Ordinand Biographies

While hundreds of men are ordained to the priesthood every year, here are a few of the men ordained this year to serve the Church and the people of God.

Barg Anderson (Diocese of Superior) Barg Anderson is preparing for ordination in the Diocese of Superior, Wisconsin. He received a graduate education and owned a computer business for several years. He also served in the Marines. After moving to Nevada and California, he swore he would never return to the colder climates of the Midwest. But he was won over by the ‘loving people of God in rural Wisconsin’, and decided to return there as a priest.
Jeffrey Bacon (Archdiocese of Cincinnati) Jeffrey Bacon has felt God’s call to the priesthood ever since the second grade, and he applied for college seminary in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati immediately after finishing high school. He was influenced in this decision by a priest and also by his mother. He enjoys camping and fishing.
Casey Beaumier, SJ (Society of Jesus, Wisconsin Province) The product of many years of Catholic education, including two graduate degrees from St. Louis University, Casey Beaumier taught English at a preparatory school in Nebraska. He also served as a Eucharistic minister and lector, and attended World Youth Day. He is currently studying at Weston Jesuit School of Theology, and will be ordained a priest of the Society of Jesus this Spring.
Emmanuel-Patrick Betasso, OCD (Discalced Carmelite Friars) Emmanuel-Patrick Betasso, a magna cum laude student on the “Who’s Who” list of High School students, did administrative and managerial work, and spent nearly three years in Kenya as a missionary. He entered the Discalced Carlemite Friars, and is currently studying at Notre Dame Seminary in preparation for priestly ordination.
Mark Carr, SJ (Society of Jesus, Wisconsin Province) Mark Carr entered the Jesuits after graduating from Marquette University. He taught social studies at a Jesuit high school, and is now preparing for priestly ordination in this June. Originally from Illinois, he enjoys hiking and camping.
James David Carter (Diocese of Knoxville) James Carter is currently studying at the Pontifical North American College in Rome, preparing for ordination for the Diocese of Knoxville, Tennessee. Only twenty-six years old, he entered the seminary shortly after graduating high school.
Dana Christensen (Diocese of Sioux Falls) A seminarian of the Sioux Falls diocese, Dana Christensen has worked in a wide variety of different fields, despite being less than thirty years of age. He has worked in a funeral home, a cheese factory, a telemarketing agency and a monastery. He also operates a widely-read online web journal, or ‘blog’ entitled ‘The Meandering Mind of a Seminarian’. He enjoys reading, writing on his blog, engaging in ecumenical dialogue with non-Catholic friends, and performing in his seminary’s annual Variety Show.
Alonzo Garcia (Diocese of Tucson) Alonzo Garcia converted to the Catholic faith at age twelve. He had initially planned to become a medical doctor, and worked as a patient care technician in the ER, pediatrics and a burn center. Finally, he says, “it was obvious that the Lord had other plans for me in my life,” and, to the surprise of his peers, he decided to enter the priesthood. He enjoys theatre and opera, along with tennis and swimming.
John Paul Gardner (Diocese of Bismarck) John Paul Gardner claims he has wanted to be a priest ‘since [he] was a baby’. He entered the seminary right after finishing high school. He has participated in a number of vocation programs through the diocese, and his decision to become a priest came about partly through the influence of a parish priest, along with that of his mother. Apart from his studies as a seminarian, most of his work experience has been on a farm. He is also extremely athletic, and played a number of sports in high school. Deacon Gardner is scheduled to be ordained a priest for the Diocese of Bismarck this year, at the young age of twenty-six.
Piotr Gnoinski (Archdiocese of Chicago) Born in Poland, the son of a farmer, Piotr Gnoinski grew up working on his father’s farm. He graduated from a technical school in Poland an enrolled in the seminary there. At the invitation of Cardinal George, he moved to the United States and began preparation for ordination in the Archdiocese of Chicago. He has been always very active in his parish, serving on the parish council, and in groups like the Knights of Columbus, the Rosary Society, and the St. Vincent de Paul Society. He says that many people would be surprised at his entering the priesthood, because, in his words, “I used to be a troublemaker, but now I have changed with the help of God and people’s support.”
Bro. Adam Gregory Gonzales, OCD (Discalced Carmelite Friars, Western United States Province) Brother Adam Gregory was born in California, where he graduated from college and began a career in corporate restaurant management. At the encouragement of a religious sister, he joined the Discalced Carmelite Friars in 1997, then made solemn vows in 2003, and is now preparing for ordination to the priesthood while studying at Mount Angel Seminary in Oregon. He enjoys playing music and playing football.
David Hennen (Archdiocese of St. Paul – Minneapolis) Born in rural Minnesota, David Hennen worked for eleven years in Minneapolis as a computer programmer after graduating from college. Although not a single person had suggested that he consider the priesthood until his late 20s, he eventually began discerning this vocation upon the advice of a spiritual director and a close friend. He is now preparing for ordination for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.
