A week prior , Josh had actually found himself praying to God that he desired an adventure but had no idea what , exactly , that meant . “ God delivered on that desire and then some ! I hope to show through my testimony that God will do amazing things with our lives if we allow Him to .”
“ Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire ”
— St . Catherine of Siena
Looking back on his time at Brother Rice , Josh points out that there were teachers very invested in student success who did everything in their capacity to prepare students for the world ahead . He enjoyed how connected he felt to his classmates , particularly after bonding at Kairos . He shares , “ The brotherhood is a bit of a cliche , but it does truly exist . Being over four years removed from Brother Rice , many of my favorite memories are ones that took place within the walls of the school . Each day there was much more than just an education .”
Coach Stark , Mr . Higdon , Mr . Barnes , and Mr . Venos were impactful mentors during high school . Coach Stark provided practical advice in his dry “ Coach- Stark-way .” His one line that still resonates for Josh is “ Do the best you can , that ’ s all you can do .” From a student ’ s perspective , Mr . Higdon was a true ally of his students and did everything he could to foster community . Mr . Barnes is the one who pushed Josh the hardest academically in AP Physics - which incidentally was also his best class . He also admired the evident passion Mr . Barnes had for teaching complex phenomena in a clear and concise manner . He says that with Mr . Venos , he always appreciated there was no sugar-coating and that he offered authentic and very practical advice .
Josh has remained close with three of his friends from Brother Rice and has kept in contact with many more . “ For me , the biggest grace from being a student at Brother Rice was the people that I met , and I truly feel that I have found lifelong friends ,” he continues , “ While I went to school to learn and prepare for college , the aspect I liked the most of being in class was being there with my friends . It is so much easier to accomplish a task , such as learning in a classroom , when you have people alongside you versus trying to do it alone .”
As he embarks on this beautiful new journey towards becoming a priest , Josh has moved to Rome , Italy , for the next five years to continue his seminary formation . Immersing himself in the culture , he is spending time in Assisi studying Italian . He continues to be steadfast in doing his best to prepare for being a good priest , from thoroughly learning theology to growing in relationship with Jesus .
He feels immensely blessed and is confident the blessings will keep coming . Following God ’ s calling was about trust and that God will use him as an instrument of His love . God ’ s direction has now led him on an unexpected adventure , and he is right where he is meant to be . And , through all the changes , he knows clearly who he can count on , for “ He is always the Same ” and that abiding love never fails .
Photos , top to bottom : Performing at the Archbishops Gala with fellow seminarians ; Josh publicly expressed his intention to pursue ordination as part of the Rite of Candidacy in the presence of the Archbishop on Pentecost last year at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament ; with his fellow North American seminarians in front of the Pontifical North American College in Rome
15