Parish: St. Therese Parish; East Krok, Pilsen, and Stangelville
Birthday: June 15
Pastoral Year Assignment:
Kaukauna Catholic Parishes
112 W. 8th Street
Kaukauna, WI 54130




What kinds of toppings do you like on your pizza?
Pizza for me can go one of two ways: the classic pepperoni, green pepper, and onion or CBR (Chicken, Bacon, Ranch) with arugula.

What is one skill people would be surprised you have?
Most people would probably be surprised to know that I have an excellent grasp of my way around a kitchen and enjoy hosting and cooking for others. 

If you had a talk show, who would be your first guest?
Restricting myself to living people, my first guest would probably be a surprising one … the actor Robert Downey Jr. I have found his life story from a wild, unruly youth to today has had to be an inspiring intersection of redemption and Hollywood. Downey’s story is one of conquering personal challenges. It is a genuinely inspiring story of a man who completely turned his life around.

What is your favorite line from a Eucharistic prayer?
One of my favorite lines comes from one rarely used at Mass, Eucharistic Prayer IV. This Eucharistic Prayer recounts much of salvation history, chronicling humanity’s journey toward a relationship with God. One particular line makes the action of God in this journey as he constantly longs for us abundantly clear, “And when through disobedience he had lost your friendship, you did not abandon him to the domain of death.” God had every right to abandon the creation that disobeyed him in the Garden of Eden and begin again, but he chose to redeem all of us through the death of his son Jesus.

How would you advise someone who wanted to deepen their love of the Eucharist?
My advice for those who want to deepen their Eucharistic devotion is so simple I often take it for granted: spend time in front of the Blessed Sacrament. Over my time in seminary, I have been amazed at how simply spending time in front of Jesus can relieve stress, anxiety, and other negative thoughts that can burst into our daily lives. Although it makes logical sense, just as with any relationship, quality time is critical as it is necessary to spend time with the person with whom you want to deepen your relationship. The Eucharist is not merely a symbol or a thing; it is a person, Jesus, and he wants to be in a relationship with each of us. There are other ways to deepen one’s Eucharistic devotion, like praying the “Anima Christi” prayer after receiving Communion at Mass during a period of thanksgiving or even reading a book on the Eucharist such as “The Lamb’s Supper” by Scott Hahn.

When you envision yourself celebrating Mass one day as a priest, what do you imagine will be going through your mind and heart?
In many sacristies around our diocese, one traditional phrase is located near the exit into the sanctuary of the church: “Priest of God, celebrate this Mass as if it were your first Mass, your last Mass, and your only Mass.” As I ponder my own future desire to celebrate the Mass, I can imagine two distinct emotions that would be present for me: an intense nearness with the Trinity in prayers such as the Collect, Preface, and Eucharistic Prayer, and also a profound humility to be a priest. In speaking with the persons of the Trinity, interceding for and on behalf of the congregation, I imagine that there is a real awareness of the call of a priest to be a shepherd and guide for his people. The priest in these moments is like Moses, standing in the breach between the God of the Universe and his people, walking with them on the road to holiness.
The other feeling that would arise during the celebration of the Mass is one of profound unworthiness to have that position, celebrating the central sacrament of the Church. Even though the priest is in the person of Christ, he is still a sinner, like every other person on earth. He still struggles with sin and bad habits and still requires the forgiveness of God like everyone else. The priest is given a great gift in dispensing the love of God and a great reminder of just how much he is still in need of it himself.

Which saint should people invoke for your vocation?
I ask that you please pray to St. Thérèse of Lisieux, the Little Flower. She is the patron of my parish, and one saint who sought to live with Jesus in the little things.