Michael Izen (Archdiocese of St. Paul – Minneapolis Michael Izen received a graduate degree in computer science, and worked for nine years as a systems analyst. He had sensed God’s call to the priesthood from a very young age, but put it off for many years. The encouragement of his mother, he says, played the most crucial role in this discernment process. Michael Izen enjoys playing and watching basketball, and will soon be ordained for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.
Bro. Robert Juroszek, TOR (Franciscan Friars, Third Order Regular, Immaculate Conception Province) Brother Robert Juroszek received a strong Catholic education, both in high school and in college, along with several years of religious education in his parish. He had a successful career as a supervisor in broadcast engineering, and maintains an interest in amateur radio. He has also served in the U.S. Marines. He says that God was preparing him for the priesthood for thirty years, before the preparation became “an undeniable nudge and call.”
Chris Kintanar (Diocese of San Diego) Chris Kintanar was born in the Philippines. He left the seminary after finishing college, worked for a number of years in clinical laboratory work, then returned to the seminary twelve years later, where he is now preparing for priestly ordination in the Diocese of San Diego. He enjoys sports – including basketball, soccer, and track – and played sports in both high school and college.
Bro. Matthew Luft, OSB (Order of Saint Benedict) Brother Luft was born in Iowa, the son of a permanent deacon in the Catholic Church. He excelled in academics in both high school in college (a magna cum laude graduate of St. John’s University), and has worked both as an elementary school teacher and in youth ministry. He says he “had to go to the desert to discern God’s will” for his life. He entered the novitiate for the Benedictines in 2000, and will be ordained to the priesthood this year.
Jeffrey Martin (Diocese of Lafayette-in-Indiana) Jeffrey Martin, an only child, was born and raised in the state of Indiana, but he lived and worked for three years as a sales representative for a software company in Asia – Japan and Singapore – a period that was crucial in his own discernment process. He entered seminary at the Pontifical College Josephinum, and will be ordained for the Diocese of Lafayette in Indiana.
Michael Morris (Diocese of St. Petersburg) A seminarian for the diocese of St. Petersburg, Michael Morris was raised in a military home – his father served in the Army – and he himself joined the Air Force, serving as an Intelligence Officer and Middle East Analyst. He was named Officer of the Year in 1992, and turned down a promotion to Major and a teaching position in Middle East History at the USAF Academy. He was encouraged to enter the priesthood by a military chaplain, and is co-sponsored for a return to the Air Force as a chaplain in 2008.
Matthew Newcomb (Archdiocese of New York) Matthew Newcomb, a New Yorker, excelled in his studies both in high school and college. He received the Presidential Academic Award, and worked as a substitute teacher after graduating college. He considered a career in politics, but chose the priesthood instead. He enjoys cooking, exercising and playing football. He is studying at St. Joseph Seminary in New York, in preparation for his ordination in the Archdiocese.
Benjamin Nguyen (Diocese of Wichita) Benjamin Nguyen was born in Vietnam, and raised in a Catholic family. With the encouragement of a Catholic seminarian, he entered seminary after graduating from high school, and is currently in his last year of studies at the Pontifical College Josephinum. He likes writing, listening to music and watching to movies, and talking to people with ‘passionate, loving care’.
Joseph Q. Nguyen (Archdiocese of Los Angeles) Born in Vietnam, Joseph Nguyen entered seminary after completing high school. Though he did not attend Catholic schools, he did attend twelve years of religious education in his parish. He was very active in his home parish, serving as a Eucharistic Minister, an Altar Server, and a Lector. He enjoys fishing, hunting and cooking.
Charles Nnabuife (Diocese of Baker) Charles Nnabuife was born in Nigeria. He went to a Catholic high school and college, and then went on to graduate school. He was active in sports throughout his academic career, playing both soccer and tennis. After some seminary study, he left the seminary and undertook ten successful years as a businessman, after which he returned to the seminary to continue his studies for the priesthood. He is now preparing for ordination in the Diocese of Baker in Oregon.
Peter O’Brien (Diocese of Portland in Oregon) Peter O’Brien, who attended a Catholic elementary and high school, worked as an electric lineman for a number of years, then earned his college degree while in seminary. His decision to enter the seminary was made with the help of a priest and a good friend. He is now studying at Mount Angel Seminary, preparing for ordination this Spring. He enjoys playing golf, along with camping and hiking. Deacon O’Brien met the Pope on a pilgrimage to Rome seven years ago.
Diego Ospina (Diocese of Rockford) Diego Ospina was born in Columbia, where he sensed his call to the priesthood while a young boy. Encouraged by his family, he entered the seminary in Columbia, then came to the United States when he heard that this country y needed Hispanic priests to serve its immigrant population. He entered the seminary in Rockford Diocese in New York. His favorite hobbies are drawing and painting.
