Meet the Ordination Class of 2025

In celebration of the World Day of Prayer for Vocations on Good Shepherd Sunday, the Fourth Sunday of Easter, the Secretariat on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations is pleased to offer the results of the survey, The Class of 2025: Survey of Ordinands to the Priesthood, taken of deacons preparing to be ordained to the priesthood this year.

We asked some of the members of the Ordination Class of 2025 to tell us something about themselves that others might find surprising. Their answers provide some insight as to how each discovered their vocational call. Congratulations to the Ordination Class of 2025!

 

 

“I was inspired to ask God, "What is my purpose in life?" after listening to a Justin Bieber song called "Purpose" from his "Purpose Album." It was then that Jesus replied to my prayer saying, "priesthood," from that moment on is history.” 

- Dcn. Anthony Donatelli, Diocese of Cleveland

 

 

“I review prayer books on youtube.” 

- Dcn. Benjamin Schroder, Archdiocese of Detroit

 

 

 

 

 

“I worked briefly at a rice farm before entering diocesan seminary. I was then in diocesan seminary for five years before joining my religious institute.”

- Dcn. Bertrand Marie Hebert, Order of Preachers, St. Joseph - Eastern

 

 

 

 

“I was a concert pianist ready to enter a Doctorate program for piano performance before becoming a FOCUS missionary and later a seminarian.” 

- Dcn. David Jaramillo, Diocese of Madison

 

 

 

“I am passionate about hunting in Alaska. Right before me deaconate ordination my siblings and I killed a large brown bear.” 

- Dcn. Edward Burke, Archdiocese of Anchorage-Juneau

 

 

 

“Before being called to the priesthood, my dream was to be a Walt Disney Imagineer and to spend my life designing rides/experiences in the Theme Parks. But once I felt the call to the priesthood and to go to Seminary I can honestly say that I have never been happier."

- Dcn. Jacob Gwynn, Diocese of Venice in Florida

 

 

“I was in school to be a doctor. I fell in love with Christ, the Church, and with the vocation to priesthood through studying biology, chemistry, and calculus!” 

- Dcn. Jeffrey Lindholm, Diocese of Cleveland

 

 

 

 

“I heard God say to me that I have a special mark on my soul and that I am supposed to be a shepherd for His people.”

- Dcn. Josh Luttig, Diocese of Lansing

 

 

 

 

“I love to read novels. I also love to run and exercise daily.”

- Dcn. Juan Martinez, Diocese of Brownsville

 

 

 

 

“I am the only Catholic in my family.” 

- Dcn. Justin Farr, Diocese of Nashville

 

 

 

“I first reached out to Congregation of Holy Cross (Notre Dame priests) and expressed an interest in the priesthood. As a boy, every two summers we would go to a huge (200+ person) family reunion on my mom's side and there were always two priests there, who were distant cousins of my mom's and they would offer Mass. The younger one is a Holy Cross priest and I didn't even know it! I ended up joining up with my home diocese however!”

- Dcn. Kevin Lemelle, Archdiocese of Cincinnati

 

“I had a calling in high school and then college but it wasn’t until I was teaching Elementary school for 15 years that my pastor encouraged me to consider the priesthood instead of permanent diaconate. I’m glad he gave me that push! No one had done that up until that point.” 

- Dcn. Lawrence Denis, Diocese of Honolulu

 

 

“I always say, “I want to serve the people” as the reason why I want to become a priest, which is the typical answer also of those who are with me applying for the seminary. At the end, it was about serving at the Altar for the people and being in love with the Eucharist why I really do want to become a priest of Jesus Christ.””

- Dcn. Leandro Calingasan, Archdiocese of San Francisco

 

 

“I like snow and skying.”

- Dcn. Luan Tran, Diocese of Burlington

 

 

 

 

 

“I have an aunt who is a religious and served as a missionary in Paraguay for 22 years. Hearing her stories was part of what helped me discover God's call to missionary life.”

- Dcn. Mateusz Garstecki, Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, U.S. Province

 

 

 

“I held four part-time concurrent jobs during college. One job, which has fed my passion for movies, was to screen analog films each week via the 35mm projector in the school’s largest auditorium.” 

- Dcn. Melvin Rayappa, Society of Jesus

 

 

 

“I grew up in a Baptist family, yet I felt that I was often empty. With the support of my grandmother, who was a Baptist preacher, yet supported my curiosity. She introduced me to a Jesuit brother, who introduced me to the catholic church. I was captivated by the Eucharist. The Protestant understanding of communion as a symbolic meal felt inadequate to me.  The Catholic teaching on the Real Presence, the idea that Christ is truly present in the Eucharist, resonated with me profoundly. It expressed my longing for a deeper, more tangible connection with God when I was 16, and ever since, I have become the most joyful man in my entirety. The Eucharist will always remain the reason for my faith.”

- Dcn. Patrick Saint-Jean, S.J., Society of Jesus, USA Midwest Province

 

“I was never very involved in youth group or any other program in my parish. Other than Alter Serving and in the Knights of Columbus. These ministries are what inspired my desire to serve the Church and people of God. By witnessing men who deeply cared for their community, faith, and Church inspired me to consider the priesthood.”

- Dcn. Robert Shelton, Archdiocese of San Antonio

 

“I like to draw. My mother was an artist and I picked up that interest from her. My notebooks in high school were filled with drawings. Nowadays, I draw mostly in graphite and charcoal and continually try and improve and refine my skills.” 

- Dcn. Ryan Nooraee, Diocese of Rockford

 

“I was raised by my Baptist grandmother but decided to be baptized a Catholic. My vocation to the priesthood grew as I served mass daily with my Pastor, who often reminded me that the altar server group is a nursery for the priesthood. I entered the seminary after high school and it has taken me 11 years to get to my destination.”

- Dcn. Shiadrik Mokum, Archdiocese of Baltimore

 

“I resisted becoming an altar server at my parish when I first had the opportunity in fourth grade, because that was what the "cool kids" in my class were doing, and I wanted to be different. After encouragement from my mother, however, I gave it a shot, and my experience of the liturgy and serving with priests planted key seeds for my vocation."

- Dcn. William Manaker, Society of Jesus