Do your family and friends think it is a good idea that you're becoming a priest?
I've been truly blessed that my family has been very supportive. My mother and father are both very
involved in parish life and have always brought me up to be close to the Church so it's
equally important to cite them as influences. In addition to that, my father was in the
seminary at one point so he knows the value of discernment. It did take my friends awhile to get
used to the idea, but once they got the idea that this wasn't just some passing craze, they became
very supportive. Some of my closer friends even have told me they think it will be a good fit for me.
Do you ever have any fun? What do you do in your free time?
I think there are a lot of opportunities to have a good time. Some of the men in formation and I are really into playing video games.
In addition to that we sometimes watch movies or just hang out in general. In terms of my free time I like
to play my guitar, hang out with my friends, watch movies, and that sort of thing.
If you were not a priest, what do you think you would be?
One of my previous jobs was as a teacher and I think that holds some definite interest for me.
Another one of my jobs was working at a local four-star hotel and I always found that work really
interesting. Management opportunities in that line of work are always interesting.
The hotel was a particularly positive experience for me because I got to meet lots of new people
everyday. I wouldn't mind working in that environment again.
How many brothers and sisters do you have?
I'm an only child.
What is your favorite TV program?
That's a hard one because I have quite a few. I'm a total re-run junkie and the majority of my TV time is watching TV Land. If I had to pick a more contemporary show I would go with Everybody
Loves Raymond because I really liked the style of humor in it. It's a really brilliantly written show!
Who is your favorite singer or music group?
I'd say that Sting is my favorite singer. I like his songwriting and musical styles. Along those lines I saw The Police in concert this last summer and it was a great show.
Do you ever get bored while studying to be a priest?
Well, I don't know if bored is really the right way to put it. I think some of the philosophy that I'm currently studying can be very challenging and, at times, a bit frustrating but it really is a labor of love to study for the priesthood. There are times that I'd rather put my homework away but I try to keep focused and aware that, in the end, I'm doing this for God and His people.
How is a seminary different than a regular school?
I would say that the obvious differences would be the prayer life and perhaps the nightly curfew. I'm not sure if dorms have curfews as I never lived in one. Other than that, I would have to say that in priestly formation there is an emphasis on community that would either be absent in regular education or at least not as developed.
How often do you see your family?
I usually see my parents once a week but not always. Both my parents and I have busy schedules that don't necessarily always allow us to frequently get together. Usually though we find a way to keep in touch either over the occasional phone call or email.
Can you really be happy as a priest since priests don't make much money?
I don't think there's a direct correlation between money and happiness although it certainly helps to have enough money to cover the basic needs and have a little fun as well. The salary of a priest isn't going to put him in the running for Fortune 500 but then again the life of a priest isn't about that either. Priests have enough to cover their basic expenses and, within a life of simplicity, to cover the occasional niceties of life. I've lived with a job that paid good money as well as a job that paid minimum wage plus tips and I really found that less money didn't provide as much of an obstacle as most people might think so yes, I think I can still be happy, especially since my happiness would rest more on what I'm doing than what I'm making.
Who helped you decide to become a priest?
First off, in the interests of brevity, I'm going to keep this short which inevitably means I will leave someone out who should be mentioned. I would say that one major influence was a longtime family friend (not to mention the priest that baptized me all those years ago) Fr. Ron Buchmiller. Fr. Ron kept the possibility before me even through times when I was less than receptive. His persistence was a blessing.
The pastor of my home parish, Fr. John Dolan, was quite instrumental as well. He chatted with me about the possibility and gave me a bit of a push to go and check things out.
Another strong influence was my friend, Sr. Carlotta DiLorenzo. Her advice and counsel were invaluable to me in helping me make the decision to enter formal discernment.
When did you decide to study to be a priest? How did you know God was calling you to be a priest?
I decided to enter discernment almost two years ago now. This last February I was accepted into St. Francis Center. I felt that God was leading me in this direction because it allowed me to best use the gifts He had given me. I feel closely drawn to the sacramental life of the Church as well as to the service of God's people.
What do you think the best thing will be about being a priest?
Without any question I think the best thing will be being more deeply involved in the sacramental life of the Church as well as sharing intimately in the lives of God's people.
