Parish: St. Mary Parish, Ledgeview
Birth Date: March 6
Seminary: St. Francis de Sales
Seminary Address:
3257 S. Lake
Drive, St. Francis, WI
53235-3702

Which saint should people invoke for your vocation?
St. Thérèse of Lisieux. I recently read “Story of a Soul” and found her words and
experiences nourishing for my spiritual life.

Coffee or tea?
Coffee. I prefer its taste and enjoy the many different kinds of
drinks that can be made with it.

If Jesus drove a vehicle during his public ministry, what
would it be?
In his ministry, Jesus was poor and humble yet traveled with
his disciples to society’s margins. I think his car would reflect
that: used, reliable, able to carry passengers, and handle rough
terrain. While I am hesitant to name a specific car, this might
describe a black 2012 Toyota Rav4.

What is your ideal way to spend the Lord’s Day?
I would start my day by sleeping in a little later than usual
followed by praying a Holy Hour and attending Mass. Then,
I would take my time drinking coffee and preparing a large
brunch for my friends or family. The rest of the day would be
spent in solitude outside, such as fly fishing for trout or hiking.

If you could celebrate Mass anywhere in the world, where
would you and why?
I would celebrate Mass in the Sistine Chapel. During my first year
of theology studies, I was privileged to be able to travel to Rome
with other theologians at St. Francis de Sales Seminary and
visit the Sistine Chapel after hours. The beauty of the chapel’s
paintings and architectural design were amplified by the
silence and our ability to slow down to pray with its artwork. If I
could celebrate Mass anywhere, I would do so in that beautiful,
historic chapel.

What spiritual book or author has most influenced your
journey of discipleship?
I have read “Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska: Divine
Mercy in My Soul,” on and off many times throughout my journey
of discipleship from high school to this present moment. As I
reflect back on my spiritual life, I can see how St. Faustina’s
description of her relationship with Jesus has shaped my
understanding of prayer as being a conversation. In her diary,
St. Faustina records many conversations she has with Jesus.
Many of these include regular visions of Jesus and audible words
of his. Other times, she describes hearing Christ as a voice in her
soul. For her, prayer was a conversation in which she shared all
of her thoughts, feelings, and desires with her spouse, Jesus, and
he spoke back. While I am in no way comparing my spiritual life to
that of a saint, her writings did inform my own way of praying in a
way that is more conversational and honest with Jesus.

How is the Eucharist meant to foster unity in the Church?
Have you ever heard the phrase, “You become what you eat?”
Usually someone says this in reference to one’s diet: if I eat food
that is good for me, filled with vitamins, minerals, and proteins,
my body will become strong and healthy; if I eat food filled with
sugar, fats, and salt, my body will become unhealthy and weak.
We are formed by what we eat. Just as our bodies are formed by
the physical food we eat, so too, our souls are conformed to the
spiritual food we eat. The Eucharist is the spiritual food by which
each of us is united to Jesus Christ and conformed to his heart.
Jesus offers himself as food so that we can become like him.
In each and every Mass, Catholics consume the same body and
blood of Jesus Christ. We are not just unified by the fact that
we partake in the same external ritual. Rather, we are united
because each of us are becoming more closely conformed to
Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, through our reception of
the Eucharist. The Eucharist unifies the Church because by
partaking in the Lord’s Supper, we become what we eat.