Parish: St. Matthew Parish, Allouez
Birthday: February 11
Seminary: St. John Vianney College Seminary
Address: 2115 Summit Avenue
Mail #5024
St. Paul, MN 55105


What kinds of toppings do you like on your pizza?
I enjoy the taste of pepperoni on most pizzas, but I also believe that onions belong on all pizzas. They add more than most would expect.

What is one skill people would be surprised you have?
Rock climbing is a sport I really enjoy, and one I like to think I am pretty skilled at. I started in my freshman year of college and have enjoyed it ever since.

If you had a talk show, who would be your first guest?
My first guest would be Fr. Scott Valentyn because he is a very lively priest and fun conversationalist. There would not be much pressure to prepare the deepest or most thought-provoking questions, because he could simply share his lively stories. He would also be a good first guest, because the conversation would intrigue a variety of people. It would be sure to pique the interest of almost any audience.

What is your favorite line from a Eucharistic prayer?
After the consecration in Eucharistic Prayer I, a part prays, “In humble prayer we ask you, almighty God:
command that these gifts be borne by the hands of your holy Angel to your altar on high in the sight of your divine majesty …” I am drawn to this, because it calls to mind the fact that the Eucharistic offering belongs entirely to God. It is not something we are entitled to but, because of the Lord’s goodness and love for us, he allows us the privilege of witnessing and participating in such a profound mystery. What a wonderful gift!

How would you advise someone who wanted to deepen their love of the Eucharist?
I would first encourage this person to spend time in Eucharistic Adoration where Jesus is exposed on an
altar. The advice here would be to consider that in the Eucharist is a Person, and we should treat him that way. We grow in relationship with others by relating to them. In adoration, we can look into the face of Jesus and relate to him our thoughts, feelings, and desires while allowing him to do the same. Another way I would encourage someone is by inviting them to learn more about Eucharistic miracles. Often, we can struggle to understand what or who the Eucharist is. In Eucharistic miracles, God allows us to see through the veil between the spiritual and the physical. He allows us to realize more clearly that the Eucharist is truly Jesus’ Body and Blood. Jesus, making himself present to us in the Eucharist, reveals a lot about how much he loves us. If we want to deepen our love for someone, it helps to know how much they love us. 

When you envision yourself celebrating Mass one day as a priest, what do you imagine will be going through your mind and heart?
“Kenosis” and “surrender” are two words that come to mind. Kenosis is a word that I learned during the Kairos Year. It was described to us as “self-emptying love.” Kenosis is very present at the Mass, because we see God emptying himself out of love to become present in what looks like bread and wine. This love is so powerful that it allows us to receive God! Witnessing this love so intimately when celebrating Mass is something I surely look forward to in the priesthood. This kenosis also inspires me to love God in a similar way – to strive to say “yes” to the Lord regardless of my own desires. If the Lord is willing to empty himself to be with us, why should we hold back from emptying ourselves to be with him? “Surrender” comes to mind when I consider that the priest acts in the person of Jesus in a special way during Mass. It is a daunting task and a gift that nobody deserves. During Mass, it would be easy to turn my attention away from Jesus and towards my own unworthiness. Many saints, however, show us the alternative of surrender. The truth is that we will never be able to earn the gifts that God offers us or to make ourselves worthy of his love. In surrendering to the Lord, however, we place ourselves in his arms and allow him to do with us whatever he pleases. We allow him to transform us by his love.

Which saint should people invoke for your vocation?
I invite people to ask St. Thérèse of Lisieux to pray for me, because she heroically models what it means to surrender to God and to love him with a pure heart.