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My journey to the priesthood began in my home where prayer was taught to all the children at a very young age. Every morning, at five o’clock A.M., our family gathered for prayer which involved reading of Scripture passages, a reflection, hymns and vocal prayer. As a child, I heard my parents pray and learned what they prayed for. This experience influenced my own prayer life and love of God’s Word. It is this love of Scriptures and the desire to teach it to others that would eventually strengthen my desire for the priesthood.
Thoughts about the priesthood came to me for the first time after high school. I thought how wonderful it would be to preach and teach the Word of God, however, this stirring in my heart did not last long because I was preparing for university entrance to study microbiology. After two years of trying to enter the university, I decided to give seminary a chance. I wrote letters of my interest to religious congregations. Unfortunately, none of them accepted me. After this rejection, I suppressed the thought of priesthood and moved on with my life.
In 2007, I emigrated to the United States, this huge country with a lot of opportunities. One can imagine the culture shock I experienced. I set my mind to work hard and pursue a bachelor’s degree in biology. However, God was not finished with me. Throughout my undergraduate studies, I found myself telling my friends and teachers that I wanted to go to the seminary after graduation, yet, I was also hoping that I could get an advanced degree or go to medical school. In my junior year, when my mentor questioned what my plans were after graduating, I said I wished to go to seminary. His suggestion was to go to medical school first and then seminary. This left me thinking deeply about what I really wanted in my life. It was a turning point for me. For two weeks I was pretty restless trying to decide what to do. In my prayer, God gave me the grace to say yes to seminary and no to other dreams I had. At that moment, a sense of peace returned to me assuring me of the rightness of my decision.
When I received the application to enter the seminary, another wave of fear enveloped me, and the application stayed with me for one month before I completed it. I was afraid that I was about to sign my life away and lose all the aspirations I have had in life. Gradually, the Lord assured me that He will take care of me. He knew that I struggled with trust, trusting in Him. Eventually, I entered priestly formation at St. John Paul II Seminary for philosophical studies, and would go on to Mount Saint Mary’s Seminary for four years to complete theological studies. Through the mercy of God, I was ordained a priest of Jesus Christ on June 15, 2019, along with nine other men, by Archbishop Wilton Gregory. I am much happier as a priest.