Growing up in a Catholic household, I had always seen the priesthood as a possible path in life, but I never gave much thought to it. When my older brother, Coulter McIntyre, became a seminarian for the Archdiocese of Portland in 2019, I wondered whether God might be calling me to the priesthood as well. Seeing him grow through formation intrigued me. I began to learn more about seminary and discernment of the priesthood. Two years later my family moved to Idaho, which left me feeling detached from the Archdiocese where I had felt the strongest calling from God. Over time, my interest in the priesthood dwindled.
As I went through high school, I began to research secular careers and job opportunities. I decided that I wanted to be a veterinarian and quickly got a job as a kennel attendant at a local animal clinic. During my time working there, I felt like I had figured out life all by myself and developed an unhealthy pride. I was eventually fired for poor performance and overall laziness, which humbled me. I felt lost and unsure of what I was supposed to do in life. Through prayer and conversations, I became more open to what God might want for me. I recognized that He had let me try to create my own plan for life, and He let me fail. He knew that in order for me to see the brilliance of His plan, I needed to see the lack of brilliance of my own plan. At that point I felt God remind me to consider to the priesthood.
With interest in receiving some confirmation of my next steps, I attended the Quo Vadis Days retreat for the Archdiocese of Portland. Earlier in the year, a priest from my childhood named Fr. Nathan Zodrow had passed away. As the retreatants toured Mount Angel Seminary, I was able to visit his grave. When I saw his headstone, I suddenly remembered how much of an impact he had on my life as a Catholic. He was the priest who heard my first confession and administered my first communion. His responsibility to administer these sacraments to me was such an incredibly small part of his service to the Catholic Church, but it played such a large role in bringing me closer to God. It was at that moment that I truly understood what it meant to be a priest, to serve God and His people. With this, and many other impactful experiences I had during the retreat, I felt confident that God was revealing His will for me to apply as a seminarian for the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon. I am grateful for your prayers and support as I continue to discern God’s will.