church, insisting that suffering, when embraced with purpose, can become a catalyst for excellence, a lesson he says resonates with both athletes and aspirants alike.
Though he admits a personal fondness for the style of play embodied by Lionel Messi, Hilgenbrinck finds his greatest fulfillment not in stadiums but in the quiet moments spent with parishioners, feeling the vocation’s reward in everyday service.