Priestly Formation

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All seminarians are prepared for the priesthood following the four essential pillars of priestly formation, namely human, intellectual, spiritual, and pastoral, and, before being ordained priests of the Archdiocese of Boston, they spend three years in missionary formation.

MEET OUR SEMINARIANS

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Gustavo

Gustavo Neitzke

Origin: Campo Mourão, Brazil

Year of Study: Configuration

Local Parish: Cathedral of the Holy Cross, Boston

Growing up as the fourth of five children in a Catholic family, the image of the priest was always present in my life. Over the years I met many holy priests whom I admired. At World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro, I experienced the call to the priesthood in a way stronger than ever. The words from the gospel of Mathew, “Come and follow me, and I will make you fishers of man,” gave me the push to follow this call. However, after three years in the seminary, I left formation. During the two years I spent back home, my mother was diagnosed with cancer. The dedication that the priests showed to her and my family up until her passing was a consolation that led me to reconsider my vocation and enter back into the seminary.

Aaron

Aaron Sanz

Origin: Bogota, New Jersey

Year of Study: Configuration

Local Parish: Cathedral of the Holy Cross, Boston

I am the second of eleven siblings. My family was always involved in our home parish, which allowed me to draw close to my pastor. The love he had for his ministry really left an impression on me. Growing up I dedicated much of time to my hobbies, especially music. I hoped that after High School I would be able to have a career in music composition, but it seemed that God had different plans for me. When I attended World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro, my older brother and I both felt that we were being called to the priesthood. My brother eventually entered the seminary in Philadelphia, while I instead tried to run from the call. However, God was so persistent, that I finally decided to join the seminary as well.

Edward

Edward Rodriguez

Origin: Houston, Texas

Year of Study: Itinerancy

Local Parish: Saint Rosa of Lima's Parish, Chelsea

Of three siblings I am the oldest and the only boy. My parents are from Mexico and raised us in the Catholic faith. Thanks to the charism of the Neocatechumenal Way, I have been able to understand the faith more in-depth. During my time in college, I felt the calling to the priesthood, and the goals that I was slowly establishing for myself did not make me happy. Seeing my parents go to church and pray pushed me to take my faith more seriously. Also, I remember how I looked up to a priest from the Neocatechumenal Way; seeing how he related to people always struck me. His example and the help of my Catechists eventually opened me up to the call to the priesthood and the possibility of going to the seminary.

Michael

Michael Castellon

Origin: Chinandega, Nicaragua

Year of Study: Itinerancy

Local Parish: Immaculate Conception, Marlborough

As the fourth of seven children, and at a very young age, I was faced with the premature death of my mother. However, God did not abandon me. He prepared another woman to be my mother who not only took care of me, but most importantly, raised me and my siblings in the faith. She used to say that God has a plan for each person, but that the voice of God is not always easily heard. Nonetheless, inspired by my mother's faith, I decided to leave my studies, family, comfort, and start on the path to the priesthood. The time of the seminary has been a period of grace where I have discovered that, despite my weaknesses, I am loved and accepted just as I am.

Gerson

Gerson Garcia

Origin: Los Angeles, California

Year of Study: Itinerancy

Local Parish: Saint Rose of Lima's Parish, Chelsea

I am the second of three siblings born and raised in Los Angeles, California. Although I grew up in a Catholic family attending Mass every Sunday, I felt that I did not know who God was in my life and he was never in my thoughts. I first heard the Lord to the priesthood while attending World Youth Day in 2016. However, my mind at the time was in weightlifting and on becoming a soccer player. As I resisted the call of the Lord, God allowed me to glimpse at life without him and I entered in a big crisis about the meaning of my life. During this time, my Neocatechumenal community played a pivotal role in helping me keep my ears open to the Word of God and I saw the tenderness of the Lord paving a way to help me rediscover him through an experience of true peace, the forgiveness of my sins and an even stronger call from God. Today I am happy the Lord gave me the grace to abandon my worthless projects and to have “chosen the better part” discerning my vocation.

