Class of 2012

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enjoy playing the piano/organ and have been working in parish music ministry since I was 13 years old.

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enjoy being a handy man and shade tree mechanic.

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never felt a call to consider the priesthood until I was 27 years old.  (God may have been calling me in the few years before that, but I wasn't listening.)  Nevertheless, the Holy Spirit has used my life experiences as an engineer, musician, and facilitator to prepare me for a lifetime of priestly ministry with the Paulist Fathers.

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love to cook, especially Egyptian Food.

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decided to become a priest because I wanted a project that lasted for ever. What I like the most is to be with people and have fun.

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I am facsinated by aquatic plants and I can identify almost all the native and exotic aquatic plants that live in Minnesota's 10,000 lakes.

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am 39 years old, because I look like I am in my 20's.  I love to travel, explore new cultures and try different cuisines.

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worked as a congressional intern before entering the seminary.

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and three others are working to establish an Oratory of St. Philip Neri in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.

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am interested in planes, trains, cars and boats.  They are hobbies, but all of them may serve to spread the Gospel all around the world.

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like to treat people as I like to be treated.

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love the Bible verse of the Gospel of John 15: 1-10. It reminds me that in order to bear much fruit I have to remain connected to the vine which is Jesus.

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did not envision myself becoming a priest.  The priesthood is a privileged vocation.  I am not worthy to become a priest but since Christ has chosen me to be a priest, I embrace my vocation to the priesthood with a sincere and loving heart.  I am happy and thankful to God to have been chosen by Christ to this privileged vocation.

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spent the year between college and seminary living on the beach on the North Shore of Oahu and surfing every day.

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worked as a medical doctor and scientist in Italy, United Kingdom and United States, and I became aware of my vocation in the course of my research work on human stem cells.

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worked at the White House, Congress, and on Wall Street prior to seminary.

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never expected to be a priest in another country.  God has been the only one who has changed my ways and has led me to serve in foreign lands. His priesthood is one without borders!

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was the coordinator of an alternative school in Chicago for thirteen years before entering seminary at the age of forty-six.

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used to be a licensed EMT for the State of New Hampshire.

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started to consider the priesthood while in high school. Despite feeling this way I never told anyone. Thankfully, my parish priest challenged me to enter seminary.

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was working as a legislative aide in United States Senate when I discovered the grace of a priestly vocation.

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was being prepared to answer the call to the priesthood through my formative experiences and years with the Scouts of Belize, Rotary Club International, the Belize Red Cross Society, and as principal of a Catholic high school.

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have been a Naval officer, a lawyer, and a federal judge.  By coming to the priesthood later in life, I've saved the best for last.

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was born in Hawaii and enjoy playing golf.

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don't understand all the excitement over St. Thomas Aquinas.

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thought of the priesthood as a child but sought material goods as a teenager and as an adult until I was 50 years of age.  My parish priest, with the help of the Missionary of Charity Sisters, brought me to Christ and Christ to me.

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love to laugh, cook, play frisbee, love watching ice hockey, spent 1/5 of my life living in Europe, spent 8 weeks with the Missionaries of Charity Sisters in Ethiopia, am left-handed, grew up on a dairy farm, and as a kid wanted to be an actor.

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spent a summer working at a Maryknoll mission in Tanzania, and traveled through the Serengeti on my way back to seminary.

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was a religious brother for 35 years before going to Blessed John XXIII Seminary.

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was not active in the faith until High School.  After an invitation to the parish youth group I started attending Mass regularly.  The first time I attended Mass I knew I was called to be a priest.

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experienced the call to the priesthood after witnessing a priestly ordination. The call was challenging, but I discovered that I too can do it.  God's grace provides.

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was a graphic designer before entering seminary. I received the call to follow Christ in a more radical way through attending daily Mass during my lunch break at work and spending time in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. It was God's love that overwhelmed me!

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was a Chef for many years, and then lived as a Trappist Monk before discerning the call to be diocesan priest.

