Ordo Praedicatorum

Brother Michael

I grew up in a small town called Peru, IL, and most recently have been living in Peoria, IL. I am 24, and the oldest of three boys. I was raised Catholic and started thinking about being a priest when I was a young boy. I grew up in a Benedictine parish and attended the high school that the order ran, after which I decided to enter a college seminary, studying for the Benedictines. I did my undergraduate work at St. Mary’s University in Winona, MN, while living at Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary. My degree was in Music Performance and Philosophy. After graduating, I entered the monastery, but came to realize that this was not the life I was made for. I worked for three years as an organist and music director at a few parishes and a Newman Center. I also taught music in a grade school for two of those years. During this time, I began to learn about the Dominican way of life and was very attracted to the combination of the contemplative and active lives, as well as to the charism of preaching and teaching Veritas. As I learned more about the order, I was very drawn to the lives of St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Dominic, St. Catherine of Siena and Bl. Fra Angelico. I found in their lives a compelling model of holiness that I felt called to imitate and follow after. As a future friar of the Order of Preachers, I hope to someday serve God’s people through parish ministry, preaching, teaching and perhaps missionary work as well. The greatest single inspiration for my life is the Servant of God Pope John Paul II. It has been the example of his life and the spiritual fatherhood that he offered to the youth of the world that has captured my heart and has continually inspired me to “be not afraid” and to “put out into the deep.” I am very interested in music, particularly sacred music. I enjoy traveling and foreign languages. I also like to read and spend time with family and friends.

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