“People would be surprised to know that I never considered the priesthood at all, growing up.”
Father Fernando Alvarez-Lara, S.J.
Society of Jesus, Oregon Province
I heard the calling of God through the poor.
I heard the voice of God to serve that people.
Father Jésus G. Anguiano-Rivera
Archdiocese of San Antonio
“People would be surprised to know that I was a veterinarian before entering the Seminary. When people learn of my previous work they almost always say, ‘Oh you must miss the animals.’ I sometimes do miss the work, but I have to say that I am much happier now. We are never more happy than when following the will of God. Besides I still have my own dog to practice veterinary medicine upon.”
Father Christopher Ankley
Diocese of Kalamazoo
“People would be surprised to know that I was career Air Force and married for seven years and have two sons (both in the military).”
Father Fred Anthony
Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon
“People would be surprised to know that I was a very playful kid, who was not considered among my siblings, the typical kid built for the regimented life of a priest. But God knows best why he calls the weak.”
Father Vincent Anyama
Diocese of Dallas
“People would be surprised to know that I was the Executive Director of Entertainment for the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.”
Father John Assalone
Diocese of Las Vegas
“People would be surprised to know that I left my country to pursue an MBA in Vancouver, Canada. I ended up living in a place that I didn't know at all (Yakima), and witout noticing I was getting more and more involved in the parish and church ministry. I felt the strong call again while being there, just as I felt that when I was at High School and college.”
Father Rafael Hinojosa Avalos
Diocese of Yakima
“People would be surprised to know that I am a widower, and the father of three grown up children.”
Father Hector Basanez
Diocese of San José
“I slowly realized that God was calling me to spend my life sharing the faith with his people. Even now, my greatest encouragement for the priesthood comes from the children of our Catholic Schools, who often, much to my surprise, tell me that they cannot wait until I am a priest so that I can hear their confessions.”
Father Matthew Baum
Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown
“People would be surprised to know that I didn't start thinking about the priesthood until I acted in a skit for youth ministry. At this point in time, I was actively involved my parishes Life Teen Youth ministry as a core member. Within the skit I acted out a role of a priest who answers prayers. It was this skit that planted the seed of wanting to be a priest. Several months later I found myself knocking on the pastors door inquiring about religious life and the priesthood.”
Father Marvin Bearis, O.F.M., Cap.
Capuchin Franciscan
“People would be surprised to know that I was told by several people that I was going to be a priest but I always refused the idea.”
Father Mauricio Bermudez
Archdiocese of Denver
“People would be surprised to know that I never personally knew any priest or seminarian before I entered the seminary.”
Father Ryszard Biernat
Diocese of Buffalo
“People would be surprised to know that I never have felt worthy to serve as a Priest, but called even at a late age, I answered ‘Yes’ to do my best with God's help to face the challenges ahead in what I must do for the people of God in terms of being present to them in whatever way they wish me to be the one who ministers to their spiritual needs.”
Father John Bogacz
Diocese of Trenton
“People would be surprised to know that I have long heard God's call. I studied theology and philosophy in college. I sensed God's call. Still, I decided to go into business and later went to work as an employee and as a volunteer with non-profit organizations. I was an advocate for the vulnerable members of society, including the homeless, the elderly and persons with disabilities. Also, I was ordained as a Permannet Deacon in 2004 and I have written four books.”
Father Michael Briese
Archdiocese of Washington
“People would be surprised to know that I am Deaf. I will be the first Deaf priest for the Archdiocese of Boston.”
Father Shawn Carey
Archdiocese of Boston
“People would be surprised to know that I was professional sailor and a woodworker.”
Father Joseph Carver, S.J.
Society of Jesus - Oregon Province
“People would be surprised to know that I grew up on a raspberry farm; was a missionary in Honduras for 7 months before deciding to enter seminary; and recorded a Catholic Music CD.”
Father Michael Chenier
Diocese of Marquette
“People would be surprised to know that I never served at Mass until I entered the seminary.”
