Parish: St. Francis Xavier Cathedral, Green Bay Birthday: July 19 Holy Name of Jesus House of Formation 2589 S. Webster Ave. Green Bay, WI 54301-2951
Which saint should people invoke for your vocation? Bl. Carlo Acutis. He is an inspirational “saint” for my generation, and he has helped me a ton with my discernment process and my faith life.
Coffee or tea? Coffee, because I love the smell and taste of it. But, if I get coffee, it would have to be decaffeinated due to my allergy to caffeine.
If Jesus drove a vehicle during his public ministry, what would it be? If Mary had any say in what he drove, he would have driven a Fiat, but most likely he would have driven a Ford Transit so he could drive all his apostles around. What is your ideal way to spend the Lord’s Day? My ideal way to spend the Lord’s Day would be to wake up early, go to Mass, and have a Holy Hour at 8 a.m. Then, I would spend the whole day with my family either at my parents’ home or somewhere with beautiful scenery, like the beach. To top it off, I would grill brats and hamburgers with my dad for dinner.
If you could celebrate Mass anywhere in the world, where would you and why? I would have to choose the place where Blessed Carlo Acutis is buried. I wouldn’t choose a magnificent cathedral or basilica, because I like simple things and places. Bl. Carlo has been a huge inspiration to me in the way that he let God work in his life to do amazing things. He didn’t try to control his life, but instead he just took a step back and let God work through him. I feel very close to Bl. Carlo Acutis and to be able to celebrate Mass in this spot would be so cool.
What spiritual book or author has most influenced your journey of discipleship? The author that has most influenced my journey of discipleship is Jason Evert. I have read many of his books, and they have all helped my journey in some way. The one that has helped me the most is his book about St. John Paul II called “His Five Loves.” In this book, he explained how difficult it was for John Paul II to live out his faith in the country that he was living in. It made me ask myself why I, someone living in a free country, did not take my faith seriously. I have also really liked some of his other works on the topic of sexuality. Reading these books has made a big impact on me, and they showed me that it is possible to live a chaste and holy life in such a crazy day and age as the one we are living in right now.
How is the Eucharist meant to foster unity in the Church? The way the Eucharist is meant to foster unity in the Church is in the way of spiritual unity. The Eucharist is the spiritual unity that keeps the Church on the right path. Jesus is truly in the Eucharist and, by offering himself to the Father at every single Mass, he is keeping the Church on a path that leads us straight to the Father. St. John Paul II states, “Every priest who offers the holy Sacrifice should recall that during this Sacrifice it is not only he with his community that is praying but the whole Church, which is thus expressing in this sacrament her spiritual unity, among other ways by the use of the approved liturgical text.” As one can see, John Paul II is stating that not only is someone becoming united to Christ through the Eucharist, but the whole Church becomes united through the Eucharist. As the Eucharist should be the “source and summit” of one’s being, it is truly the “source and summit” of the Church. It is the one thing that is the glue that holds the Church together, and it is the answer to all the divisions and disagreements of the Church. The spiritual unity that the Eucharist brings to the Church is vital for the unity and well-being of the Church.