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designed, developed and implemented manufacturing software to aid in virtually all of my former employer's day-to-day operations in two locations, including one in Dublin, Ireland.

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enjoy playing the drums. In fact, playing drums was one of the ways I got to know my associate pastor who encouraged me in my vocation because he played guitar, so we had love for music in common.

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am a good cook.

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was drawn to the Catholic Church through the music ministry of John Michael Talbot.

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worked as an accountant.

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important for me was to realize that I was treating God as if He were my administrative assistant, my helper with my plans. In trying to correct my poor relationship with God, I started to consider seriously the seminary.

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I realized my vocation to the priesthood through a great summons to prayer: First, I was taught a great short-cut to Jesus, which is devotion to our mother, Mary, in the rosary; Second, as a young man I rediscovered God's mercy (especially through hearing about the Divine Mercy devotion) which brought healing; Third, most importantly, this all lead me to the greatest prayer of all, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.  From there I heard the call to be a priest.

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have completed an Ironman Triathlon.

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had plans to be a university professor and published writer before entering seminary. I still enjoy creative writing in my spare time and am an avid traveller, music lover, and sports fan.

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entered college seminary thinking that in all likelihood I would be there only a year and discern that the Lord was not calling me to the priesthood.  Praise be to God, and six years later, Christ's call continues to resound in my heart and I look forward to a lifetime of service to the People of God as a priest.

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I'm an avid runner and lift weights, although I'm not as good as I'd like to be.

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I enjoy what the summers and fall offer to New Yorkers - hiking in the Adirondack's and padding around, the lakes and rivers in my kayak!

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I love to run.  Along with the nourishment of daily prayer and meditation, running often gives me time to reflect, discern, be with God's creation, and gain insights for preaching.

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like to listen to various types of music.

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wanted to become a sports broadcaster before I answered Jesus' call to priesthood.

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first heard the call to priesthood at a Protestant summer camp.

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always expected that I would get married and have a family.  But the Lord knew better!  Now I can't imagine being anything but a priest!

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was considering marriage when the bishop I was working with asked how I had thought about my vocation.  As soon as I gave it a thought, I learned how to pray for the first time and heard the Lord calling me to "come and see."

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am a native, nineth generation,  Floridian. I come from a long lines of commercial fishermen and am proud to be following that tradition by becoming a "Fisher of Men."

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am a big fan of the music of Brian Wilson, enjoy playing Chess and mountain biking.

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donated my kidney to my mother in 2004.

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was an engineer and worked for Mercedes Benz for four years before entering the seminary.

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belong to a community of diocesan priests, the Companions of Christ, who strive to live and pray in fraternity, observe the evangelical counsels of obedience, poverty and chastity, and carry out the New Evangelization in parish life.

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own a 1987 Macintosh SE with two internal floppy drives and no internal hard drive, and it still works!

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like to ride the unicycle, play the accordion, and build go-karts.

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always wanted to be a musician, but at the same time I felt in love with God.

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went to college with a strong faith life, but with the intent to serve the Church as a husband and father.  After graduation and working, I wanted something more.  Priesthood is the perfect combination of prayer, service and community for me.

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love music and play volley ball.

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grew up on a dairy farm.

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never wanted to be in a religious community.  However, I felt drawn to live in community, and joined the Benedictine Order as a monk of Conception Abbey.

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first thought about the priesthood at five-years-old, answering the question, "When I grow up, I would like to be..."

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became attracted to the priesthood upon the encouragement of my Kindergarten teachers who were nuns and encouraged me to assist at communion during Masses at our Cathedral.

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had political ambitions!

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am very passionate about helping people in need, especially AIDS orphans, as an expression of Christ's love and compassion for the poor.

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will be the third priest in my immediate family. My brother Tim is a diocesan priest for the Diocese of Lansing, Michigan and my brother Adam is a missionary priest of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD).

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ate moose, seal, beluga whale, walrus, swan, and "mouse food" while working with the Native Yupik People of western Alaska along the Bering Sea coast.