Father Mark Chrismer
Archdiocese of St. Louis
“People would be surprised to know that I studied chemistry in college while discerning a call to the priesthood.”
Father Ernest Cibelli
Archdiocese of Baltimore
“People would be surprised to know that I used to have a great passion for computer game programming. It was only until I attended a youth conference at the University of Steubenville in Ohio that I encountered a renewal in my desire to discover what the Catholic priesthood was all about.”
Father Philip Ching
Archdiocese of Detroit
“People would be surprised to know that I was a probation officer before entering the seminary.”
Father Dominic Colangelo, O.P.
Dominican of the Southern Province
“People would be surprised to know that I am a widower, father and grand-father. […] I spent 35 years of my entire professional life at the World Bank in Washington. I began as Young Professional (engineer/economist) and ended up as a Director in the Eastern Europe and Central Asia Region.”
Father Alain Colliou
Archdiocese of Washington
“My vocation was born at the heart of my family and supported by it. The main figure that inspire my vocacion was Jonh Paul II and his visits when I used to live in Guadalajara, Jalisco Mexico. The fervor and local faith from Jalisco and the martyrs of the region (Mexican Goverment Persecution) have played a very important role on my on upbringing as Catholic in this region of Mexico. In other wors, it's has been the Mexican Catholic culture and the support of my own family that sown in me the idea of becoming a priest!”
Father Rodolfo Contreras
Diocese of Monterey
“People would be surprised to know that I was a computer programmer. I started getting involved in a Bible study as well as doing pro-life ministry. These two ministries were really powerful for me. I felt on fire for the Lord and wanted to do something to help Him.
Father Matthew Cushing
Diocese of Covington
“People would be surprised to know that I love classical literature, classical music and opera as well as sports and my favorite sport is horse racing.”
Father Jonathan Dalin
Archdiocese of Philadelphia
“People would be surprised to know that I was a drummer in a praise band, and in High School played Ebenezer Scrooge in the Dickens’ play A Christmas Carol.”
Father Andrew Davy, M.I.C.
The Marians of the Immaculate Conception
“People would be surprised to know that I seriously considered studying genetic research prior to deciding to enter seminary.”
Father Daniel Dillard
Diocese of Owensboro
“People would be surprised to know that I love fishing and now God calls him to be fisher of men. It is a mystery...!”
Father Philip Do, CMC
Congregation of the Mother Co-redemptrix, U.S. Province
“People would be surprised to know that I flew airplanes, made record albums that didn't sell, and renovated railroad passenger cars for use in charter service. This kept me busy while I resisted the call to the priesthood for 42 years. I accepted the offer of early retirement from the airline industry in 2003 and started studying for the priesthood in 2004, entering the seminary in 2005.”
Father Douglas Ebert
Archdiocese of St. Paul-Minneapolis
“People would be surprised to know that I was antagonistic towards the faith for a few years in high school.”
Father Kevin Estabrook
Diocese of Cleveland
“People would be surprised to know that I had a very different plan for my life. In the beginning, my plan for my life was very simple and beautiful: become a lawyer, meet and marry a nice Catholic girl and raise a family, make lots of money by doing good things for people, retire to the south of France, live happily ever after. There is an old saying, however: Do you want to make God laugh? Tell him your plans. […] How did I get here? Sure, I experienced many signs that God was nudging me in a direction different from the one I had chosen. I knew that I wanted to serve God in some way with my life, and I thought that way was as an attorney helping people. But God’s persistent nudge toward priesthood, the confirmation of that nudge by others, the feeling that I must certainly be crazy even to consider such a drastic change of vocation and lifestyle at age 51, and the unexpected joy of parish ministry all compelled me to reconsider my original choice of vocation.”
Father Christopher Fagan
Archdiocese of Los Angeles
“People would be surprised to know that I was raised Catholic, but became Southern Baptist in High School through the influence of friends and the general inactivity of the parish where I attended Mass in high school. I came back to the Catholic Church in College through prayer and study. It was primarily the Eucharist that brought be back to the Church.”
