This is part of a series to introduce the seminarians of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City.
What is your home parish? My home parish is Saint Francis of Assisi in Oklahoma City.
What seminary do you attend? I attend Conception Seminary College in Missouri.
If it is God’s will, what year will you be ordained a priest? I will be ordained a priest in 2026 at the earliest.
What advice would you give to someone discerning a call to the priesthood? I recommend keeping an open mind, even if you are fairly sure about your vocation. After all, God speaks to us when we least expect it. This brings me to my other piece of advice: listen. Find some time for silent contemplation with God, away from the daily distractions. This allows the Lord to bless you with thoughts that point to the direction to which he desires you to go.
What do you look forward to most about becoming a priest? The thing that excites me most about the priesthood is the ability to serve the people of God by administering the sacraments. Sacraments are the ways in which we physically witness the graces of God, and it is with this appealing duty of the priest that makes me feel called to this vocation.
Name one thing that every Catholic needs to know. I believe the most important thing that a Catholic must know is the reality of the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament. Throughout my life, I have found that the easiest way to find God is to go and see him in the physical, tangible way in which he manifests himself to us. In the seminary, I am blessed with so much time to adore Christ in the Eucharist and make my love for him more perfect, hoping to one day reflect on the perfect, unconditional love he has for me.
Why choose a life of sacrificial love? Choosing a life of sacrificial love is a special type of selfless love; a love that Christ urges each and every one of us to strive for.