“I liked the prospect of following in the footsteps of St. Francis, who desired to love Jesus with all of his being, and to love all people as his brothers and sisters.”

I attended college at American University in Washington, DC. I am grateful that the priests and students at the Catholic center on campus were always there for me.

In the spring of 2007, my sophomore year, several students, a staff member, and a Franciscan priest took a pilgrimage to Rome and Assisi. That week was one of the best weeks of my life. I loved traveling together with my group, praying daily in the convent chapel where we stayed, and praying Holy Mass in different churches every day. Visiting Assisi was a moving experience. The place was peaceful and calm and I was glad to pray at the tomb of St. Francis.

For my last two years of college, I had a priest from the Order of Preachers as a chaplain. Talking with him, I became even more interested in my Catholic faith and was also interested in religious life. Previously I had thought of becoming a priest. Now I was interested in the thought of being a priest with a religious community. I liked the prospect of serving the Lord as a priest with the support of a fraternity.

After graduating from college in 2009, I began working professionally in DC and Virginia. Seeing that I was not finding fulfillment in my job, and also lacking community, the Lord led me to different Catholic groups to find some community. I began to explore and consider seriously a vocation with a religious order. I talked with a few different orders before I met the Capuchin Franciscans. When I met the Capuchins and began spending time at our house of studies in Washington, DC, I found great joy and contentment. I went on a vocations retreat in August of 2010 and November applied for postulancy.

I liked the genuine fraternity that I witnessed. The brothers were serious about their faith and desire to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the world. They also showed care for each other. Also, I liked the common prayer and meals schedule. I saw how the brothers were faithful to their duties during the day, whether that was working or studying, while also making it a priority to come together for common activities. Finally, I liked the prospect of following in the footsteps of St. Francis, who desired to love Jesus with all of his being, and to love all people as his brothers and sisters.

Having found joy in being with the Capuchin friars, and discerning that I should try out this vocation, I entered postulancy in July 2011 and I never looked back. In August of 2016, I professed my perpetual vows. Now, I look forward to the day when I will be ordained a priest.