Parish: St. Mary Parish, Ledgeview
Birth Date: March 6
Seminary: Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary
Seminary Address:
750 Terrace Heights #1225 Winona, MN 55987-1399

College II

Intercessor: St. Faustina Kowalska. I have
been reading her diary recently,
and she has been a great example
and inspiration to deepen my
prayer life and strive for an
intimate relationship with Christ.

What is your favorite hobby?
My favorite hobby is fishing, and this summer I more specifically got into fly
fishing. I enjoy the challenge, silence, and solitude that fishing provides.

What is your favorite liturgical season?
One of my favorite liturgical seasons is Ordinary Time. Like the apostles, we are
first called to simply be with Jesus. It is a simple time in which we are able to walk
daily with Jesus in his ministry doing his “ordinary” duties and just be with him.

Who is your confirmation saint? Why did you choose him?
My confirmation name is Pius, named after St. Padre Pio. I think I first heard
about him early on during my time at a Catholic boys’ group called ConQuest.
I remember finding his life and priesthood attractive from a young age, and
he was the first saint I was devoted to and encouraged my discernment of the
priesthood. Plus, I thought Pius was manly and a cool sounding name.

Who taught you to pray?
My first memory praying is Night Prayer with my older brother and my
parents back when I was three or four. My family would gather around the
holy water font in the hallway between our bedrooms. It was during this time
that I learned many common prayers including the Hail Mary, Our Father, and
the “Angel of God” prayer, as well as personal prayer of thanksgiving and
petition. My parents were the first ones who taught me to pray at night and
in the morning, at Mass, and during family rosary.

What gives you the most joy at this point in your formation?
At this point in my formation, fraternity with my seminarian brothers gives me
the most joy. It was a blessing to be able to spend the second half of spring
semester back in Green Bay with all of the other Green Bay seminarians. We
had a lot of fun at the Holy Name of Jesus House of Formation with Fr. Mark
and Fr. Adam praying together, cooking out, studying, and playing sports.
We were even able to do our own "Walk to Mary" together!
It was a unique opportunity for us to get to know each other in a deeper
way that we usually do not have since most of us are studying at different
seminaries across the Midwest (and in Rome) for most of the year. Only other
seminarians truly know all that being a seminarian entails, which is why it is so
important that we can confide in and offer mutual support to each other.

How do you view a priest’s relationship to St. Joseph?
I see St. Joseph as a priest’s silent guide to the heart of Jesus. Even though
St. Joseph was never recorded speaking a word in the Bible, he knew his
son better than any other human (other than Mary). As a father, he helped
form Jesus’ heart. During our seminarian retreat this past August, our retreat
master told us that if we want to learn how to pray, we must go to St. Joseph.
St. Joseph knows his son and wants you, and in a special way priests, to
come to know him in a deep and intimate way just as he did.
When I pray with the Litany of St. Joseph, I am amazed at the number of titles
he has: Noble Offspring of David, Mirror of Patience, and Terror of Demons,
to name a few. While every title offers an insight in which priests are called to
imitate St. Joseph, I am most struck by Protector of the Holy Church. Like St.
Joseph, priests are called to guard the Church, its people, its teachings, and
its Tradition. Just as St. Joseph protected Jesus as he grew up, priests have a
special role in protecting the Eucharist — Christ’s real presence on earth — and
the Mass from harm. Without priests, there is no Eucharist. Priests must pray to
St. Joseph for the strength and courage to protect the Church and its people.