1. Would you describe a particular time when it was a great joy to be a Jesuit.

I look back at the time surrounding my first vows as a time of real joy for me. It was the culmination of two years in the novitiate in which I was moved to publicly proclaim my ‘magnificat’ to God’s calling in my life in front of friends and family. I was particularly touched to see representatives from each of my novice experiments who came to witness my vows, a clear affirmation of my work and ministry so far as a Jesuit and a boon to my developing vocation.

2. What would you say are the greatest talents, skills, or gifts you enjoy in your life?

One of the gifts that I have been able to share with so many is the gift of music, particularly within the realm of liturgy. My practice and understanding of music has greatly shaped the way I experience and see God at work in my life. I would not be able to sing, for example, without the bountiful air around me. Singing is not possible without the literal inspiration of God. The way that entirely diverse notes sung together can be completely and individually distinct yet join to create a breathtaking harmony whose sound strengthens through the other’s support represents a microcosm of the mysterious work, the beauty, of God in our world and in creation. Through music, I am able to experience and transmit the love of Christ in a very unique way.

3. What are the key needs of the world today and how do you experience that in ministry?

This is clearly a difficult question, and if this were easily answered, Jesuits would all be doing the same thing. Our diversity of ministries, such as parish priest, tenured professor, medical doctor, retreat minister, or refugee worker, is representative of the complex needs of our world and of our church. However, what binds these works is our desire to bring understanding and love of God into the hearts of those we minister to.

Arguably, I think the modern problem of our Church is that, for many, God has become irrelevant. God is increasingly seen as an anachronistic concept that has nothing to say to the modern problems we face today. For us, we are charged with the task of not only affirming God’s presence in our world but magnifying it—the magis. In a world of shifting ideologies and views, how can we proclaim the good news in a way that makes sense and inspires others? How do we keep fresh a message that has been around for over two millennia? This is the challenge I face in my once-a-week apostolate of teaching CCD to 6th graders who come primarily because their parents want them to be there.

Currently, I am primarily missioned by the Society to undertake philosophical studies at Fordham U. We deal with big and challenging questions such as the nature of God and of humanity. I believe that the practice of tackling difficult questions faced in my philosophy classes and engaging with the philosophers of history can only help me down the road in tackling the challenge of what it means to be a Jesuit in a modern world.