Father Robert Favazza
Diocese of Memphis
“I attribute my vocation to the witness of many good priests that I have met and the prayers of dedicated religious sisters. Without the witness of those many good priests in my life and the graces received through the prayers of cloistered Carmelite sisters, I would probably not have considered a vocation to the priesthood.
Father Aaron Ferris
Diocese of Grand Rapids
“People would be surprised to know that I didn't believe in God for over nine years... totally unplugged from the Church.”
Father Luis Fonseca
Diocese of Savannah
“People would be surprised to know that I have such a winding conversion story. My parents had once been Catholic-- indeed, a diocesan seminarian and a Franciscan novice sister. I was raised Methodist, then Evangelical. When I was a teenager, we moved to Spain as Evangelical Protestant missionaries. My own searching in college led me to Episcopalianism. I had just begun to consider priesthood there when I was drawn to consider Catholicism: the two discernments then ran side-by-side. But all of this pales in comparison to the journey of seminary formation!”
Father Daniel Gallaugher
Archdiocese of Washington
“People would be surprised to know that I always thought I would get married until I was about 24.”
Father Michael Grisolano
Archdiocese of Chicago
“People would be surprised to know that nobody spoke to me about religious life until I was 18 years old.”
Father Omar Guanchez
Diocese of Saint Cloud
“People would be surprised to know that I have had the privilage of being a Grand Knight of the oldest continually active college council of the Knights of Columbus, Mount St. Mary's # 1965. While being at the Mount. I am currently learning ASL to be able to have Mass and other sacraments for the Deaf.”
Father Brad Guillory
Diocese of Lafayette
“I am a very friendly person ready to be open to serve others. My desire is to bring peace to others with my service and with a smile.”
Father José Manuel Herrera
Diocese of Yakima
“People would be surprised to know that I walked away from college football scholarships to enter the seminary. I was initially told by my parents not to go to the seminary. This was due to their lack of understanding about seminaries and formation. After the vocation director explained things to them they understood. And have been 100% supportive ever since.”
Father of Allen Hoffa
Diocese of Allentown
“People would be surprised to know that I my girlfriend in college told me at a Chrism Mass, ‘Not to give up on that priesthood idea.’”
Father David Jaspers
Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon
“People would be surprised to know that I am a first generation Mexican American who has been educated in both the United States and México. For this reason, I speak both English and Spanish with fluency.”
Father Mario Juarez
Diocese of Orange
“People would be surprised to know that I that did not want to be a priest because I wanted to marry and have my own family. Now, my only hope is that I can become a good priest and that I may be always faithful to my call to serve and love God and others.”
Father Hector Montoya Juarez
Diocese of Sacramento
“My time in the Jesuit Volunteer Corp was extremely important to discerning my vocation. I taught Marine Science at a Jesuit High School in Micronesia. I know a number of other religious (both men and women) whose discerned a vocation through participating in religious sponsored volunteer programs after college.”
Father Thomas Kenny, S.J.
Society of Jesus
“People would be surprised to know that I play 9 instruments and love to fish. Also, I have a penchant for puzzles and am considered a "handy-man" by my family and friends. I have close friends who are agnostic and Buddhist.”
Father James King
Diocese of Camden
“People would be surprised to know that I was a swimming star for the University of Notre Dame.”
Father Vincent Kuna, C.S.C.
Congregation of Holy Cross, Indiana Province
“People would be surprised to know that I once said at the age of 26 after mass one day, ‘why would anyone ever want to become a priest?’ This was a period in my life where faith, a prayer life with God, etc. were not ‘on the radar’. […] The Lord (thanks be to God) revealed the ‘why’ to me and for that I will be eternally grateful.”
Father David Kuttner
Diocese of Spokane
“People would be surprised to know that I have a regular story. Played high school sports...some baseball in College. Always liked going to Mass. Have a strong love for Mary and do not think I would have entered seminary without her maternal love.”
