Our Seminarians

Rodnev Lapommeray

Home Parish: St. Jerome, Flatbush
Pastoral Year Parish: St. Therese of Lisieux, Flatbush
Seminary: Seminary of the Immaculate Conception, Huntington

I feel that God has called me to serve Him as a priest. It is a privilege for me; I did nothing to deserve such a calling. Our vocations are God’s gifts to us and our invitations to serve Him. As a priest, I want to be a vessel of Christ’s mercy and love.

Pope John Paul II, throughout his pontificate, repeated the words of Jesus: “Be not afraid.” Be not afraid to follow God where ever He may lead you; the roads may be difficult, but He will never abandon you. To be a seminarian, one must be willing to trust in the Lord. If the Lord calls you to a certain path in life, God will provide you with the graces to live that life. Trust in Jesus Christ always.

There have been a many priests who have been influential in my decision to become a priest. Bishop Guy Sansaricq, who was once my pastor, gave me an excellent example of priestly humility and holiness. Fr. Kieran Harrington in his wisdom and understanding has also influential and helped me.

Before becoming a seminarian, I went to college and majored in psychology. I did a lot of volunteer work. After college I worked in education, at which point I began to realize that God was calling me to the priesthood. I began to realize that something was missing. There seemed to be something more that I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Nothing in this world could have satisfied me, except doing the Will of God.

I want to be a priest in the great Diocese of Brooklyn, for I feel that that Lord is calling me to serve here. It is here, in Brooklyn, that I was introduced to the faith and where I had my first experiences of the Church and priesthood. The Diocese of Brooklyn is unique in its diversity. Bishop Daily used to say: “the world is in Brooklyn.” There is just something about Brooklyn and Queens; the Diocese being the smallest geographical is also amongst the largest in terms of population in the United States, Brooklyn has a combination of the feeling and operations of a “big” diocese with the closeness and connectedness of a “small” diocese.

Some practical suggestions I can give for anyone discerning would be to speak to find a priest who you trust and speak with him about your spiritual life and questions. Continue going to Mass and regular confession as the sacraments are our food for the Christian journey. You cannot in any way discern God’s call without the sustenance of the sacraments we have through the Church Jesus founded. I would also recommend going to

Mass during the week in addition to Sunday, if possible. If you find yourself with questions, doubts or anxieties, bring these to the Lord in prayer. Also speak about them with your parish priest.