Men in Formation
Hometown: Wilmington, Delaware
Summer ministry/job: Saint John Vianney Parish Goodyear, Arizona
What college did you attend: Drexel University
What was your major: Information Systems
Patron Saint: St. Jude
Top books: Into Thin Air
Top musicians in your playlist: The Rolling Stones, The Who, The Kinks, Pearl Jam, Angels and Airwaves
Most memorable event you've attended: World Meeting of Families Papal Mass in Philadelphia
Hobbies: Running, photography, playing guitar, traveling
The place in the world you'd most like to visit: The Holy Land, The Vatican, Ride the Trans-Siberian Railway
What drew you to Holy Cross? My middle school was run by Holy Cross Brothers. At a young age, I could see how committed the Brothers were to serving the Church by being educators in the faith. Immediately after feeling a vocational call, my first thought was the Congregation of Holy Cross. I wanted to be a part of the strong Community of holy men that served me, my fellow classmates and the Church so well.
What are your favorite passages from Scripture: "Bear your share of hardship for the gospel with the strength that comes from God. He saved us and called us to a holy life, not according to our works but according to his own design and the grace bestowed on us in Christ Jesus before time began." 2 Timothy 1:8,9
Luke Donahue, C.S.C., 23
Hometown: Brentwood, Tennessee
Summer ministry/job: Holy Cross Family Ministries in Easton, Massachusettes
What college did you attend: University of Notre Dame
What was your major: Theology and German
Patron Saint: St. Luke, St. Andrew, St. Peter, St. Maximilian Kolbe
Top movies: Inception, Karate Kid
Top books: Aim Higher, The Harry Potter Series, Gregorius, Iwein
Top musicians in your playlist: Toby Keith, John Denver, LeAnn Rimes, Garth Brooks
Hobbies: Karate, Music, Watersports, Snowskiing, Hiking, Running,
Reading
The place in the world you'd most like to visit: Madagascar
What drew you to Holy Cross? What draws me to Holy Cross is primarily the charism of education in the Faith. At the same time, I really appreciate the sense of brotherhood present within the Congregation. One's brothers in Holy Cross are like a second family.
What is your favorite quote from a Saint: "I must be a saint, the greatest saint possible" St. Maximilan Maria Kolbe
Br. Jacob Eifrid, C.S.C., 23
Hometown: Fort Wayne, Indiana
Summer ministry/job: My Brother's Keeper, Easton, Massachusettes
What college did you attend: Holy Cross College
What was your major: Theology and Liberal Studies
Patron Saint: St. Stephen, St. Peter, St. Joseph
Top movies: O Brother Where Art Thou, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Of Gods and men
Top books: Quo Vadis by Henry Sienkiewicz, Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis
Top musicians in your playlist: Coldplay, Mumford and Sons, The Lumineers, Audrey Assad
Most memorable liturgy you have attended: Sunday Mass at the Shrine of Blessed Basil Moreau in Le Mans, France
Hobbies: Playing tennis, squash, watching movies, hiking, improving my French
The place in the world you'd most like to visit: The Holy Land
What drew you to Holy Cross? The spirituality of Blessed Basil Moreau and the community/family atmosphere, the emphasis on mission
What is your favorite quote from Scripture: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6
Nicholas Guiney, C.S.C., 22
Hometown: Hudson, Ohio
Summer ministry/job: St. John Vianney, Goodyear, Arizona
What college do you attend? Holy Cross College
What is your major? Theology and Philosophy
Patron Saint: St. Nikolas of Myra, St. John Paul II, St. Francis, St. Teresa of Calcutta
Top movies: The Godfather Part 1&2, The Deer Hunter
Top books: Return of the Prodigal Son by Henri Nouwen, Seven Storey Mountain by Thomas Merton, all the Harry Potters
Top musicians in your playlist: Housefires, Ben Rector, ARIZONA, James Bay
Most memorable large gathering you've attended: Easter Mass at St. Peter’s Square. It was extremely beautiful to celebrate the resurrection of Christ surrounded by literally thousands of people from around the world!
Hobbies: Photography, videography, singing
The place in the world you most want to visit: Iceland, The Azores, India, Greece
What drew you to Holy Cross? I was immediately stuck by the joy of each member of Holy Cross I met, also the sense of community and welcoming was influential in my decision to apply to formation within Holy Cross.
