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

What kinds of toppings do you like on your pizza?
Any type of meat, peppers, onions, and extra sauce if that counts.

What is one skill people would be surprised you have?
I am a guitarist and played in a rock band trio in high school. I have an electric and an acoustic guitar in my room. Fellow seminarian Rob Reynebeau, who plays drums, and I are going to start a seminary rock band. Feel free to send us band name ideas. Stay tuned …

If you had a talk show, who would be your first guest?
My first guest would be Fr. Bill Brunner, pastor of St. Gregory Parish in St. Nazianz and Holy Trinity Parish in School Hill, to discuss the rich Catholic history of Manitowoc County. In particular, we would discuss the founding and history of the town of St. Nazianz and the stories behind the many roadside chapels in the county. Hopefully, its success would propel me to my first appearance on the acclaimed vocations podcast, “Quo Vadis?”

What is your favorite line from a Eucharistic prayer?
Eucharistic Prayer I: “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, so that all of us, who through this participation at the altar receive the most holy Body and Blood of your Son, may be filled with every grace and heavenly blessing.” This line often captures my imagination with its rich imagery combined with the priest’s actions of a bow and the sign of the cross.

How would you advise someone who wanted to deepen their love of the Eucharist?
My first bit of advice would be to do all that they can to make it to daily Mass once a week, twice a week, or even daily and receiving Communion during Mass as often as possible. To help cultivate a proper disposition to receive Jesus in the Eucharist, going to Confession on a regular basis, not just when in a state of mortal sin (monthly is a great place to start), would be something I highly recommend and have found helpful in deepening my own love for the Eucharist. Finally, one should consider praying regularly in front of the Blessed Sacrament exposed in a monstrance or praying with the Eucharist reposed in the tabernacle. How much time we spend with someone, or desire to spend with someone, often indicates how much we love them. Simply setting aside time to be with Jesus in the Eucharist during Mass and
adoration are simple concrete steps I would suggest for deepening one’s love of the Eucharist.

When you envision yourself celebrating Mass one day as a priest, what do you imagine will be going through your mind and heart?
One Christmas, during my first year of seminary, I was a server for a midnight Vigil Mass. After receiving
Communion, I sat back in my chair while the priest distributed Communion to the congregation and
began to imagine myself in the scene at the nativity in Bethlehem. I was deeply moved, when, in prayer, Mary saw that I was there among all the others who were adoring the child Jesus. Then, she took Jesus in her arms and offered for me, specifically, to hold him. I was struck by her love and trust in me to hold her infant son, the Son of God, by myself. Resting deeply in his presence, under the loving watch of Mary and Joseph, I cradled him in my arms and adored him. It is difficult to put this experience into words. However, I think that this experience of holding the child Jesus in prayer on Christmas Eve just begins to describe what might be going through my mind and heart as I celebrate Mass. While I cannot presume to know what it is like to celebrate Mass as a priest and to hold Jesus under the form of bread and wine in my hands, I imagine and have hope that it will be an even deeper encounter with Jesus in which I can more closely unite my heart with his.

Which saint should people invoke for your vocation?
St. Charles Borromeo is the patron of seminarians and this year, the patron of my floor in the seminary. Pray to him that my heart will continue to be configured to the heart of Jesus.