Angel Perez-Lopez (Archdiocese of Denver) Angel Perez-Lopez was born in Spain in 1977. He enjoys the theatre and the opera, and playing music as well. Although he says he never would have imagined being a priest at the age of seventeen, he is now in his final year of studies at Redemptoris Mater Seminary in Denver, Colorado. His father has encouraged his vocation to the priesthood, a vocation which was furthered, in part, by his participation at World Youth Day.
Bro. Dahn Pham, SVD (Society of the Divine Word Missionaries) Born in Vietnam, Brother Dahn Pham describes himself as an ‘introvert’. He finished graduate school before entering seminary, and worked for some years in social work, using his master’s degree in that field. He is a member of the Society of Divine Word Missionaries, and is now preparing for ordination at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. His favorite hobbies are running and playing music.
Troy Przybilla (Archdiocese of St. Paul – Minneapolis) Troy Przybilla enjoys hunting, fishing and playing football and track and field. He says that people would be surprised to hear that he has a pilot’s license. He worked for the computer ID company ‘Computype’ before entering the seminary. Deacon Pryzbilla is now at the St. Paul Seminary, where he will be ordained for the Archdiocese of St. Paul – Minneapolis, one of fifteen men being ordained this year in that Archdiocese.
Bro. Juan Antonio Romo Romo, SVD (Society of the Divine Word) Juan Antonio Romo Romo, a Mexican-born seminarian, was a law student for two years after finishing high school, where he graduated magna cum laude as Valedictorian of his school. He worked as a shoemaker and aid accountant before entering religious life with the Society of the Divine Word. During his discernment process he received encouragement both from his family and from members of the religious order. He spends his time exercising and volunteering.
Bro. Kevin Sandberg, CSC (Congregation of the Holy Cross) After finishing graduate school, Brother Kevin Sandberg worked in financial services/securities for several years, before he entered the Congregation of the Holy Cross in Notre Dame, Indiana. He is a regular golfer, and also enjoys running and hiking. Father Sandberg was ordained on Easter Saturday, 2005, the day of Pope John Paul II’s death.
Christopher Shofner (Archdiocese of St. Paul – Minneapolis) Christopher Shofner grew up in Kentucky, but came to Minneapolis to attend graduate school in neuroscience. While in Minneapolis, he left graduate school and, at the encouragement of a fellow parishioner, entered the seminary in St. Paul to study for the priesthood. He says that people would be surprised to learn he was ‘painfully shy’ through high school and college; he was a finalist for the Fulbright Scholarship in college.
Rommel Tolentino (Diocese of Lake Charles) Despite being the product of a comprehensive Catholic education – elementary school through college – and being raised in a ‘very Catholic environment’, Rommel Tolentino says he never thought about the priesthood during the first twenty-six years of his life. Instead, he worked as a physical therapist until he felt God’s call and began studying for the priesthood. Born in the Philippines, Deacon Tolentino will be ordained for the Diocese of Lake Charles at the age of thirty-two.
Thienan Tran (Diocese of Syracuse) Thienan Tran was born in the Vietnam, where he felt God’s call to the priesthood as a young man. His family left the Vietnam in 1992 to come to the United States – a difficult journey, since he left many relatives and friends behind, and knew no one in the U.S. After working briefly as a machine operator in America, Deacon Tran answered God’s call to the priesthood, and applied to the seminary for the Diocese of Syracuse. His hobbies are cooking, playing music, and volunteering.
Christopher J. Weldon (Diocese of Lafayette in Indiana) Christopher Weldon had just purchased an engagement ring for his girlfriend, when further discernment brought him to the priesthood! He did, and now is preparing for ordination in the Diocese of Lafayette at the age of twenty-eight. He enjoys camping and woodworking, and has worked in sales and management. He was also active in Serra Club, besides serving as a Eucharistic Minister and Altar Server, before entering the seminary.
Tyson Wood (Archdiocese of Baltimore) Deacon Tyson Wood felt God’s call to the priesthood while serving in the military. The son of an Army officer, he joined the Army himself, and it was in the army that a military chaplain urged him to consider the priesthood as a vocation. Deacon Wood is also a convert to the Catholic faith: he served as a Lutheran pastor for six years before joining the Catholic Church.
Daren Zahlne (Diocese of Springfield in Illinois) A native of Illinois, Daren Zahlne first felt God’s call to the priesthood through the tragic experiences of the death of his father and mother. The support of his parish priest through these events helped him to discern this call. He is a member of the Knights of Columbus. A member of the International Arthurian Society, he describes himself as “extremely interested in King Arthur.” He also enjoys reading and writing, and will be ordained in May in the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois.