My vocation story is not quite typical but is one that is more common these days. I was born into a Catholic family and attended Catholic Schools. However during that time I was neither asked to be an altar server nor was I asked to consider a vocation to the priesthood. Also, I can honestly say I did not really know my faith either at that time.

Once in High School I fell away from my faith and didn't look back. Once I was an adult I thought I had my life pretty well together while running a machine shop and a pattern shop. Then a tragedy struck and I found myself both in need of God as well as receptive to his grace. Upon my return to the Church it was clear our Lord was calling me to serve him.

 Initially this came in the form of youth ministry in LifeTeen. This then expanded to helping in the Cursillo group in my area which also branched out into Prison Cursillo. While I worked in LifeTeen I had the opportunity to get to know 2 seminarians who had been in my LifeTeen group. Through their assistance I began to give thought to a vocation to the priesthood. This was providential, as even with all the things I was doing in the Church, I knew God was asking for more.

One day I walked into the local Catholic book store that was run by the parents of a Rockford priest, and they asked me (at age 35) if I had considered a vocation to the priesthood and gave me a card for the Diocese of Rockford. The rest is history. I have now spent 6 years at Holy Apostles College and Seminary in Cromwell, CT where I received my BA and soon my MDiv.