Rafael

Rafael Milla

Origin: Albuquerque, New Mexico

Year of Study: Itinerancy

Local Parish: Immaculate Conception, Marlborough

I was born in Lima, Peru, but at the age of 11,

I moved with my family to Belen, New Mexico. When I was 2 years old, my father died from brain cancer. Although my family was in the Church, in my heart I grew resentful towards God for taking my father away. Growing up, I felt his absence and I sought to fill that void by wanting to be successful. Through school, I got a degree of Master of Architecture, and through the Neocatechumenal Way, I realized that, even though I had lost my father at a young age, God had never lost sight of me and was always present in my life. I got a glimpse of true happiness when out of gratitude to God for his kindness to me, I abandoned my dream of a successful career as an architect to enter the seminary in Boston.

Luca Azzani

Origin: Martinsburg, West Virginia

Year of Study: Configuration

Local Parish: St. Mary of the Assumption, Lawrence

I am the second of five children. I felt the call to the priesthood for the first time when I was 13 years old. I was very young then, so I didn't do anything about it. God confirmed my calling in 2019 when I went to Panama for World Youth Day and, after returning from the pilgrimage, I began a discernment process at my diocese's Vocation Center. Today I am in the seminary, believing that God will clarify to me what this vocation is and how best to prepare myself for the priestly ministry.

Luca

Henry

Henry Seuffert

Origin: Ridgewood, New Jersey

Year of Study: Itinerancy

Local Parish: Immaculate Conception, Marlborough

The reason I entered the seminary was a vocation to the priesthood that I discovered during my pilgrimage to Rome. Even though I felt the call, I was still very young and did not know what to do with it. Later, I received a Word from God that clearly told me to follow Him and gave me the courage to take the risk and begin my formation. What excites me about my calling is studying new topics that I had never heard of before the seminary.

Alexander

Alexander de Tirado

Origin: Miami, Florida

Year of Study: Itinerancy

Local Parish: Immaculate Conception, Marlborough

I entered the seminary because, despite many experiences and various attempts at reaching happiness, I never really felt satisfied. At one point I realized that the only times when I was happy and at peace were when I trusted God. I believe that the seminary is this place where God guiding me and will show me what is his will for me.

Stefano

Rafael Stefano Rubio

Origin: Miami, Florida

Year of Study: Configuration

Local Parish: St. Patrick's Parish, Brockton

I am the second of nine siblings, born in Virginia. In the summer of 2017, my parents were sent as a missionary family to Florida and then given a mission at the Redemptoris Mater Seminary of Miami.

Being a witness of the generosity of my parents and growing up close to the seminarians, I saw firsthand the life of the seminary as I helped my father with the multiple construction projects in the seminary.

The experience of going on pilgrimage to Panama, to Gettysburg, PA, and then to Jerusalem were fundamental to hear the call of the Lord in my life.

One word that particularly enlightened me in the pursuit of my vocation was the parable of the talents, “For to everyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.” These words helped to see that I can have it all, if I only desire God and that God is enough!

Christian Ortez

Origin: El Salvador

Year of Study: Configuration

Local Parish: Immaculate Conception, Revere

I am the oldest of four siblings, raised as a Roman Catholic in El Salvador before migrating with my family to Massachusetts. Before entering the seminary, I studied and worked in finance, carefully charting my path to success. However, after a missionary experience on the streets of Harrisburg, PA (where I was sent without food, clothing, or money), I had a firsthand encounter with God's living word and boundless providence. This experience taught me to trust in God rather than in earthly securities. Along the way, many priests invited me to experience the true fraternity of the priesthood, helping me navigate life and remain steadfast in the faith. This journey culminated in a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, where a vocational call confirmed my path. The Lord is now calling me to stay the course toward a vocation here in Boston, which I now call home.

Christian

Juan

Juan Cano

Origin: Chicago, Illinois

Year of Study: Configuration

Local Parish: St. Joseph's Parish, Lynn

As the third oldest of ten siblings, I grew up surrounded by the Church and immersed in the Neocatechumenal Way, constantly hearing about God. However, even though I never really enjoyed attending church, my parents always insisted I go. This pattern persisted. For years, I felt unengaged and often left without processing or absorbing anything. It wasn't until 2023, when I faced challenges in my life, that I began to listen to God's voice. I saw this especially in how I embraced the WYD pilgrimage to Lisbon. This experience sparked a calling in me and led to a year of discernment about my vocation, which ultimately led me to the seminary.

