Theology IV – St. Mary’s Seminary, 9845 Memorial Drive, Houston, TX, 77024
Birthday: November 14
Growing up I never thought that I would think about becoming a priest, but through much prayer and discernment I found this to be a great joy in my life to discern this call from God. When I was in high school, I participated in working with the youth ministry office and I felt like that was God’s first initial call for me to serve the people of God. Also, I attended the diocese vocation camp and it was there that I truly felt the Holy Spirit working in me and after thinking and praying I decided to answer the call and enter seminary after high school. God has blessed me tremendously in the seminary and I hope that He may guide me according to his most holy will.
Deacon Luke Prihoda
Theology IV – St. Mary’s Seminary, 9845 Memorial Drive, Houston, TX, 77024
Birthday: August 10
As I grew up in Weimar, Texas within a loving family, my faith was important, but my passion was baseball as God gifted me with many talents on the pitcher’s mound. I was extremely blessed to be supported in my school and baseball career by my parents. I was able to play 4 years of both college and minor league baseball. After playing, I would end up coaching for 2 years. Baseball offered me the opportunity to receive both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree. While coaching I began to reorganize my priorities and I sought to deepen my understanding of the Catholic faith after attending a few retreats. I began to realize that the Good Lord may have more in store for my life rather than seeking to impart wisdom to 35 players each season. It was when I surrendered my successes for His faithfulness that I truly realized I was being called to work with our Lord in the vineyard. The past four years at St Mary’s Seminary have offered me a wealth of opportunities to grow in my Faith, Hope in his Truth and Love God and His Creation. This year, I am on Pastoral Year in Cuero and truly enjoy engaging with the community as I seek to pass on the faith like so many have done for me on my journey to St. Mary’s and through formation towards the Priesthood.
“Here is the Rule for Everyday Life. Do not do anything which you cannot offer to God.”
– St John Vianney, Patron Saint of Priests, Pray for us.
Joseph Blackburn
Theology III – St. Mary’s Seminary, 9845 Memorial Drive, Houston TX, 77024
Birthday: May 17
I was born and raised in Texas City, the third child of six. I began thinking about the priesthood from a very young age, but it was one “career” among many others at the time. I grew up going to Catholic school, but went to a Lutheran school in south Houston for high school and it was there that I began to take on my Catholic faith personally and really consider the priesthood as a vocation to give glory to God and to be an instrument in the salvation of souls. I entered the seminary immediately after high school for the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, and towards the end of my philosophy education I began to consider the possibility of transferring to a more rural diocese where I could get to know the people and the priests more. I left the seminary for several months and then spent several months discerning with the Diocese of Victoria, living and working at Our Lady of the Gulf in Port Lavaca, since I had family roots through my mom’s side of the family in Wharton and Louise. After several months in Port Lavaca, I was accepted as a seminarian for the diocese. I look forward to serving as a priest in our diocese in a few years.
Aaron Padilla
Theology III – St. Mary’s Seminary, 9845 Memorial Drive, Houston TX, 77024
Birthday: November 15
Shane Goertz
Pastoral Year – Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church, 208 W. River Street, Victoria, TX 77901
Birthday: October 28
Caleb Krischke
Pastoral Year – Our Lady of the Gulf Catholic Church, 415 W. Austin Street, Port Lavaca, TX, 77979
Birthday: August 30
“Growing up I never really wanted to be a priest. I always wanted to be something exciting like a firefighter or a policeman. But things changed on the night of my eighteenth birthday when I had a special nudge from the Holy Spirit inviting me to further explore this vocation. At that time I found the prospect of the priesthood intriguing and I decided to give the Lord a chance. I’m sure glad I did! I quickly realized that the life of a priest is more adventurous than a firefighter and a policeman. God saw my childhood desires for action and adventure and gave me the opportunity to fulfill them by serving him as a priest.”
Growing in Hallettsville, attending Sacred Heart Catholic School, I was immensely blessed with a strong and supportive Sacred Heart Parish Family. Throughout much of my youth, I had desired to be an ordinary person, to get married, have children and live a regular life, but something deep within me knew that God had desired for me to do something different concerning my life. During my time attending Texas A&M University I became quite involved with a Christian men’s organization that held weekly Bible studies and weekend hunting/fishing trips. I also was privileged to serve in Saint Mary’s Catholic Center’s Home Group Ministry. As I grew in my faith, the tug of my heart by God to seminary became evident and undeniable. After much prayer, and the Holy Spirit’s fruit of peace I am thankful to be in priestly formation at Holy Trinity Seminary with my brothers. Know of our prayers for you.
“He who gives his will to God, gives Him everything.”
– St. Alphonsus Ligouri
Nelson Lagos
College I – Holy Trinity Seminary, 3131 Vince Hagan Drive, Irving, TX 75062
Birthday: May 1
I grew up in a very Catholic family in Honduras with a very devout grandmother who introduced me to the beauty of our faith. From a very young age I always wanted to be a priest. At the age of fourteen I began to seriously think about my faith and what my calling in life was. Through prayer, discernment, serving and volunteering in the church, I discovered that God was calling me to follow and serve Him in a deeper way. Let us pray for each other so that together, under the intercession of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God and our Mother, we respond to the call of our first vocation, which is heaven.
Alex Woods
College I – Holy Trinity Seminary, 3131 Vince Hagan Drive, Irving, TX 75062
Birthday: August 29
I have always told people that I wanted to be a priest since I could talk. My parents are devout Catholics and were open to my desire. They taught me to pray the Rosary and go to Eucharistic Adoration regularly. It was through these devotions and their encouragement that I was able to discern God’s call. I spent 2 years working at a homeless shelter as a missionary in New York, but really missed my home state of Texas. After this time of service, I found the Lord calling me to diocesan life.
