Let me start by saying that I am happy to be serving and journeying with the people of St. Peter Claver Church.

I am a seminarian and candidate for Holy Orders studying for the Archdiocese of New Orleans. I am the younger of two boys in rny family and my brother is a seminarian as well. He is serving this summer at St. Andrew the Apostle on the West Bank.

I entered the seminary in January of 2001 after being called by God for some time to serve him and his people.

It was a parish priest that first sparked my interest in the Driesthood when he approached me and told me about the need br priest and the many benefits of service to God.

It was through working in parish ministry especially working with the youth organization at my home parish, St. Edward the Confessor, that Jesus led me into the seminary. I enjoy working with youth and I enjoy working in parish ministries, especially getting to know the people in the parish.

For the past six years I have been on a journey of faith growing closer to Jesus through studies, personal prayer, and ministry to people of God.

My seminary experience has allowed me to come to a better understanding of God. Through my studies I have grown in theological understanding of God. Through my personal prayer I have come to a better spiritual understanding of God. And through the ministries that I have worked I have come to a better personal understanding of the need for ministry to all people. We are spiritual and physical beings and as such we require both spiritual enrichment as well as physical enrichment.

I believe that God has gifted me with a loving heart and an understanding personality. I enjoy ministering with people and I am easy to get along with.

Prayer and Scriptures have allowed me to grow closer to God as well as grow in my love of serving the people of God.

I have worked a two previous church parishes as well as spent eleven weeks last summer working in a hospital as an intern chaplain in San Antonio. The hospital ministry allowed me to learn how to be a better minister to God's people. I met so many people from so many different backgrounds and cultures in the hospital. I enjoy praying with people and working in the hospital allowed me to pray with people of many faith backgrounds.

I fee! that I have been richly blessed by God in my life and that he has been preparing me for many years to serve his people. I feel that with the help of his grace that I will rise to the occasion and be a proper minister of his love.

I have a great love for contemplative prayer as well as praise and worship music. I am also fond of the Charismatic Renewal because of the many ministries that it has sparked in the church as well as the way it has allowed me to draw closer to Jesus in a personal way. I feel that I enjoy a close personal relaŽtionship with Jesus.

I hope that during my time in this parish I will be able to meet, talk, and minister with as many people as possible.