Our Seminarians

Mark Matthias

Home Parish: Immaculate Conception, Astoria
Pastoral Year Parish:
Seminary: Cathedral Seminary Residence, Douglaston

“I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ.” (Philippians 3:8).

After graduating from college with a B.A. in Communications, I worked in broadcasting, graphic design, the entertainment industry and the corporate world before realizing what I enjoyed most was serving our Lord full-time with all my talents and gifts.

Life as a Seminarian is challenging, rewarding, enjoyable, frustrating, illuminating, energizing, satisfying, peaceful. What helped me hear and discern God’s call was a lot of reading and prayer. One of my favorite books is "Priest for the Third Millennium" by Archbishop Timothy Dolan. This is an extremely honest and informative book that is a “must read” for anyone discerning the priesthood, or for that matter, any religious vocation.

If you hear our Lord calling you to consider the priesthood, please think about participating in the "Holy Hours" that are offered throughout our Diocese. This will help you experience a lifestyle that is “in the world, but not of the world.” Meet with seminarians and priests who already walked the path you are contemplating. Do not focus on what you are “giving up” by possibly becoming a priest; focus on the good that will come from serving our Lord full-time.

Christ died for us so we may know through his resurrection that he truly is the way, the truth and the life. If we are going to follow the Master, we have to remember that being a “soldier for Christ” requires sacrifices. However, when we realize the generosity of his sacrifice, it makes it easier to return His act of love.

As Jesus said, “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).

Being a Seminarian is like being a Jedi from Star Wars. We are committed to living a humble life as we serve others and grow in the ways of the Holy Spirit. Some people admire and love us for what we represent; others despise and ridicule us for what they perceive as a lifestyle that is "suffocating" to the mind, body and soul. How little they understand about surrendering their life to Christ in order to experience the joy that comes from walking with him.

Some days, it seems like an impossible task to detach ourselves from the material world and our sinful habits so we may be re-formed in Christ. Other days, we can't imagine what took us so long to finally “follow him” with all our heart and soul…