The Priesthood Ordination Class of 2006 Some of our Ordinands Respond to the Question: “People would be surprised to know that I…”

…… practice martial arts of Aikido & Tai Chi, and used to be less talkative and less outgoing.

…… like to read poetry.

…… I was an intern at Vatican Radio in Rome.

…… played Guitar for a Rock and Roll Band.

…… was active in local politics.

…… am finally fulfilling my goal as I had originally intended over twenty years ago.

…… was a football coach.

…… enjoy singing so much that I recently recorded my first solo album and enjoy spreading the gospel through music.

…… was a drummer in a rock band.

…… was an amateur umpire.

…… a widower with four children and seven grandchildren.

…… flew fighter jets (as a weapons officer).

…… was a practicing physician and also on the full-time faculty of two medical schools.

…… love to tend to my vegetable garden all summer just like my father taught me.

…… served in the military and was strongly attracted to a life in politics.

…… am the widowed dad of three grown children who began to hear a call to the priesthood following the deaths of my wife and mom ten years ago.

…… am a good down hill skiier even though I come from flat south Texas.

…… was on the alpine ski team in high school.

…… became a priest (thanks to the Grace of God), since I came to this country not to pursuit my vocation in life per se, but the Good Lord had a Plan for me and I am grateful that he called me to himself.

…… wanted to be an actor.

…… consistently wanted to be a priest since I was 8 years old.

…… served the needs within the inner-city communities of Detroit, Milwaukee and Toronto, Ontario in various outreach ministerial roles during a period of eight years.

…… have a son who is an ordained priest.

…… started discerning my vocation after seeing a seminarian playing basketball.

…… was inspired to become a priest by reading the Gospels.

…… was not a practicing Catholic my entire life. In fact, it was after a conversion later in life that I sought Confirmation and First Communion.

…… very much enjoy the arts (Opera, Symphony, Theater etc.) as offered in our beautiful city. While I only enjoy these talents as an audience member and not a performer, I try to live life to the full always remembering the greatest gift of all.

…… was an underground (unknown to the Vietnamese local Administrator) seminarian when I was in Vietnam. When I came to the United States in 1993, I was advised to study in a college before entering the seminary.

…… considered joining the Peace Corps.

…… played electric bass and sang in both all-occasion bands and rock bands in the Cleveland, Ohio, area, with some minor success - I once thought I would be part of the next big rock group from Cleveland.

…… left my family, relatives and friends as well as my country just to become a priest in the United States of America.

…… never thought about being a priest until I was a Junior at Ohio University.

…… have seven children, four naturally, three adopted, eight grandchildren, am 2nd oldest of 12 kids, have owned 2 businesses, and managed four different types of business, attended college at the same time as two of my children.

…… consider the Catechism of the Catholic Church my favorite book.

…… received my call to join the priesthood when I was attending my father's ordination to the permanent diaconate.

…… like to travel.

…… was interested in law and politics as a possible career.

…… never thought about the priesthood until college.

…… get nervous speaking before a large group of people.

…… became a seminarian even though I was away from the Church for several years.

…… exercise five times a week at 4:00 a.m. in the morning for an hour.

…… was even thinking of joining the priesthood, since I had a lucrative job.

…… never thought of being a priest until several priests asked me to consider the priesthood during high school.

…… learned the electrical trade at a Vocational Technical High School.

…… left Medical School to join the Seminary.

…… was the one everyone cheated off of in calculus and physics in high school.

…… took 20 years to discern the call to the priesthood that I'd first experienced around the age of 18.

…… was once engaged to be married.

…… did not consider the priesthood as a possible vocation until I was in college.

…… grew up a Southern Baptist.

…… was called "killer" on the football field.

…… served in the military for six years and that I'm a lay third order member of a french Dominican Community.

…… inquired into becoming a priest while I was engaged to be married.

…… was a successful lawyer.

…… entered college seminary at a young age (17) and with the Lord's grace persevered to diaconal ordination at 24 and priestly ordination at 25 years old.

…… went to space camp because of interest in NASA.

…… was once an Episcopal priest. I became convinced that I needed to become Catholic due to my study of the early Church history and the Church Fathers.

…… when to the seminary at the age of 15 (minor seminary).

…… was a chef before entering the seminary. I have always enjoyed cooking because I have always enjoyed eating!

…… wanted to be a priest since I was a little boy.

…… never thought of becoming a priest when I was younger.

…… was an Associate Professor of English for 26 years and retired from the California State University System. I have taught for 16 years in New Orleans and for 10 years at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo.

…… am 30 years old. I have a young appearance, but have actually worked as an accountant for about four years prior to entering seminary.

