HOLY NAME OF JESUS
HOUSE OF FORMATION
2589 S. Webster Ave.
Green Bay, WI 54301-2951

Kairos Year

BIRTHDAY
June 18

PARISH
St. John the Baptist Parish,
Howard

INTERCESSOR
St. Michael the Archangel.
Above all, I want to be a holy
man, but the road to holiness
is tough. Please pray that he
keeps me on the narrow path.
St. Michael, defend us in battle!

What is your favorite hobby?
Hiking, no doubt about it! The silence, the fresh air, the rhythm of walking —
these are all deeply captivating to me.

What is your favorite liturgical season?
The Triduum holds a special place in my heart. I first encountered Jesus
while watching the film “The Passion of the Christ” many years ago, so the
memorial of our Lord’s suffering and death is a powerful reminder of his
presence in my life.

Who is your confirmation saint? Why did you choose him?
For confirmation I chose our family patron, St. Zygmunt Felinski. He was an
archbishop in Poland who spent 20 years in Siberian exile. Amidst difficult
conditions, he organized works of mercy and built a church for his fellow refugees,
who affectionately called him the “holy Polish bishop.” Though we were not close
before, St. Zygmunt’s work has increasingly become an inspiration for me.

Who taught you to pray?
Though my family prayed together at meals and at Mass, I actually did not
develop a prayer life until college. The students at the Newman Center in
Tucson, AZ, were a big influence on me, as well as my roommate. He would
read Scripture early each morning, and that inspired me to get to know the
Lord better. Mother Mary Catherine at Catholic Youth Expeditions was also
a big help to me. Her example and her love for lectio divina showed me how
to relate to Jesus and Our Lady with greater trust.

What gives you the most joy at this point in your formation?
It is still a bit surreal that this is all happening. I remember telling my friend
in high school that I could never be a priest. Now, eight years later I am
entering priestly formation. How does that happen? Either God is playing a
big joke on me or grace really does exist. In all seriousness though, I am so
grateful for the opportunity to enter the Kairos Year.
Behind every priestly vocation is a more fundamental and shocking vocation
that all people receive; namely, God’s invitation to relationship with him. God
Almighty, the Creator of all things, the one who needs nothing because he
substantially is, longs to commune with you. Wow! Naturally, we find this so
perplexing that we ask, “what are human beings that you regard them?” (Ps.
144). How could a big God care for little me? It is precisely this paradox that
reveals the grandeur of God’s love, and I think upon entering formation, that
idea has come to the forefront for me.

How do you view a priest’s relationship to St. Joseph?
A priest is, in a special way, asked to become an “alter Christus,” another
Christ. His hands become Christ’s hands, his mouth becomes Christ’s mouth,
his ears become Christ’s ears. When Jesus was a boy, who held his hands
and taught him to work? Who taught him to speak and told him to be quiet?
Who listened to him intently and responded to his needs? St. Joseph did
each of these things. Though Jesus is one with God the Father, his human
fatherhood was the product of St. Joseph’s formation.
Therefore, if a priest is to be an “alter Christus,” it follows that he must
submit himself to that same formation. He must look to St. Joseph, the
protector par excellence of the body of Christ, to learn how to nurture a
community and guide a family. He must respond to Jesus’ needs and desires
like Joseph did in Nazareth. Finally, he must imitate Joseph’s love for Mary.
With chaste fervor did Joseph love his bride, and that became the model
for Christ’s sacrificial love for the Church. If a priest wants to do the same,
he must ask St. Joseph for help. Joseph was a formator to Jesus; may his
intercession form us as well so we can live like his adopted son.