Ordo Praedicatorum

Brother Jordan

I am 26 years old. I was born in Fargo, ND and moved to Bismarck, ND at the age of 11 where my parents still live. I am the third of four children; I have an older sister and two brothers. I attended St John’s University in Collegeville, MN from 1998 until 2002 where I graduated with BA in English and a minor in philosophy and East Asian Studies. After graduating from St John’s, I joined the Peace Corps and was sent to China. My main duties were to teach English, but I also volunteered with Habitat for Humanity International during my vacation time. We were evacuated from China in 2003 due to the SARS epidemic, at which time I returned home and became a seminarian for the Diocese of Bismarck. I attended Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in St Louis, MO for three years before discerning a vocation with the St Joseph province of the Order of Preachers. I was raised Catholic and went to the Catholic high school in Bismarck where I met two vibrant young priests, Frs. Tom Richter and Austin Vetter. At the age of 17, these two inspired me to think about the priesthood for the first time in my life. Since joining the seminary, I have also found much affirmation in my vocation from Fr James Shea. I became aware that God was calling me to something other than the diocesan priesthood during this past year, and decided to attend the discernment weekend at the House of Studies in Washington DC. It was this weekend that confirmed for me that God was calling me to join the Order of Preachers. It also showed me that I was being called specifically to the St Joseph province. I am attracted to the Order because of the ideas of itinerancy and the description of a friar’s life as being a mix of the active and contemplative life. I hope that someday I am able to live out these ideas as a Dominican friar. I am interested in teaching, as well as in parochial ministry. I have taken some inspiration from two Dominican figures: St Martin de Porres and Bl. Jordan of Saxony. The former inspires me through his humility and the latter through his leadership, especially at such an important time in the beginning of the Order. My interests include Basketball, Baseball, Rugby, Asian history and culture, and English and Russian literature.

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