Patron Saint: Saint Padre Pio Hobbies/Interests: Reading, Ping Pong-ing, Listening to David Ramirez, Hiking/Backpacking, Having Dialogues. Favorite Movie: A Hidden Life Favorite Music Genre: Indie/Folk Favorite Food: Chorizo Biblical Role Model: Jeremiah Random Fact: My favorite apologist is Padre Luis Toro.
I was born on August 1, 1995. I grew up in Angleton, a town south of Houston, with an older and younger sister. I went to college at Texas State University in San Marcos. I graduated in May 2017 with my bachelor’s in Philosophy. It was at Texas State where I started to experience conversion in the faith and later the call to the priesthood. I joined a group called Saint Paul's Outreach and lived in a household with other Catholic men for three years. It was from that place that I decided to study for the priesthood with the Diocese of Austin. I graduated from St. Joseph’s Seminary College in Covington, LA with another bachelor’s in Philosophy in 2019.
Last year I was finishing my second year of Theology at St. Mary’s seminary in Houston. It was a year of study and some teaching. The classes I took included Medieval Readings, American Catholicism, and Homiletics, to just name a few. Also, I was able to teach the Catechism to 5th graders for St. Joseph’s parish in downtown Houston. The biggest takeaway of the past year was having learned more about Christ’s sufferings, natures, and knowledge through the teachings of Saint Thomas Aquinas.
This year of formation is my pastoral year, which will be done in Santa Cruz Parish in Buda, TX. I hope to come to a deeper knowledge/understanding of God’s call for me. Pray that my hope might be fulfilled. Thank you.
Seminarian of the Diocese of Austinmatthew.jewellsantacruzcc.org