Father Theodore Lange
Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon
When I enter a church I get the feeling that I have come home. I feel that I am where I belong and where I need to be to serve the Lord.
Father Thomas Layton
Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon
“People would be surprised to know that I look like a gangster rather than a priest because I have natural highlighted hair.”
Father Hoa Le, C.M.C.
“People would be surprised to know that I left the seminary only to return 7 years later.”
Father Billy Lewis
Archdiocese of Oklahoma City
“People would be surprised to know that I have been skydiving, and that while in highschool and college I used to team rope, which is an event seen in rodeo where a two men on horseback rope a steer.”
Father Matthew Long
Diocese of Shreveport
“People would be surprised to know that I was first called to the priesthood through watching the evening news on TV about the famine took place in the country of Somali in 1980s. I asked God to help me to be his instrument to do whatever I could to release the pain of the humankind.”
Father Tuan Mai, S.V.D.
The Divine Word Society
“People would be surprised to know that I am a convert to Catholicism.”
Father Christian Malewski
Diocese of Kansas City-St Joseph
“People would be surprised to know that I aspired to be a professional golfer throughout high school and installed a putting green in my backyard; trained with a N.B.A. Referee in the summers during College perhaps aspiring to referee pro or college games as a career; and was Prom King in my senior year of High School.”
Father Keith Mathur
Diocese of Allentown
“People would be surprised to know that I was the captain of the football team at Yale University.”
Father Tony Mazurkiewicz, O.Carm.
Order of Carmelites (Most Pure Heart of Mary)
“People would be surprised to know that I struggle a bit with nervousness in front of crowds. […] A long time ago, my parents taught me that courage isn’t the absence of fear, but the willingness to act in the face of fear. At this point, I am actually kind grateful for my fears in these circumstances. It makes each talk or homily or solo chant a little act of faith, an act of confidence, not in my own strength, but in the God who has called me to this ministry.”
Father Charles McCoy, C.S.C.
Congregation of Holy Cross, Indiana Province
“People would be surprised to know that I when I entered the monastery I was 20 years old, then closest in age to me (not away at school) was 40, and I was the only one in formation. A string of disasters happened in my novitiate year including: family illness, the sex abuse scandal of 2002 forcing my high school to close, and culminating in the shooting and death of two of our monks inside our monastery. Despite the obstacles I never wanted to leave.”
Father Pachomius Meade, O.S.B.
Benedictine Monks of Conception Abbey, Conception, MO
“People would be surprised to know that I realized and started to be conscious of God’s guiding hand when I started studying with the Religious of the Assumption sisters in kindergarteen. The sisters prepared me to see God’s justice, mercy, and love. My parents’ faith and my relatives’ have supported me in practicing my faith and encourage me to appreciate the Holy Eucharist.”
Father Carlos Melocoton
Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston
“People would be surprised to know that I did not practice any faith for almost 20 years and experienced conversion back to the Catholic faith.”
Father Greg Michaud
Diocese of La Crosse
“People would be surprised to know that my father was baptized in a Protestant Church but never practiced any faith. During my final year (as a deacon) he entered the Catholic Church. I had never considered the priesthood until I received a letter from my parish inviting me to come to a vocation retreat.”
Father Aaron Michka, C.S.C.
Congregation of Holy Cross, Indiana Province
People might be surprised to know that I graduated from college with an education degree and was hired to teach middle school in a small Yupik Eskimo village in Western Alaska, which was nestled on the coast of the Bering Sea and the northern part of the mouth of the Kuskokwim River. […] After leaving the village I continued to teach in Alaska in Juneau, where I also received my pilot's license to fly small aircraft.”
Father Sean Morris, O.V.M.
Congregation of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary
“People would be surprised to know that I was only considering two life paths upon graduation from college: a PhD in physical chemistry, or seminary. True, I initially decided to go to graduate school, only to reconsider last minute, but even had I been in graduate work my plan was to have a spiritual director to help discern what I thought was a call to the priesthood.”
Father Timothy Naples
Diocese of Burlington
“People would be surprised to know that I studied Economics and Mathematics as an undergraduate.”
Father John Naugle
Diocese of Pittsburgh
“I knew that I wanted to be a Franciscan priest for many years, but I spent many years denying that call. In my heart I wanted to be a Franciscan Priest, but in my mind I did not want.”
Father J. Abel Olivas, O.F.M.
Franciscan, O.F.M. (Our Lady of Guadalupe Province)
“People would be surprised to know that I am the only catholic in the family and I had lived in Venezuela for seven years. I was also a Benedictine solemn professed monk before I joined the diocese of Orange. I could also cook chinese food for a few hundred people because I used to own a small chinese restaurant. My interest now is to bring the Church closer to the patriotic church in China, hopefully, we will be united as one church in the near future.”
Father Francis Ng
Diocese of Orange
“People would be surprised to know that I was a Police Sergeant Prior to coming into the seminary.”
Father John Pacheco
Diocese of Fort Worth
“People would be surprised to know that I and my family were not practicing Catholics most of my life. I experienced a "reversion" to the faith in High School. Having missed my confirmation, I attended RCIA for a year before being confirmed. In this time, I experienced a strong calling to the priesthood. After six years of diocesan formation, I entered the Dominican Order and have been extraordinarily happy in this life and grateful to God for it.”
Father Thomas Petri, O.P.
Dominican Friars, Province of St. Joseph (Eastern)
“To be able to serve others is a great joy for me since I had a positive impression of a religious brother and sister who served in the refugee camp where I once lived. This impression became more real since I had a chance to serve one year mission to the poor in St. Thomas, Jamaica.”
Father Linh Pham, S.V.D.
The Society of the Divine Word
“I prayed to God so that I could have the courage to talk to the local parish priest and he told me that ‘I have been observing you for a long time but I wanted you to see it on your own.’ The same month he sent me to a vocation awareness retreat. Now I am ready to become a priest with the help of God.”
Father Vilaire Philius
Diocese of Orlando
“It took almost twenty years to learn that the call to service was a call to serve God as His priest. Once I made the decision to actively pursue a vocation to the priesthood, I felt a sense of peace that I never knew before. The doors pointing me in the direction of the seminary and priesthood kept opening and pointing me in the direction I needed to go.”
Father Lawrence Polansky
Diocese of Camden
“People would be surprised to know that I was encouraged in my vocation to religious life through my experience of Christian fraternity as an undergraduate at the Franciscan University of Steubenville and confirmed in that vocation through the many graces that accompanied my battle with brain cancer.”
Father Jonah Pollock, O.P.
Order of Preachers, Province of St. Joseph
“People would be surprised to know that I enjoyed thirty years of success in the financial management and CPA fields where I started as an Internal Revenue Field agent,then to an international CPA firm with prestigious clients.”
Father Michael Quinn
Archdiocese of San Francisco
“People would be surprised to know that I was a certified Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) during my years in college in New York City. It allowed me the opportunity to not only learn a great deal about the medical field, but also gave me a chance to hone my interpersonal skills and solidify my decision to spend my life serving other people in need.”
Father Gregory Rannazzisi
Diocese of Rockville Centre
“People would be surprised to know that I want to become a priest since my teens. Appreciating priests doing Masses gave me the motivation to be a priest. That inclination was reinforced because I was involved in many activities of the Church and admired some missionaries, who worked at the mountains in my country.”
Father Ernesto Rodriguez
Diocese of St. Thomas, Virgin Islands
“People would be surprised to know that I enjoy watching Broadway shows even though I tend to go to a lot of sporting events.”
Father Jeffrey Rott
Archdiocese ofPhiladelphia
“People would be surprised to know that I first heard Jesus' call the day after I met Him. At a Steubenville Youth Conference in 1997 I gave my life to Jesus during a Eucharitic procession. On the Sunday of that conference they did an alter call after Mass for any man who had ever thought of priesthood in order to pray for them. Having just met Jesus I now felt a gentle move in my heart to go up there. Well, like the lost-sheep-having-been-found that I was, I went up. After this, spending time in prayer, Scripture, and the sacraments the call became stronger and stronger.”
