Rev. Mr. Alfredo Tuesta

Theology III
St. Charles Borromeo Seminary
University of Notre Dame (BS, 2007), Purdue University (PhD, 2014)
St. Louis Parish

What did you do prior to entering seminary?

I was a research mechanical engineer at the US Naval Research Laboratory in Washington DC. I worked on scientific projects aimed at advancing the technological capabilities of the US Navy.

What influenced your decision to apply for seminary entrance?

Eventually, I reached a point in my life when I could no longer ignore a calling which the Lord had been asking me to answer for many years.

My priorities shifted. My perspective matured. And, I decided to apply and leave it in God's hands.

Why do you want to be a priest?

I am searching for who God made me to be.

What are your favorite pastimes?

Hiking, camping, sand volleyball, chess, reading, cooking and spending time with close friends and family.

What is your favorite quote?

Right now, my favorite quote is 2 Cor 12:9 "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness."

Who is your favorite Saint and why? 

St. John Bosco lived in Turin in the 1800s. His mission was to love and serve the youth. He founded the Salesians of Don Bosco which spread like wildfire. My family and I met them in NJ after immigrating from Peru. It is thanks to them that I was educated, catechized in the faith, and am the man I am today. I love Don Bosco, his radical surrender to God's will, and his love for those in need.

What advice would you give to a young man thinking about the seminary?

This ultimately comes down to one of the best pieces of advice I have ever received: it is not what God has made you to do, but who He has made you to be. I could list a few skills or attributes which I think may qualify me but those would be answers for a job posting than a vocation. Rather, I want to be the man God created me to be and I suspect that may be a priest.