I grew up as a non-denominational Protestant for 26 years of my life. My interest in the Catholic faith originated around some questions regarding science and faith near my last term in college. After a lot of research, I came to the conclusion that my two options were to become atheist or to find a different kind of Christianity. I desired to believe in God, so I kept reading. Eventually I read about Catholicism and many different things about faith began to make sense with science. I consumed information obsessively, each topic leading into another. I had read through most of the Bible before becoming Catholic, but many parts were confusing until I understood the Church’s teaching. I wondered if I hadn’t noticed these passages before because I was too focused on school, engineering, or other priorities even though I had paid attention to many of my protestant pastors’ sermons. When I got to RCIA, I was basically convinced of the truths of the Catholic Church. There were a few people who were opposed to my conversion at the time and I had multiple long debates with them, but this didn’t completely discourage me.
Life was becoming more normal until two months before my confirmation when someone made offhand remarks about discerning my vocation that started to bug me. I felt that God was asking me for something deeper than intellectual conversion. I desperately tried to pass off the feeling as being stress related. Life went on and I worked toward my life goals, but in my discernment, I experienced multiple breaking points where God worked on my intrinsic desires and fears. Eventually, God led me to a state of peace about following Him further.
During a trip to Europe with my brothers in 2018, I had two similar experiences of peace when I felt God speak to me. I was impressed by the Cologne Cathedral. It was massive, ornate, and made to house the divinity of Jesus Himself. I could feel the weight of the sacredness there. Another time I was very moved while looking at a diptych of Moses and the Israelites eating the manna from heaven, which foreshadowed the coming of the Eucharist. I felt that God knew me and called me to Himself even
before I fully understood all that was going on.
Convinced of my vocation to the priesthood, I became a seminarian for the Archdiocese of Portland and studied at Mt. Angel Seminary from 2020-2023. I withdrew from formation to discern Monastic life, but I returned as a seminarian in 2024. I hope to accurately hear and do God’s will wherever He takes me. Thank you for your prayers and support.
Prayer for Our Seminarians
Lord Jesus, as you once called the first disciples to make them fishers of men, let your sweet invitation continue to resound: Come Follow Me! We thank you for the gift of these seminarians called to serve in the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon. Inspire them to imitate You, the Eternal High Priest, in sacrificial service to Your Church. Grant perseverance to our seminarians. Give them the graces they need to one day serve You faithfully as priests. May Your light shine through them to everyone they meet. Mary, Mother of the Church, the model of every vocation, help our seminarians to continue to say “yes” to the Lord who calls us to cooperate in the divine plan of salvation. Amen