Rafa Ortiz

Rafael Ortiz, Jr.

Origin: Boston, Massachusetts

Year of Study: Discipleship

Local Parish: Immaculate Conception, Revere

I was born in Boston, Massachusetts, and grew up in Lynn, the second of four siblings born to my Mexican Catholic parents.

When I was seven, I witnessed God's power rebuild my parents’ marriage when they joined the Neocatechumenal Way, and it inspired me to join a community. In 2016, I began my journey within a community, listening to the Word of God and becoming more receptive to God's calling.

Although I had known for a while that the Lord was calling me, during the pilgrimage to New York I saw the Lord confirm my vocation. I felt empowered to explore what the Lord had planned for my life. Now, I am in a period of discernment, seeking God's direction for my future.

Diego A.

Diego Arellano-Ramirez

Origin: Aurora, CO

Year of Study: Discipleship

Local Parish: Immaculate Conception, Revere

I was raised in Aurora, Colorado, as the youngest of three siblings in a Mexican family with two older sisters. As the only boy, I grew up in a nurturing environment shaped by an immigrant mindset: excel in school, believing hard work would lead to success.

My upbringing included attending Catholic school and regularly attending Sunday Mass, mainly because of my mother’s deep faith, which led our family to church each week. However, during my early teenage years, my connection to the church faded. I then focused on soccer, hoping to balance my education while pursuing a career in the sport.

After graduating high school, I intended to move to Europe to pursue college and explore opportunities with local soccer clubs. Yet, during World Youth Day in Portugal, I discovered that true fulfillment came from God, leading me to embrace a calling to the priesthood.

Angel

Angel Velasquez

Origin: San Salvador, El Salvador

Year of Study: Discipleship

Local Parish: Saint Rose of Lima Parish, Chelsea

I am the third of four siblings, born in El Salvador. Growing up, I believed my family didn’t love me, which led me to put myself in risky situations. Although raised in a Catholic environment, I never felt a close bond with God. In 2014, I heard about God’s love, but it seemed unclear and distant.

In 2017, I moved to the United States, believing it was my chance for happiness through money, success, respect, and worldly pleasures. Yet, the more I engaged with the world, the emptier I felt. By 2020, God allowed me to reach rock bottom; even though I had turned away from Him, He “did not abandon me to death.”

In 2023, I returned to the Church, where God rekindled my experience of His love and gave me the grace to abandon my attachments and travel to Denver, CO, for a mission experience. During the 50th anniversary celebration of the Neocatechumenal Way in the United States, I once again felt the Lord confirm my call to the priesthood.

Romeo

Romeo Moises Saucedo

Origin: Denver, CO

Year of Study: Discipleship

Local Parish: St. Joseph's, Lynn

I was born and raised in Denver, Colorado, the second of seven children – so life was rarely quiet and never dull. When my mother converted, our whole family began the adventure of discovering Christ, and that faith took deeper root when we encountered the Neocatechumenal Way. Surrounded by joyful, generous priests, I found myself drawn to their vocation; their witness planted the first seeds of my own call.

As I grew older, however, that desire dimmed, and my faith faded with it. I rebelled, wandered, and forgot much of what the Lord had already done in my life – but He had not forgotten me. At World Youth Day in Lisbon, Portugal, He called me again. There, I heard Pope Francis say, “Do not be afraid.” Those simple words filled me with new hope and opened my heart once more. They invited me to discern my vocation with courage, gratitude, and joy – and ultimately to offer my life and be formed as a priest for the Church.

Christopher

Christopher Matthew Siverio

Origin: Plainfield, NJ

Year of Study: Discipleship

Local Parish: Our Lady of Assumption, Boston

I was born and raised in Plainfield, New Jersey, the youngest of five children. My mother and grandparents planted the seeds of faith, and my older siblings encouraged me to join a Neocatechumenal Way community. There, my relationship with God deepened, and the first stirrings of my vocation began to take shape.

Inspired by my older brother, I answered a call to missionary service, spending a year and a half in Philadelphia with a priest as part of an itinerant mission. A further six months of service in Brooklyn became a decisive time of prayer and discernment, awakening in me the desire to belong more fully to Christ and to explore a call to the priesthood.