What is your favorite quote from Scripture? “Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.” Blessed Teresa of Calcutta
Andrew Hamaty, C.S.C., 25
Hometown: Jacksonville, Florida
Summer ministry/job: St. Ignatius Martyr Parish, Austin, Texas
What college do you attend? University of Central Florida
What is your major? History
Patron Saint: St. Andrew, St. John Paul II
Top movies: What About Bob, City of God, and Life is Beautiful
Top books: East of Eden by John Steinbeck; The Alchemist by Paolo Coehlo
Top musicians in your playlist: Dispatch, Brett Dennen, Chris Stapleton, James Taylor, and George Strait
Most memorable large gathering you've attended: My students’ First Holy Communion Mass
Hobbies: Photography, guitar, cooking, travel, and hiking/camping
The place in the world you most want to visit: Tierra del Fuego
Favorite way to pray: Although it sounds crazy, I love singing by myself in an empty church
What drew you to Holy Cross? The variety of ministerial opportunities, the strong community, and their unique ability to minister interpersonally.
What is your favorite quote from Scripture? Psalm 139
Steve Jakubowski, C.S.C., 23
Hometown: Grand Rapids, Michigan
Summer ministry/job: Parroquía Nuestra Madre Santísima de la Luz in Monterrey, Mexico
What college do you attend? University of Notre Dame
What is your major? Mathematics
Patron Saint: St. Raphael
Top movies: Casablanca, On the Waterfront, Cool Hand Luke
Top books: The Brothers Karamazov, anything by David Foster Wallace, Markings by Dag Hammarskjold
Top musicians in your playlist: Neil Young, Paul Simon, Stephane Wrembel
Most memorable liturgy you have attended: Easter Triduum at Notre Dame — the energy and beauty of the liturgies made fro some really profound prayer.
Hobbies: Running, making music, reading, hiking
The place in the world you’d most like to visit: Bnaff National Park
What drew you to Holy Cross: I was impressed by the joy of the Holy Cross priests I met as a student at Notre Dame. They inspired me to begin discerning with Holy Cross and the community I found in my visits convinced me to enter formation.
What is your favorite quote from Scripture? "And it happened that, while he was with them at table, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them. With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished from their sight. Then they said to each other, "Were not our hearts burning while he spoke to us on the way and opened the scriptures to us?" Luke 24:30-32
Ryan Kerr, C.S.C., 23
Hometown: Ada, Michigan
Summer ministry/job: Holy Redeemer Parish, Portland, Oregon
What college do you attend? University of Notre Dame
What is your major? Theology and English
Patron Saint: St. Thomas Aquinas
Top movies: Cloud Atlas, Avatar, Knight’s Tale
Top books: The New Man by Thomas Merton, The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Top musicians in your playlist: Mumford and Sons, The Oh Hellos, Bastille
Most memorable liturgy you have attended: Holy Cross Ordination for my rector Fr. Pat freshman year. From the feeling, the community, even the music, it all stuck in my head and heart and drew me deeper into this calling I'm now pursuing.
Hobbies: Reading, Writing, Listening to music, watching Notre Dame football and the NBA, and just being with those closest to me
The place in the world you’d most like to visit: Paris
What drew you to Holy Cross: An authentic community built around common prayer and common table.
What is your favorite quote from Scripture? "The Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans." Romans 8:26
Tyler Kreipke, C.S.C., 29
Hometown: Zionsville, Indiana
Summer ministry/job: Parroquía Nuestra Madre Santísima de la Luz, Monterrey, Mexico
What college do you attend? Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Unversity of Notre Dame
What is your major? Biomedical Engineering, Bioengineering
Patron Saint: St. Benedict
Top movies: Calvary, The Lord of the Rings, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
Top book: Les Miserables, The Prophet, The Great Divorce, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
Top musicians in your playlist: John Mayer, Coldplay, Mumford and Sons, Taylor Swift
Most memorable liturgy you have attended: 2018 Easter Triduum Service at Notre Dame - The liturgical music is incredible.
Hobbies: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Running, Guitar, Reading, Puzzles
The place in the world you’d most like to visit: Switzerland
What drew you to Holy Cross: The community and their charism as educators in the faith.
