My life before the seminary:
After graduating in 2012 with a BA in Theology from The Catholic University of America, I joined the Metropolitan Police Department and served in the First District from 2013-2015. Every Wednesday night, I played ice hockey in a young men's B league where one season, my team and I learned humility and patience losing every game. After policing, I became the 4th Grade home-room teacher at The Heights School in Potomac, MD and taught for two years before entering Seminary.
What convinced me to enter the seminary:
One day after teaching, I sat down at my desk in the classroom and looked at my watch. I began to ponder how time is one of the greatest gifts we can give to anyone. Clothing, food, money, etc. comes and goes, can be given and gotten back, but time is something you will never get back. I thought of all the time police officers devote to remaining steadfast at their posts, of teachers and how they spend time on and off the job in order to better give of their knowledge and of themselves for the development of the kids. Then, very gently and unobtrusively while seated looking at my watch, the thought came to my mind, and the inclination sparked in my heart, that all I wanted to do 24 hours a day, 7 days a week is give of myself as a priest of Jesus Christ.
Other interests include:
Boxing, ice-hockey, writing poetry, playing guitar, reading literature or history books, and spending time with family and friends.
When asked by my 3rd grade teacher how many brothers I have (2), I unrelentingly held to professing 3 under much brow-beating and re-examination counting my huge stuffed-animal lion as so close a friend that I considered him a brother too.