Parish: St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Parish, Greenville
Birthday: October 10
Seminary: Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary
Address: 700 Terrace Heights
Box #475
Winona, MN 55987-1320

Which saint should people invoke for your vocation?
St. Ignatius of Loyola. He is my confirmation saint and had an unswerving drive
to do the will of God and wise discernment. I will need both of these things.

Coffee or tea?
Coffee. It is a good analogy for the cross. What appears to
be a dark and bitter drink instead brings life to my morning!
(Hebrews 12:2)

If Jesus drove a vehicle during his public ministry, what
would it be?
I could see Our Lord and the apostles riding around on a fleet of
the Lime electric scooters. As it says in the Gospel of John, “By
this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become
my disciples” (John 15:8). Thus, a fruit-themed scooter seems
most fitting.

What is your ideal way to spend the Lord’s Day?
In an ideal world, it would begin with Lauds, Holy Hour, and
Mass bright and early in the morning. The bulk of the day would
be spent with brother seminarians either on a hike or another
outdoor activity. Once we are sufficiently exhausted, we would
end the day with evening prayer and dinner. A day permeated with
prayer and fraternity is probably as restful a day as I can imagine.

If you could celebrate Mass anywhere in the world, where
would you and why?
I would climb to the top of Mount Horeb in the heat of the desert
sun and find the cave where the prophet Elijah encountered the
Lord. There, I would celebrate the Holy Sacrifice. In the Book of
Kings, after Elijah defeats the prophets of Baal, he is driven to
a cave on Mount Horeb. There he meets the Lord who asks him,
“Why are you here?” Elijah responds, “I have been most zealous
for the LORD, the God of hosts” (1 Kings 19:14). Therefore, it would
make that cave a very cool place to offer Mass.

What spiritual book or author has most influenced your
journey of discipleship?
“Butler’s Lives of the Saints.” The lives and biographies of the
saints have always been a touchstone of encouragement and
spiritual growth. They inspire me to grow in holiness and also
point out the areas of my life where I need conversion. I enjoy
working with my hands and building things. However, I need to
have an image or example of what the finished product looks
like. A purely abstract description of something might not
always be the most clear. In the same way, living the Gospel
sometimes looks like an abstract concept. The lives of the
saints offer a concrete example of what loving the Lord and
living the Gospel looks like.
From when I was coming into my faith before seminary to now,
I’ve found inspiration from the lives of the saints. I’d recommend
them for anyone who is looking for examples of holiness to
imitate and to fall in love with our friends: the saints!

How is the Eucharist meant to foster unity in the Church?
“And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to
myself” (John 12:32). In the Mass, we stand at the foot of Calvary
in a very real way. The Mass is not a social gathering. It is not,
per se, about us. It is Christ offering himself to the Father. It is a
sacrifice. From this sacrifice, the same sacrifice at Calvary, we
receive the very body and blood that Jesus offered to save us.
Christ gives us himself and we give him ourselves. When we
receive Holy Communion worthily, we become more and more
like Christ. “He must increase; I must decrease” (John 3:30).
I’ve heard pride can be defined as living in the head of anyone
except God. That is to say, we are worried about what we or
other people think, but not what God thinks. Pride is the source
of division. When we put ourselves at the center instead of God,
we are in trouble. When we put God at the center, everyone
united to God becomes united to each other like the spokes on
a wheel. “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever
does not gather with me scatters” (Matthew 12:30).
In the Mass, let’s offer ourselves to Christ in the Eucharist, who
gives himself to us so that his prayer may be answered: “That
they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you” (John
17:21b).