Meet the Seminarians
OLD COLLEGE
John Ahearn, 21
Year in Formation: 3rd
Hometown: Westlake Village, Calif.
Summer ministry/job: Director of a summer camp
Patron saint: St. John Vianney
Favorite movie: Star Trek
Favorite book: The Bible
Hobbies: Sports, reading, and reading about sports
Ryan Ayala, 20
Year in Formation: 1st
Hometown: Phoenix, Ariz.
Summer ministry/job: Teaching an Intro to Catholic Apologetics course and guest speaker at local retreats
What’s on your IPod: Gregorian Chants, Crossmovement, Lecrae
Patron saint: St. Pio
Favorite movie: The Human Experience
Favorite book: Imitations of Christ
Hobbies: I play basketball, run, and work out
Chris Brennan, 20
Year in Formation: 2nd
Hometown: Granger, Ind.
Summer ministry/job: André House
What’s on your IPod: Do not have one
Patron saint: St. Peter
Favorite movie: Tommy Boy
Favorite book: The Power of One
Hobbies: Watching and playing sports, playing cards, and board games
Dan Cruickshank, 18
Year in Formation: 1st
Hometown: Rockford, Mich.
Summer ministry/job: Worked at a local hardware store
What’s on your IPod: Everything
Patron saint: Thomas Aquinas
Favorite movie: The Shawshank Redemption
Favorite book: The Bridge of San Luis Rey
Hobbies: Hockey, reading, working out, sleeping, eating
Joseph DeAgostino, 19
Year in Formation: 1st
Hometown: Jackson, Mich.
Summer ministry/job: Direct care worker for autistic youths and adults
What’s on your IPod: System of a Down
Patron saint: St. Raphael
Favorite movie: Hot Fuzz
Favorite book: Wheel of Time series
Hobbies: Hockey and other sports, reading, family, games, social networking
Robert Dunsmuir, 20
Year in Formation: 3rd
Hometown: Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
Summer ministry/job: Central Clay Products, Inc. (pipe distributor)
What’s on your IPod: Johnny Cash
Patron saint: St. Gregory the Great
Favorite movie: Almost Heroes
Favorite book: The Great Gatsby
Hobbies: Sports (baseball, basketball, golf)
Kyle Gruber, 18
Year in Formation: 1st
Hometown: Sheatown, Pa.
Summer ministry/job: Newport Township Ambulance
What’s on your IPod: A little bit of everything
Patron saint: St. John Chrysostom
Favorite movie: The Italian Job
Favorite book: Black Like Me
Hobbies: Volunteer firefighter, emergency first responder, water sports
Braydn Harsha, 19
Year in Formation: 2nd
Hometown: Columbus, Mont.
Summer ministry/job: Mass server and lector at St. Mary’s Church
What’s on your IPod: Gregorian chant
Patron saint: St. John the Dwarf, St. Pio of Pietrelcina
Favorite movie: Life is Beautiful
Favorite book: Orthodoxy by G.K. Chesterton
Hobbies: Playing piano, hiking, water sports, reading, cooking
Matt Hovde, 20
Year in Formation: 3rd
Hometown: Miami, Fla.
Summer ministry/job: NDVision
What’s on your IPod: Everything
Patron saint: St. Matthew, John the Evangelist, St. Paul
Favorite movie: Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Favorite book: The Hobbit
Hobbies: guitar, watching any sport, reading
Brian Kennedy, 20
Year in Formation: 2nd
Hometown: Pequot Lakes, Minn.
Summer ministry/job: Lazarus House Ministries and Central Catholic HS summer school in Lawrence, Mass.
What’s on your IPod: no iPod, but probably Iron & Wine
Patron saint: St. Francis of Assisi
Favorite movie: Ghandi
Favorite book: A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
Hobbies: ultralight backpacking, bicycling, sailing, and collecting books
Joshua Leeuw, 21
Year in Formation: 2nd
Hometown:South Whitley, Ind.
Summer ministry/job: Bob Evans
What’s on your IPod: Anything you can imagine… but lots of Motown
Patron saint: Blessed Pope John XXIII
Favorite movie: The Blues Brothers
Favorite book: The Seven Storey Mountain and East of Eden
Hobbies: Being with friends and family, reading, writing, singing
Andrew Lundquist, 19
Year in Formation: 2nd
Hometown: Colorado Springs, Colo.
Summer ministry/job: Food pantry volunteer
What’s on your IPod: U2
Patron saint: St. John the Evangelist
Favorite movie: Children of Men
Favorite book: Kiln People
Hobbies: filmmaking, creative writing
J.P. MacPherson IV, 20
Year in Formation: 2nd
Hometown: Buffalo, N.Y.
