In college I suffered a minor crisis about what career to pursue and what I wanted to do with my life. I realized I needed to develop my relationship with God, so I opened the Bible unprompted for the first time in my life. I read all four Gospels in succession over the course of a week. I distinctly remember being brought to tears because I could feel how alive the Scriptures are and how deep God’s love is for me.

Soon thereafter, a close friend converted to Catholicism. This captured my attention, because he was vehemently anti-Catholic before converting. That was the catalyst for my own journey of reclaiming my lost Catholicism.

Eventually, God began inviting me to discern the priesthood. Every time I prayed, I would think about the priesthood. One Sunday at Mass, I offered my life to God. After receiving the Eucharist, I knelt and closed my eyes, imploring the Lord to guide me toward His will for my life. Suddenly, in my mind, a blood-stained Eucharist appeared with a wound from Jesus’ crucifixion through the center. I heard the Lord speak to my heart, “…lead them to Me. Be with Me in this way.” In time, I visited the Vocation Director, who confirmed that God seemed to be inviting me to discern the priesthood.