During a pilgrimage to Austria, someone dear to me offered words that stayed with me: “Go—you will lose nothing if you risk for the One who loves you.” Trusting in that love, I entered the seminary, where I continue to discern God’s call through prayer, study, and formation.

Alexis

Alexis Garcia Acosta

Origin: Aurora, CO

Year of Study: Propaedeutic

Local Parish: Saint Rose of Lima Parish, Chelsea

I am the oldest of six siblings, born in Colorado. My parents brought me to the Church, but I did not fully understand why. When I was 12, my dad went to a retreat and realized how important it was to marry within the Church. This event brought me closer to the Church and led me to be baptized. Unfortunately, I lacked understanding of my faith and developed vices that drew me farther from the Church. By the end of eighth grade, I had started using drugs. I also grew up resentful toward my parents. Providentially, in 2021, a pilgrimage to Gettysburg brought me my first encounter with the call to the priesthood. As time went on, I forgot about this calling, but I soon rediscovered it on a pilgrimage to Rome during the 2025 Jubilee year, where I heard that I was not rejected for my sins but called to something greater.

Douglas S.

Douglas S. Lopez

Origin: Lynn, MA

Year of Study: Propaedeutic

Local Parish: St. Patrick's Parish, Brockton

I’m Douglas, the second of six siblings, and I grew up in East Boston in a Catholic family. A few years ago, my family joined the Neocatechumenal Way at St. Joseph’s Parish in Lynn. As a teenager, I started asking bigger questions about my life and purpose. A pilgrimage and vocational meeting in New Jersey became a turning point for me. When my pastor asked me to recall a time when I had been truly happy, I immediately thought of past pilgrimages – moments when I felt free to listen to God. Now, I’m grateful to be discerning a call to the priesthood at Redemptoris Mater Seminary.

Emmanuel

Emmanuel Nieto

Origin: Santa Ana, CA

Year of Study: Propaedeutic

Local Parish: St. Mary of the Assumption, Lawrence

I am the fifth of eight siblings and was born in Santa Ana, California. I grew up in the Neocatechumenal Way, with the Church always close to my life. As a middle child, though, I had a little more freedom than some of my brothers and sisters, and I began looking for happiness in the things the world offered. Soon, I discovered that the world left me emptier and with a greater need for fulfillment, not to mention that it brought a lot of suffering. Little by little, I began to realize I was happiest in church, listening to the Word of God, and I began to appreciate my community. In 2022, during a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, I felt the first call to the priesthood. After that, the desire kept growing in my heart. Finally, in 2026, I entered Redemptoris Mater Seminary of Boston.

Esau

Esau Flores

Origin: Garden Grove, CA

Year of Study: Propaedeutic

Local Parish: St. Thomas Aquinas, Jamaica Plain

My name is Esau Flores, the seventh of eight children, from Orange County, California. Although I grew up in a Catholic family, we did not actively practice the faith. My father introduced me to the Church when I was young, but I began taking my Christian life seriously at seventeen. Years later, in a pilgrimage to Rome, I encountered a love I had never known before, a divine love that moved me to share that same love with others. The possibility of priesthood emerged in the summer of 2024, leading to a year of discernment. Though I had planned to complete my studies and pursue a healthcare career, I kept feeling an emptiness that lifted only when I encountered Christ, especially in prayer and the Eucharist. I entered the seminary seeking to trust the Lord and discern His will, one day at a time.

Timothy

Timothy Patrick Sears

Origin: Springfield, MA

Year of Study: Propaedeutic

Local Parish: St. Thomas Aquinas, Jamaica Plain

I am from Springfield, Massachusetts, and am the second of five brothers. My parents raised me in the faith, taking me to Mass, sending me to Catholic school, and to Catholic summer camp. Growing up, I always searched for meaning and happiness, looking for them in my appearance, reputation, accomplishments, relationships, and career. When I finally had many of the things I believed would make me happy, I felt completely empty and out of answers. Then God helped me realize I did not need to earn His love; He loves me exactly as I am, and only He can truly make me happy. This experience made me open to the possibility of giving my life in service to the Church. After discerning with various religious orders and dioceses, I came to recognize that God was calling me to continue my formation through the Neocatechumenal Way.