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knew I had a vocation to the priesthood at a young age.

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Have felt that I was called to the priesthood since I was a little boy.  As a child I used to practice mass in my room and play "priest".  My heart has always seemed to have been in the care of Our Blessed Lord and Our Blessed Lady.

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have a lot of experience singing barbershop harmony.

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thought about the priesthood at age 15 and again after serving with NET ministries at the age of 23. Only at age 27 would I leave my job as a robotic technologist/industrial electrician to follow the Lord's invitation towards priesthood lived as a Franciscan.  I've never been happier in my life!

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learned to pray the Rosary on my own, years before being received into the Church. I bought a set of beads and a pamphlet; I would sneak into Immaculate Conception Church, kneel down and pray.

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one of my favorite times of the year is the weekly silent retreat at the seminary, despite being someone who is rarely described as quiet (in fact, I have never been described that way…) .

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only started considering the priesthood after a parishioner told me he thought I would be a good priest.

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was a whitewater paddling instructor and worked as an engineer before entering seminary.

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love solitude and silence.

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enjoy movie classics and pixar movies.

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never imagined that I would serve God as a priest.

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seriously considered religious life as a Benedictine monk prior to entering formation for diocesan priesthood.

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my love for water-skiing almost kept me from entering seminary... almost.

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had a career in the culinary field for a short time prior to entering the seminary, and what I learned from that career led me to write a cookbook called "Sacred Table, Bounteous Food" - www.sacredtablecookbook.com - which is a fundraiser for pro-life activities.

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like sport and fishing.

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am very much an introverted person.  In my free time I like studying new technologies, writing programs for computer, sightseeing, and sipping a good cup of coffee.

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like traveling and sightseeing to discover the trace of the divine in creation in the world.

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walk in this less-traveled road still wondering what is beyond at the end of my journey but trusting in God's greater plan for me. Thus, "Thy will be done."

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travelled to eight countries before entering the seminary.

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worked as a Church musician before I entered the Dominican Order, and that I am co-editor of the newly published St. Michael Hymnal.

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was confirmed at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C. while I was serving the Marines as a Navy Corpsman.

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am a twin and I entered high school seminary with my twin brother in Nigeria.

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heard to the call from the Lord at a very young age.

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love to dance and make others laugh.

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seriously considered opening my own "hot-rod" shop prior to considering the call to the seminary.  I maintain my interested in working on cars, however, and help my fellow seminarians with trouble shooting and maintenance on their own vehicles.

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never considered a vocation to the priesthood until my second year of college.

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enjoy skiing in the winter months and fishing in the warmer weather.  Whenever I have a day off I try to spend it with my friends usually we have dinner together or see a movie; sometimes we go hiking or just sightseeing.

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am very much looking forward to become a priest and be able to serve the people of God.

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enjoy singing and playing sports.

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I feel extremely blessed to be call by God.  Now more than ever my life has become a life of real happiness.

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grew up on the small village of Lubkow, Poland.

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thought I gave up everything to offer my life to God and discovered He is everything I had been looking for.

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felt the call when I was about 7. However, later on in my life I abandoned the idea because I could not understand my suffering and the suffering of my family. When I met the Neocatechumenal Way in my parish the Lord made able to see my life with the eyes of faith and brought healing to me and my family.

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have been to the World Series, attended a pallium ceremony and met Cardinal Timothy Dolan 25 years ago.

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was active in the sport of fencing for eight years before entering the seminary.

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entered seminary in November 2006.  Shortly after I suffered a massive stroke that left me blind and largely paralyzed.  The seminary community at Kenrick-Glennon, along with my family, nursed me back to good health.  As a result of their tremendous support, I am a 'walking miracle' with 20/20 vision, ready to give my life unconditionally to the Priesthood of Jesus Christ.

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initially heard my call to be a priest while helping a friend get some aspects of her life in order.

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considered the priesthood from a very early age, even though I did not apply for the seminary until the age of 45.