What is your favorite quote from Scripture? "For I am certain that neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities, neither the present nor the future, nor powers, neither height nor depth nor any other creature, will be able to separate us from the love of God that comes to us in Christ Jesue, our Lord." Romans 8:38-39
Peter Puleo III, C.S.C., 24
Hometown: St. Louis, Missouri
Summer ministry/job: St. Andre Bessette Parish, Portland, Oregon
What college do you attend? Missouri University of Science and Technology
What is your major? Chemical Engineering
Patron Saint: St. Joseph
Top movie: A Man for all Seasons
Top books: The End of the Affair
Top musicians in your playlist: Pinback
Most memorable liturgy you have attended: Midnight Christmas Mass at St. Mary Magdalene in St. Louis. I walked to Mas sin the cold, dark snow and was welcomed inside to a warm, bright candle-lit church that felt like home.
Hobbies: Reading, Calligraphy
The place in the world you’d most like to visit: Rome
What drew you to Holy Cross: Basil Moreau's vision of the religious life and zeal for serving God through education.
What is your favorite quote? "Let your religion be less of a theory and more of a love affair." G.K. Chesterton
Br. Matthew Rehagen, C.S.C., 22
Hometown: Jefferson City, Missouri
What college do you attend? University of Notre Dame
What is your major? Theology and Philosophy
Patron Saint: St. Matthew
Top movies: Lord of the Rings, The Tree of Life, Oh Brother Where Art Thou, Up
Top books: The Complete Stories of Flannery O'Connor, Lord of the Flies, Lord of the Rings
Top musicians in your playlist: Mumford and Sons, Beatles, Jonas Brothers
Most memorable prayer or liturgy you have attended: Reconciliation service in St. Peter's Basilica where Pope Francis announced the Year of Mercy
Hobbies: Playing and watching sports especially basketball, spikeball, and golf
Place in the world you’d most like to visit: Jerusalem
Your favorite way to pray: Meditating on Scripture
What drew you to Holy Cross? The sense of community displayed by the Holy Cross religious.
What is your favorite quote from a Saint? “Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you.” St. Augustine
Michael Ryan, C.S.C., 29
Hometown: Columbus, Ohio
Summer ministry/job: Holy Redeemer Parish, Portland, Oregon
What college did you attend? University of Notre Dame
What is your major? Civil Engineering
Patron Saint: St. Francis of Assissi, St. Joseph the Worker
Top movies: Shawshank Redemption
Top books: Man's Search for Meaning, The Little Prince
Top musicians in your playlist: U2, Gaelic Storm, Ben Rector
Most memorable prayer or liturgy you have attended: Meeting at the grotto with men from O'Neill Hall my senior year after the death of a hallmate's twin sister. It reinforced to me the strength and resolve of community, and the tremendous support that can spring from it.
Place in the world you’d most like to visit: Ireland
What drew you to Holy Cross? I was drawn to Holy Cross first by the joy in community and ministry I saw in the many men - priests and seminarians - that I came to know during my time at Notre Dame and since I have graduated, and second by their ideal of educating both the mind and the heart. Having a brother in the community helps too.
What is your favorite quote from a Saint? "What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men." St. Augustine
Brian Vetter, C.S.C., 24
Hometown: Dublin, Ohio
Summer ministry/job: St. Ignatius Martyr Parish, Austin, Texas
What college did you attend? University of Notre Dame
What is your major? Pre-Medicine and Theology
Patron Saint: St. Peter
Top movies: The Departed, Super Troopers, Inside Out
Top book: Bonhoeffer by Eric Metaxis, Can You Drink the Cup by Henri Nouwen
Top musicians in your playlist: Old Taylor Swift, Florida Georgia Line, The Chainsmokers
Most memorable liturgy you have attended: My final Mass in Alumni Hall as an undergraduate
Place in the world you’d most like to visit: Nairobi, Kenya, where my brother and his family live.
What drew you to Holy Cross? The authentic joy of Holy Cross religious and the deep sense of family lived out in the Holy Cross communities that I experienced.
What is your favorite quote from Scripture? "Although you have not seen him you love him; even though you do not see him now yet believe in him, you rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy." 1 Peter 1:8
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