ADAM JONES
I have finished my first year of seminary formation with the Oblates of the Virgin Mary in Boston, and will start the second year this fall. This past year has been a pure gift from the Lord as I have experienced consistency in Mass, personal prayer time, friendship with my brother seminarians and priests in the Oblates of the Virgin Mary, studies, and wonder at the priestly vocation God is calling me to discern. Please pray for me to grow in trust in God’s mercy and love for me, and to entrust myself to Mary so she may bring me close to her Son, Jesus. Thank you to all of you who have helped to support me and pray for me as I have been discovering God’s calling for my life. This has been such a joyful start to a beautiful discernment.
BRANDT BOYDEN
Thank you for taking the time to read this short biography. My name is Brandt Boyden, I am 18 years old, and have recently graduated from high school. My parents are Daniel Jr. and Jody Boyden. They have raised me and my 9 siblings up extremely well, teaching us to know, love, and serve God in many different ways. I have received the majority of my education through Homeschool, as my other siblings have done or intend to do. I have been a parishioner at St. Mary’s for as long as I can remember, receiving both my First Communion and Confirmation here. A great amount of my spiritual formation took place here in various ways, whether that be through sacramental classes; liturgical involvement, such as altar serving or singing in the choir; or my involvement in the youth groups. It was a combination of these opportunities that led me to a deeper devotion to know God’s will for me. I’ve thought about priesthood as a possibility for me since I was around the age of 5. It was the presence of priests around me and my family that led me to think of priesthood as a possibility. After 13 years of discerning what God wanted me to do for him and his kingdom, he didn’t tell me to become a priest, but instead pushed me towards seminary. And so, I answered this call to take the next step in my discernment, to go to seminary discerning even deeper if God is calling me to this great office of the priest. Please keep me in your prayers. Pray for the other seminarians discerning and please pray that more young men may consider this fruitful vocation.