Seminary address: Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary, 7880 W. Denton Rd, Denton, NE 68339
Anticipated ordination: God willing, I will be ordained to the Subdiaconate 2/11/23, the Transitional Diaconate 3/25/23 and then Priesthood May 2024
Birthday: November 15
High school and college attended
Union Pines High School - Cameron, NC (Class of '13)
Christendom College - Front Royal, VA (History Major & Political Science Minor - Class of '17)
Home Parish: St Anthony of Padua, Southern Pines
Hobbies: hiking, running, boating; cooking; sewing vestments; I am also a bit of a bibliophile.
What influenced your decision to pursue a vocation? I originally started to think and pray about the priesthood back in Middle School. For my first two years in college I tried to ignore the possibility. but ultimately a study abroad semester in Rome rekindled it and I came back from that semester determined to go on a retreat and better consider whether Our Lord was calling me to the priesthood.
Who is your favorite saint? For obvious reasons I am very partial to St. Matthew--besides simply sharing the same name, I'm impressed by his willingness to immediately follow Our Lord when Christ said to him, "Follow Me!" Also St Therese of the Child Jesus is a great patroness. Her loving audacity with God and her "little way" should inspire all of us to sanctity and ultimately heaven.
What devotions do you find helpful? it was really deciding to pray the Rosary daily one Lent in High School that I found my spiritual life turning around and I began to take the state of my soul seriously. Our Lady has a great love for her children, and one can never go wrong by turning to her with hope and confidence in the Rosary!
What advice would you give someone considering a vocation? pray that you do God's will and that you are able to remove all obstacles that you might place in Christ's way. Not everyone who enters the seminary becomes a priest. But by praying to grow in love for God, praying to do God's Will, and seeking to conform yourself to Christ--whether as a seminarian who ultimately becomes a priest or not--you will become a better man!