SEMINARY
St. Francis de Sales Seminary
3257 S. Lake Drive
St. Francis, WI 53235-3702

Parish
Holy Cross Parish,
Kaukauna

Birthday
March 11

Are there any books that you love so much that you have read them twice (or more)?

Am I disqualified if I say the Bible? I like to read new things, and my list is so
long that I do not usually read books twice.

When you find yourself with a “free night,” what is
something you are likely to do?

On a free night I would
try to get some fresh air and some good food. First, I
would reach out to some family or friends to plan some
hiking, biking, skiing, a campfire, etc. Then I would ensure
that we are all well fed while enjoying the time together.
What do you remember from your First Communion?
Around the time of my First Communion, I remember
my mom telling me, “Let it [the Eucharist] warm you.”
My first thought was, “It’s not hot chocolate mom!” But I
think that I slowly recognized the truth she was speaking
about. I remember focusing on that and allowing the
love and peace of Christ to enflame my heart when I
received him in the Eucharist.

Where is one of your favorite places to pray, and
what makes it special to you?

Sacred Heart Chapel at
the Holy Name of Jesus House of Formation (home of
the Kairos Year) will always be one of my favorite places
to pray. Not only is it quiet and intimate, but it is also a
place where I deeply encountered the Lord in prayer.
Returning there brings a grateful heart and reminds me
of the many blessings of the Kairos Year. Besides praying
in the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, I love praying
in the mountains. Wonder and awe of God’s creation
beautifully draws me into prayer.

What role has the Eucharist played in your discernment
of the priesthood?

The Eucharist is undoubtedly the
most influential factor in my discernment of priesthood.
When I think about the times, I have heard the Lord’s
voice the most clearly, it is almost always in silence in
front of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. While there are
numerous experiences, there are two encounters that
really stand out. When I was uncertain about my future
and restless about life’s changes during my sophomore
year of college, Jesus invited me to rest and allow him
to love me. Later, during my senior year, Jesus invited
me to reopen the door to discerning the priesthood.
Reflecting not only on the reality that the Eucharist is
Jesus, but also the call to respond to his love, led to a
deep recognition of Christ and my identity as a beloved
son. Simultaneously, I realized the invitation to offer
myself on the altar with Christ. Reflecting on offering
myself back to God on the altar with Christ helped me
recognize a call to the priesthood.

If there was one thing you could communicate to
the faithful about the importance and role of the
Eucharist in our Catholic faith, what would it be?

When we receive Jesus in the Eucharist, he also receives
us. Not only does the God of the universe give himself
totally to us and desire to be intimately close to us, but
he also accepts us as we are right now. When we go
to him with our deepest questions, desires, hurts, and
joys, he is the answer. The answers to all the world’s
problems are all contained in that small Host. When we
are ashamed, broken, and not sure how to continue, he
receives us and says, “I love you.” He does not overlook
our wounds but sees them and loves us. He shares his
own wounds with us and gives us everything in the
Eucharist just as he gave everything on the cross.
I also love the promise of Jesus that he would be with us
always. He did not just mean it generally, but specifically
in the Eucharist. He is sitting in the tabernacle waiting
for you. So GO TO HIM! Go to the church, go to Mass,
and go to adoration with all the stuff you do not want to
bring anywhere else, and he will receive you. Bring him
your sins in the confessional, and he will receive them.
When we allow him to take our sins, we open our hearts
to receive grace that he is longing to share with us. He
gave us all of himself, and as we receive all of him, he
receives all of us.

Which saint should people invoke for your vocation
and why?

Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati! The world
needs the hope and joy of Christ amidst its great suffering.
Frassati lived it: “Any Catholic can’t help but be happy.”
His Eucharistic love and joy were unshakeable.