Deacon Gerald Andrews

My life before the seminary:

Before seminary, I studied aerospace engineering for two years at a community college while I completed my high-school curriculum in homeschooling, and then for one year at the University of Maryland. While at Maryland, I worked in a research lab, where I helped develop a new design for a micro-scale rotorcraft drone. I was also very involved with the Catholic Student Center. In my free time, I took up rock climbing, and even joined a competitive climbing team.

What convinced me to enter the seminary:

I had felt that I might be called to the priesthood from a young age, but I thought that I could never be happy without having a family, and so I didn't pursue seminary all through high school. While at the University of Maryland, I grew in my life of prayer, and formed many good friendships with people at the Catholic Student Center. I began to see how I could be fulfilled by my relationship with God, and love others in a life of celibacy. The final event that led me to enter seminary was visiting St. John Paul II Seminary, and seeing the joy of the men there.

Other interests include:

I love playing sports and enjoying the outdoors, and I've especially come to love rock climbing. I also enjoy reading books and listening to music, and though I never played any instruments before seminary, I recently picked up the Irish whistle.