Father Mark Rutherford
Diocese of Lansing
“People would be surprised to know that I have been skateboarding since highschool through college.”
Father Pawel Sass
Archdiocese of Washington
“People would be surprised to know that I was a shy person without a whole lot of confidence, but when I followed the guidance of the Holy Spirit and turned my life over to Christ, as His instrument to do His will, looking to St. John Vianney for inspiration, my confidence in myself and my relationship with Christ grew in leaps and bounds.
Father Larry Schaeper
Diocese of Covington
“People would be surprised to know that I was president of my fraternity while considering my vocation to the Society of Jesus. I directed the Musical during my time of teaching at U of D Jesuit High School and Academy.”
Father Martin Schreiber, S.J.
Society of Jesus
“People would be surprised to know that I worked for 8 years at a Scout camp and in a computer store building and repairing computers. Also, I am quite shy by nature, although I've learned to use the skills of extroverted people.
Father Christopher Shocklee
Diocese of Lafayette IN
“People would be surprised to know that I studied at Niles College the undergraduate seminary for the Archdiocese of Chicago from 1984-1988. I joined the Chicago Police Department in 1991 and worked as a police officer until 2001. I resigned and moved to Atlanta to attend Candler School of Theology at Emory University. It was at Emory when I embraced my call to the priesthood. I received an Master's of Divinity in 2004, and then I entered the seminary and by the grace of God I will be ordained on May 23rd 2009.
Father Andrew Smith
Archdiocese of Chicago
“People would be surprised to know that I am from Poland. I finished studying philosophy and theology in the Vincentian Community in Crakow. I wrote my master degree about the concept of God in the philosophy of Max Scheler. But I wanted to work in other country, and learn a new culture, so my Provincial in Poland asked me to come to the USA in 2006. “
Father Luke Sorys, C.M.
Congregation of the Mission - New England Province
“People would be surprised to know that I had a successful career in software engineering before suffering a serious brain injury that forced me to consider how I was spending my life.”
Father Matthew Spencer, O.S.J.
Oblates of St. Joseph
“People would be surprised to know that I wanted to be a stay-at-home dad, raise basset hounds, and coach a debate team.”
Father Andrew Strobl
Archdiocese of Kansas City KS
“People would be surprised to know that I am in Who's Who of America's Teachers and I am
learning the Scottish bagpipes.”
Father Richard Sunwoo
Archdiocese of Los Angeles
“People would be surprised to know that I found my vocation after the suicide of a friend.”
Father Anthony Tozzi
Archdiocese of Cincinnati
“People would be surprised to know that I like very traditional music from Spain. It is called la Tuna. This is a saying in Spain, ‘There is not Tuna without University and there is not University without Tuna.’”
Father Tomas Vidal
Diocese of Yakima
“Christmas of 1987, as I was preparing to receive my First Communion, I learned about the Catholic faith, Jesus’ ministry, and what a vocation to priesthood meant. I remembered telling my Dad about my interest in becoming a priest. My Dad smiled at me and told me to put it into Gods hands.”
Father Quy Vo
Diocese of Albany
“People would be surprised to know that I decided against pursuing Seminary 6 months before entering.”
FatherChris Wadelton
Archdiocese of Indianapolis
People would be surprised to know that I will be the third native Indonesian born priest that will be ordained and serve here for the U.S. and the first Indonesian native born diocesan priest for the Archdiocese of L.A.”
Father Budi Wardhana
Archdiocese of Los Angeles
“People would be surprised to know that I lived aboard a sailboat in Sitka Alaska for three years.”
Father Eric Watson, S.J.
Society of Jesus, Oregon
“People would be surprised to know that I was engaged to be married and broke off the wedding because I felt God was asking me not to get married to my fiance.”
Father James Winchel
Diocese of Savannah