As I approach ordination to the diaconate my heart is filled with gratitude, joy, and excitement! It is amazing to see how God’s providence has worked in my life to bring me to this point.

First, He brought me to the Church when I was just a sophomore in high school (I was received into the Church in 2013 along with my mother and younger brother). Then, through my studies at the University of Alabama, He brought me to a deeper encounter with Him through Bama Catholic and the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS). It was while I was at the university that my relationship with Jesus became personal and my call to mission and to enter the seminary became clear. It was also during this time that I discerned that the Lord was calling me to the Diocese of Birmingham. Thus, I am tremendously honored to be ordained at St. Francis of Assisi University Parish in Tuscaloosa.

Through the last several years of seminary, the Lord’s call has become clearer and more personal. I have come to know that He is calling me not only to a relationship of love with Him but also to share His love with the people of the Diocese of Birmingham through the diaconate. This next year, I am excited to share the love of God through serving at the altar in a new way, preaching, and celebrating sacraments. I am also excited to grow closer to Christ as a cleric of Mother Church.

Finally, I am so grateful for all of those who have helped me to get to this point in my life, and I look forward to spending the next year preparing more immediately for the priesthood.