Summer ministry/job: Computer marketing intern, bagpiper
What’s on your IPod: Lots of music, movies, pictures, video and apps
Patron saint: St. John Baptist DeLasalle
Favorite movie: Kung Fu Panda
Favorite book: Ender’s Game
Hobbies: Bagpipes, guitar, basketball, reading, running, music
Brendan McAleer, 21
Year in Formation: 1st
Hometown: Arlington Heights, Ill.
Summer ministry/job: Catholic Worker House and Our Lady of the Road here in South Bend
What’s on your IPod: Van Morrison, Paul Simon, and Penguin Café Orchestra
Patron saint: St. Thomas More, St. Michael, St. Joseph
Favorite movie: Matewan, Les Miserable, Gladiator
Favorite book: Seven Storey Mountain
Hobbies: Reading, playing sports, muay thai
Michael Palmer, 20
Year in Formation: 3rd
Hometown: Berkley, Mich.
Summer ministry/job: Senior counselor, Camp Santa Maria in Gaylord, Mich.
What’s on your IPod: classic rock, traditional Irish, movie soundtracks
Patron saint: St. Michael, St. Patrick
Favorite movie: Ben-Hur
Favorite book: Life of Christ
Hobbies: Singing, Knights of Columbus, Detroit sports, hunting
Ryan Pietrocarlo, 20
Year in Formation: 3rd
Hometown: Rochester, N.Y.
Summer ministry/job: ND Vision Mentor in Faith
What’s on your IPod: pretty much everything
Patron saint: St. Joseph
Favorite movie: Pirates of the Caribbean
Favorite book: The Gospel of Judas
Hobbies: running, reading, dancing, taking walks, exploring the wonders of the world of science
Karl Romkema, 18
Year in Formation: 1st
Hometown: Clarkston, Mich.
Summer ministry/job: Umpire and caddie
What’s on your IPod: ’80s rock n’ roll, Christian music
Patron saint: St. Patrick or St. Paul
Favorite movie: Rudy
Favorite book: The Catcher in the Rye
Hobbies: sports/working out
Benjamin Rusch, 18
Year in Formation: 1st
Hometown: Davisburg, Mich.
Summer ministry/job: Lifeguard, umpire
What’s on your IPod: Peter Kreeft podcasts, G.K. Chesteron audio books, Billy Joel, Elton John, Journey, etc.
Patron saint: St. Matthew
Favorite movie: Back to the Future (all three of them)
Favorite book: The Lord of the Rings
Hobbies: Running, baseball, editing Wikipedia
Joe Sheehan, 20
Year in Formation: 1st
Hometown: Parma, Ohio
Summer ministry/job: Cemetery worker
What’s on your IPod: A little bit of everything
Patron saint: St. Joseph the Worker
Favorite movie: Star Wars IV,V, VI
Favorite book: Any book about Star Wars
Hobbies: Marching band, flying, video games
Timothy C. Singler, 18
Year in Formation: 1st
Hometown: Chicago, Ill.
Summer ministry/job: Altar server, summer job was to maintain the baseball fields at a park
What’s on your IPod: O.A.R., Dave Matthew’s Band, the Beatles
Patron saint: St. Timothy
Favorite movie: The Sandlot
Favorite book: Undaunted Courage by Stephen E. Ambrose
Hobbies: Reading, playing sports, hanging out with friends
John Whittaker, 18
Year in Formation: 1st
Hometown: Atlanta, Ga.
Summer ministry/job: Sacristan, Eucharistic minister at my local parish
What’s on your IPod: Rap, classic rock, indie groups
Patron saint: St. Thomas
Favorite movie: Gran Torino, Rudy, O Brother, Where Art Thou
Favorite books: Kite Runner, Into the Wild, King of Torts
Hobbies: Photography, movie making, any sport, hanging out with friends, traveling and camping
Bryan Williams, 18
Year in Formation: 1st
Hometown: Houston, Tex.
Summer ministry/job: Free agent (N/A)
What’s on your IPod: George Strait, Grits, David Crowder Band, Kenny Chesney, David Hust, Alan Jackson, Alison Krauss, Celtic Woman, Josh Turner, Shane & Shane
Patron saint: St. Hallvard
Favorite movie: Cars
Favorite book: The Confessions
Hobbies: soccer, disc golf, watching Home Improvement, washers, and enjoying time with friends
CANDIDATES
Michael Evans, 23
Hometown: Naperville, Ill.
Summer ministry/job: YMCA Summer Camp Counselor
Patron saint: St. Michael, St. Joseph
Favorite movie: Gran Torino
Favorite book: To Kill a Mockingbird
Hobbies: Watching sports, spending time with friends
Matt Fase, 22
Hometown: Rockford, Mich.
