"Our hearts are restless until they rest in you, O Lord."

I lived a carefree life for my first 20 years. However, as I entered adulthood I felt unfulfilled. I was searching for love and meaning in the ways the world offered: pleasure, money and power. As much as I attained these things, I still came up feeling empty. I thought to myself, "There must be something deeper to life than these passing things." I was looking for something that would fulfill me totally and completely. What I found was not a thing but a person: God. I realized that only in God would I be totally fulfilled and happy.

Without God I was restless but when I found God I finally attained peace. That explains the title of my vocation story from the great Patristic father, St. Augustine of Hippo. Like many people in our current culture, St. Augustine sought happiness and fulfillment in the things of the world. However, like myself, these things left him empty. Like a loving Father, God was calling out to Augustine in order to give him true peace.

After living a God centered life for five years, I desired to serve God in a more radical manner. I felt called to serve Him as a priest. I entered priestly formation and have experienced God's joy in serving Him with an undivided heart. God willing, I will be ordained a priest in June of 2007. I thank God for calling me out of darkness and for calling me to his sacred and precious priesthood. I pray that other men who are looking for a deeper meaning in life will also consider the holy priesthood of Jesus Christ. God Bless.

Editor's note: This is the tenth in a periodic series spotlighting those in formation for priesthood for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.