I was born in Tacoma, Washington to a Federal auditor, my dad, and a part time travel agent, my mom. I have a sister who is six years older than me, and was always there when I needed her, or even when I felt I didn’t. I was baptized in Saint Patrick’s Parish. I feel great affinity for this saint. As I grew up we traveled a lot and eventually we moved to Anchorage, Alaska. In Alaska I received first communion, and went through the public school system until the 9th grade when I went to Sheridan, Oregon for a private co-ed boarding school called Delphi. After attending that school for a year, I went back to Anchorage and started at a secondary experimental school in the public school system called Steller. After I graduated from High School I worked at a grocery store that was the third highest employer in Alaska, Carrs. When I had worked there for 9 years I decided there was a great, and long overdue, need for change. I made a decision to go to Mount Vernon, Ohio (60 miles outside Columbus, Ohio) and attend a truck driving school in Caledonia, Ohio, for three months. After I received my plastic, as it is called in the industry, I went out on the road with an owner operator with RPS (now owned by FEDEX). After doing that for a short while—I wasn’t RPS material really—I went back home to Couer d’ Alene, Idaho and stayed with my step-mom and dad while I figured out which company to try next. In May of 2000 I choose Swift Transportation based out of Phoenix. As I was out on the road having some fun, but missing my new home parish of St. Pius X terribly, I discovered that I was not doing what I was supposed to. As is often in my life I need a big sign to tell me what is the right thing. While I was in Chicago praying for God to help me to know His Will, I received precisely that. I made a wrong turn. It is important to understand how incredibly serious that is in Chicago, during rush hour, I believe it was a Friday, and on the toll-way. I was praying especially hard at that moment when I believe I yelled, well, I was more of yelping at Him to help me, a wandering son, than yelling angrily mind you. When, here on the right, was an 80x40 ft sign that read “Minimize your wardrobe, consider the priesthood.” As I wanted to loose more than my wardrobe at the time… actually, I wanted to loose 80,000 pounds of “wardrobe”…I was amazed at the over all Will that was definitely, and then quite clearly, at work in my life. Then, I started to pray, “Well, You don’t fool around when I ask you for a sign, do You?” And I was quite calm again. I was learning quickly, and remembering my past rather vividly, that I was being called for quite a long time. And my life hasn’t been the same since. I have been in this amazing conversion now for over two years. And, though I am quite sure I could tell you stories that would curl your hair
SEMINARIAN IN THE HOUSE