Summer ministry/job: I took summer classes at ND
What’s on your IPod: I don’t own one.
Favorite movie: Yes Man
Hobbies: Hunting, hiking, fishing, being outdoors
Timothy Mouton, 21
Hometown: Houston, Tex.
Summer ministry/job: Warehouse assistant at ICT Corp
What’s on your IPod: Country and Celtic Woman
Patron saint: St. Michael
Favorite movie: Madagascar
Favorite book: Ranger’s Apprentice
Hobbies: Baseball, ultimate Frisbee, sports, traveling, music, and using power tools
Chase Pepper, 24
Year in Formation: Candidate
Hometown: Huntsville, Ala.
Summer ministry/job: Fellowship of Catholic University Students
What’s on your IPod: New Found Glory, Beethoven
Patron saint: Stephen, Edward the Confessor
Favorite movie: Miracle
Favorite book: Chronicles of Narnia
Hobbies: Reading, learning new musical instruments, whistling
Dan Ponisciak, 29
Hometown: Williamsburg, Va.
Summer ministry/job: Elementary school counselor
What’s on your IPod: Third Day, Goo Goo Dolls
Patron saint: St. Patrick
Favorite movie: Wedding Crashers
Favorite book: Waking the Dead by John Eldredge
Hobbies:Travel, fantasy sports, all things Philadelphia
Jonathan Pyles, 27
Hometown: Dayton, Ohio
Summer ministry/job: Counselor for Service and Justice Workcamp: cross-country coach
What’s on your IPod: Country
Patron saint: St. Patrick, St. Anthony of Padua
Favorite movie: Field of Dreams
Favorite book: The Lord of the Rings by J.R. R. Tolkien, Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan
Hobbies: Reading, running, photography
Christopher Rehagen, 22
Hometown: Jefferson City, Mo.
Summer ministry/job: Summer hall manager at Notre Dame
What’s on your IPod: Don’t own one, but I listen mostly to country
Patron saint: St. Christopher
Favorite movie: The Patriot
Favorite book: Trinity by Leon Uris
Hobbies: hanging out with family and friends, playing and watching sports, reading, sleeping
Miller Romero, 32
Hometown: Bogotá, Columbia
What’s on your IPod: Designs, photographs, books
Patron saint: St. Joseph
Favorite movie: Patch Adams
Favorite book: El Alquimista (The Alchemist) by Paolo Coelho
Hobbies: Bicycling, swimming, walking, meditation, breathing, and admiring nature
Anthony Stachowski, 21
Hometown: Elma, N.Y.
Summer ministry/job: Studying in Leuven until late June, otherwise have been home
What’s on your IPod: Actually don’t own an IPod, but mostly a fan of country music, favorites being George Strait, Garth Brook and Brooks and Dunn
Patron saint: St. Anthony of Padua
Favorite movie: Lord of the Rings
Favorite book: Les Miserables
Hobbies: Sports, reading, icon writing, board games
Eric Surat, 20
Hometown: Roanoke, Va.
Summer ministry/job: Just got back from a semester in Belgium in June, since then been working at a dental office, helping out with music and youth ministry at home parish
What’s on your IPod: James Brown
Patron saint: John of the Cross
Favorite movie: Thin Red Line, Good Will Hunting, Raising Arizona
Favorite book: The Sun Also Rises (Hemingway), The People of Paper (Plascencia), and David Sedaris. I also really like Sci-Fi comic books…I wish I were joking, but I’m not.
Hobbies:Guitar, hiking, running, road trips
NOVICES
Adam Booth, 27
Hometown: Welwyn, U.K.
Summer ministry/job: La Luz Parish, Monterrey, Mexico
What’s on your IPod: A wide variety including classical, country, jazz, Latin, and rock
Patron saint: St. Ephrem of Syria
Favorite movie: La Haine
Favorite book: Brideshead Revisited
Hobbies: music, swimming, cooking
Chris Ochoa, 22
Hometown: Austin, TX
Summer ministry/job: Assisted at parish and summer mission in Monterrey, Mexico
What’s on your IPod: Patriotic country, Irish rock, and today’s top 40
Patron saint: St. Michael
Favorite movie: Anything made by Pixar
Favorite book: G.K. Chesterton’s Everlasting Man
Hobbies: Traveling and collecting shot glasses
Pat Reidy, 23
Hometown: Greenwood Village, Colo.
