06/25/2026
Fr. Chase spoke at our Men’s Conference in March 2023 +
With the World Cup capturing attention around the globe, we're reminded of a remarkable vocation story from the Diocese of Peoria.
Fr. Chase Hilgenbrinck played professional soccer for four seasons in Chile, was named MVP twice, and signed with the New England Revolution. He had everything he ever wanted. Then one day after practice, sitting alone in a chapel, he heard a voice deep in his heart say, "Be my priest."
He did not want to hear it. He kept playing. But that voice came back every single day until he could not ignore it anymore. In 2008 he walked away from professional soccer. In 2014 he was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Peoria.
What hit us most was meeting his parents. They raised him in the faith. They brought him to Mass. They built the foundation that made it possible for him to hear God's voice in that chapel.
Every vocation begins with a family. 🙏