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was the singer in a high school garage band (which explains my ability "to belt-it-out" now when singing from the sanctuary).  Also, I was a NCAA Division III All-American my sophomore year as the anchor leg of the 4x400m relay (but now with St Paul I run after the imperishable crown).

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am fond of Asian cuisine and am an avid fisherman.

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...became catholic with a view to becoming a monk but never anticipated ordination.

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like to read novels by the great Russian authors like Tolstoy and Dostoevsky.

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enjoy swimming, running and biking.

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always have the desire to do something big in life and to have an impact in other people's lives.

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love to hunt and fish.  In fact, reflecting many hours about life, in the woods and on the water, led me to spend many more hours in Church where I discerned my vocation before our Lord in the tabernacle.  It was there that He showed me how much He loved me.

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never wanted to be anything else except a Catholic Priest.

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am becoming a priest because God is asking me to.

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was a simple and shy man. When I met a group of seminarians working in my parish, I considered becoming a priest.  They were so full of energy and so in love with Jesus Christ and their ministry that I saw the goodness of becoming a priest.

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am a convert who spent time exploring Eastern philosophies before becoming Catholic and who struggled to make an act of faith in the Eucharist, which is now the mainstay of my spiritual life.

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discerned entering the seminary in three months. I first thought of the possibility that I had a vocation to the priesthood in my second year of college, and I decided to enter the seminary that same year.

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went to Sunday Masses but did not pay attention at all. One time, I heard the Gospel proclaiming, "Peter! Do you love me more than these?" I heard Jesus asking me, "Joseph! Do you love me more than what you are seeking now?"

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was an Occupational Therapy graduate before entering the seminary.

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have wanted to be a priest since I was in first grade.  I saw the priest at Mass and liked the vestments he wore.  Ever since then the priesthood has been on my mind.

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would be a computer programmer if I was not a priest.

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wanted to be a librarian, but decided to enter the seminary after World Youth Day in Toronto, Canada.

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had fallen away from the Catholic faith, and returned with the role models of faith in my parents guiding me.

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I am a beginning golfer and play table tennis, volleyball, and soccer competitively. I enjoy running and walking. I read about philosophy, theology, leadership, business, politics, and cultures.

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ran with a dangerous crowd as a young boy. The first marked change in my life came when I received my First Communion and Confirmation at age eight/nine. After that, I did a 180 degree turn. I became more obedient. I went to church more often. I hung out with guys who were doing good things, such as the altar boys. The power of God turned my life around. When I was ten years old, I somehow felt deep in my being God's call to become a missionary priest.  Indeed, God has led me each step of the way to bring me where I am today.

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love playing Disc Golf in my free time.

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retired from the Army as a Master Sergeant after 20 years.

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was an illustrator in the local newspaper.

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enjoy reading, art, athletic activities, and watching plays and movies.

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use the process of solving a Rubik's cube to talk about discerning a vocation.

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first considered the priesthood as a vocation in 2nd Grade.

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worked on an all-steam tourist railroad that runs between New Mexico and Colorado.

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After helping with a retreat in college, a vocations director asked me if I had ever considered the priesthood. While I had been active in my parish as a boy scout and altar server, I didn't recall anyone asking me that question in such a personal way. After college I was active in the community and worked as the parish youth minister. There I felt called to explore more deeply my call from God and eventually entered seminary.

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graduated from the United States Naval Academy and served 6 years as a United States Marine, deploying both to Afghanistan and Iraq.  During these difficult times is when I realized and grew in my vocation to the priesthood, especially through the example and dedication of many wonderful priests who were serving the men and women of my unit.

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went skydiving as a Transitional Deacon.  It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life, and it was a great chance for me to pray and reflect about the direction of my life and my  vocation.  God's grace is amazing!

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became a Catholic priest because I love the Eucharist. I was an altar boy at my home parish for many years and I fell in love with Jesus Christ really present in this wonderful sacrament.

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love philosophy.  I believe that handing down the wisdom of St. Thomas Aquinas is an essential part of my personal vocation.

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used to be a pro gamer.