Summer ministry/job: St. Joseph Parish and Center for the Homeless
What’s on your IPod: Matchbox 20, U2, Josh Groban, Jars of Clay, the Notre Dame Folk Choir, James Taylor
Patron saint: St. Francis of Assisi
Favorite movie: The American President
Favorite book: The Polar Express and The Great Divorce
Hobbies: skiing, biking, exploring used book stores, fly fishing, eating Chipotle burritos
Nicholas Senz, 25
Hometown: Verboort, Ore.
Summer ministry/job: In-residence, Holy Cross-St. Stanislaus Parish, South Bend; summer studies, University of Notre Dame
What’s on your IPod: Fulton Sheen, The Strokes, The Beatles, and Peter Kreeft
Patron saint: St. Nicholas and St. Lawrence
Favorite movie: The Ten Commandments
Favorite book: Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
Hobbies: playing guitar, playing basketball, reading, watching TV and movies
NEWLY PROFESSED
Mark DeMott, C.S.C., 29
Year in Formation: 1st year of vows
Hometown: Holland, Mich.
Summer ministry/job: Holy Cross Novitiate, hospital chaplain
Patron saint: St. Francis of Assisi
Favorite movie: Shawshank Redemption
Favorite book: Wise Blood
Hobbies: Hiking and playing the piano
Jarrod M. Waugh, C.S.C., 23
Year in Formation: 1st year of vows
Hometown: Edna, Kans.
Summer ministry/job: Holy Cross Novitiate, hospital chaplain
What’s on your IPod: The Decemberists, Iron and Wine, Rich Mullins
Patron saint: St. Thomas Aquinas
Favorite movie: Tombstone
Favorite book: ‘Til We Have Faces by C.S.Lewis
Hobbies: Beer brewing, Settlers of Catan, Axis & Allies
TEMPORARILY PROFESSED
Brian Ching, C.S.C., 24
Year in Formation: 2nd year professed
Hometown: Flushing, N.Y.
Summer ministry/job: André House of Hospitality, Phoenix, Ariz.
What’s on your IPod: A little bit of everything from Gregorian chant to classic rock
Patron saint: St.Peter and St. Bernard
Favorite movie: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Cool Runnings
Favorite book: To Kill a Mockingbird
Hobbies: Watching baseball, playing cards, listening to music
Matthew Kuczora, C.S.C., 26
Year in Formation: 2nd year professed
Hometown: Marion, Ind.
Summer ministry/job: Finca del Niño (orphanage in Trujillo, Honduras)
What’s on your IPod: Counting Crows, Maroon 5, Styx, Led Zepplin, Alejandro Sanz
Patron saint: St. Matthew, St. Patrick, St. Edward the Confessor
Favorite movie: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Favorite book: The Count of Monte Cristo
Hobbies: soccer, fishing, hiking
Michael Seidl, C.S.C., 25
Year in Formation: 2nd year professed
Hometown: De Pere, Wis.
Summer ministry/job: Saint Joseph Parish, South Bend
What’s on your IPod: Andrew Bird, The Decemberists, Elliott Smith, Radiohead, and Gustav Mahler
Patron saint: Saint Michael the Archangel, Saint Gregory Nazianzus
Favorite movie: Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon
Favorite book: To the Lighthouse
Hobbies: Reading, playing tennis, learning more about South Bend
Paul Ybarra, C.S.C., 29
Year in Formation: 4th year professed
Hometown: Los Angeles, Calif.
Summer ministry/job: Working at St. John Vianney and Holy Cross Parishes as a Pastoral Associate, and Summer School
What’s on your IPod: Johnny Cash, Kanye West, Jay-Z, Def Leppard, Led Zepplin, Peter Gabriel & Green Day
Patron saint: St. Thomas More, St. Paul, St. Michael
Favorite movie: Ikiru, The Rules of the Game, It Happened One Night
Favorite book: Catch-22, The Dark Tower Series, The Stranger, and Brothers Karamazov
Hobbies: weightlifting, running, watching movies, listening to music, and reading
DEACONS
Kevin Grove, C.S.C., 27
Year in Formation: Deacon
Hometown: Hobson, Mont.
Summer ministry/job: Began deacon placement at St. Joseph Parish, South Bend, Ind.
What’s on your IPod: country, rock, and classical
Patron saint: Gregory the Great
Favorite movie: A River Runs Through It
Favorite book: A Severe Mercy
Hobbies: running, reading, farming, and philosophy
Gerry Olinger, C.S.C., 30
Year in Formation: Deacon
Hometown: Springfield, Pa.
Summer ministry/job: Working at the University of Portland in Residence Life and Campus Ministry
What’s on your IPod: Cold Play
Patron saint: Saint Gerard, Saint Thomas More
Favorite movie: It’s a Wonderful Life
Favorite book: Brothers Karamazov
Hobbies: Racquetball, running