…… first thought of being a priest when I was in my early teens. However, I did not pursue the vocation until much later in life (I entered the seminary at age 47). Up until that time I heard God calling me over and over again. But, I did not respond.

…… earned a master decree in Geology before entering the seminary.

…… was an atheist until I was 29 years old.

…… before entering the seminary I was engaged to be married to a beautiful, Portuguese woman.

…… am one of the fruits of the Neocatechumenal Way. The Lord touched me through this experience of the Church, which is a recognized itinerary of Catholic formation, especially intended for those whose faith is weak or have drifted away from the Church.

…… passed the Pennsylvania Bar Examination while in Holy Apostles Seminary.

…… was the Drum Major of the Marching Band in High School and also in College at Oklahoma State University.

…… wasn't interested in God at all until a Steubenville youth conference.

…… went on to become a priest after experiencing a career as a research fellow. However, not many others would be surprised at all since they had detected such a direction in me early in life.

…… have wanted to become a priest since I was a little boy.

…… spent a period of time working as a Law Enforcement Officer.

…… played in a rock-n-roll band for a few years after high school before going into financial services. (I wore all black then too, but not a collar).

…… considered priesthood 36 years before entering seminary.

…… am a grandfather.

…… formerly traveled around the country, working with Steelworkers who lost their jobs.

…… am a single parent who raised an adoptive son from the age of three years.

…… first thought I was called to be a trappist monk, due to my love of silence, prayer, and a honest day's work.

…… played trumpet in a Funk and Disco band for four years before entering the seminary.

…… ride a Harley Davidson Motorcycle.

…… never really participated in the Catholic Church growing up (as an altar server, member of the youth group etc.). In that sense I'm an unlikely candidate!

…… first considered the priesthood as a young teenager.

…… have experienced many other callings in business, education and politics before considering the priesthood.

…… competed in four marathons.

…… was a member of the boxing club during my freshman year at the University of Notre Dame.

…… worked in the casino industry for over 20 years and an over the road trucker for two years.

…… that English is not my first language.

…… left the Protestant ministry to become a Catholic priest.

…… hope to model my priesthood on the radical way that Jesus gave his life for us all and how many of his ordained disciples have down through the ages have faithfully carried their crosses and radically lived out their priesthood.

…… built my own home and was once engaged to be married.

…… have a Chemistry degree.

…… was in Law school when the idea to become a priest came into my mind, but my mother told me that it started when I was five years old.

…… own a corvette.

…… rode a bike from St. Louis to Toronto with 20 other seminarians for World Youth Day.

…… played in a heavy metal band while in high school (drums).

…… was waiting for someone to suggest the priesthood. I never felt worthy of the seminary and I think if a priest had suggested it, I might have considered it sooner.

…… had a conversion experience at the Papal Mass in Baltimore, MD. The next day I quit my job and joined a Catholic Volunteer progam.

…… am the youngest of four children and my oldest brother is already an ordained priest in Hungary, furthermore it is also interesting that my sister has seven kids, though she's only five years older than I.

…… owned a townhouse, BMW, and a Rolex watch before entering seminary.

…… spent 16 years flying and praying nothing would happen while we were flying and then my last two years jumping from perfectly good planes (with a parachute), praying I would survive the jump!

…… am the eldest of ten children.

…… was so afraid of public speaking that I ran from my vocation, but now I even enjoy it.

…… came to consider the priesthood after reflecting upon the deaths of two young college students in my hometown region.

…… am married. After thirty years in the Lutheran ministry and a long period of discernment, I entered the Catholic Church with the sponsorship of Bishop Saltarelli to pursue the priesthood. In April the Holy Father granted permission for my ordination.

…… have wanted to be a priest my whole life and I never wavered from this vocation.

…… was raised in a very nominally religious Protestant family and first went to church with neighbors who were good friends of our family.

…… like to snowboard.

…… learned my vocation through my parish priest. I was impressed to see him as priest especially when he celebrated the Holy Mass and his love for the people. That was my inspiration and when I grew I wanted to be like him.

…… love being a multicultural missionary.

…… retired from the U.S. Marine Corps after 20 years and had an experience of God that has led me to pursue ordination to the priesthood.

…… began telling my mom about "wanting" to be a priest at a very young age.

…… like to travel to my family ranch and help my family work. It is invigorating and refreshing to get back to my cowboy roots.

…… was a child actor until I went to college, initially to become a doctor.

…… am a trained chef and love cooking as a way to bring people together!

…… was once a lawyer.

…… am still practicing medicine.

…… have a mirror image identical twin who is also a member of the Jesuits!

…… felt that I had been called to the priesthood since I was in 9th grade in high school.

…… was a Brother of the Sacred Heart for 25 years, and I met personally Pope John Paul II.

…… have MC'd concerts in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.