Mount St. Mary’s Seminary, Propaedeutic Stage
Virginia Tech
Saint Veronica Parish
What did you do prior to entering seminary?
I worked as a director of religious education and a civil engineer in my previous jobs. Working at multiple parishes to coordinate religious education and Sacramental preparation programs for children, assist in youth ministry, and lead young adult ministry programs has given me great joy and helped me to consider Christ’s call for me to enter seminary.
What influenced your decision to apply for seminary entrance?
As I’ve grown in my Faith throughout my life, I’ve found that I want to give my all to Christ and His Church, and to serve Him in all that I do. At times, I believed these desires were to serve as a lay employee or volunteer in parishes, but I eventually realized that I would only be content if I gave all of my life to Jesus and His Church. For me, these desires culminate in an offering of myself as a priest for Jesus. I can only discern this well with the guidance of the Church in seminary.
Why do you want to be a priest?
I want to spend my life as God’s instrument in His work of the salvation of souls. I can think of no better way to serve Christ than to offer my lowly hands to be His hands on Earth. Christ has loved us so perfectly to give His own life to win us our salvation. I hope to offer but a fraction of His perfect love for the Church as its priest, so His love may be known on Earth. What better joy could there be than to spend life celebrating the Sacraments and spreading the Gospel?!
What are your favorite pastimes?
I love being outside enjoying God’s beautiful creation in nature and can often be found reading or camping in a hammock in the summer. I enjoy being active and playing or watching sports, especially America's pastime, baseball, with my family, football, hiking, kayaking, and cycling. When getting friends together, I always appreciate playing a board game, making music, or having a cookout.
What is your favorite quote?
“Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life?” (Matthew 6:26-27).
Who is your favorite Saint and why?
Saint Joseph: He gave up the natural marital expectations of consummation and biological children, and received something much greater: intimacy with Jesus and the Blessed Virgin Mary in his home life. Demons fear Joseph, the mortal man whom Jesus Himself deigned to obey as his earthly father. Joseph is the patron of the preborn, families, chastity, workers, and many other causes, a trusted intercessor for us in any state of life. “Ite ad Joseph” and he will guard you as he guarded Mary and Jesus and will bring your request to his Holy Family he loves so dearly.
What advice would you give to a young man thinking about the seminary?
God has given you a tremendous gift by placing this consideration on your heart! Respond generously, for God will never be outdone in generosity. Spend time in Adoration looking into Christ’s Heart in silence so you may hear His call. Let him melt your heart of stone so you may freely respond. Ask that you may “with great confidence, submit yourself to His will, which is Love and Mercy Itself.” Entrust your vocation daily in prayer to the Blessed Mother. Let Mary into the home of your heart, as John the Beloved did, and you will be her beloved son.
Any other fun facts about yourself that people might find interesting?
My family, which is Slovak and Polish, led the Polish-American Polka Dinner Dance at St. Joseph’s in Herndon for the last several years.
I have made pilgrimages to the sites of two Marian apparitions: Our Lady of Champion in Champion, Wisconsin and Our Lady of Fatima in Fatima, Portugal.
