Hometown: Bowling Green, KY
University: Franciscan University of Steubenville
Major: History 
First Promises: July 8th, 2018

Where do you study? Sacred Heart Major Seminary, Detroit, MI

How did you find out about SOLT: When I was a sophomore in college I went on a mission trip to Belize where SOLT serves. I wanted to do mission work after graduating from University and after meeting a priest on a pilgrimage and him recommending that I go to Belize I felt it was a good choice.

How did God call you: I was at a youth retreat (Youth2000) and there was a priest speaking at the end of the retreat. I don't remember what he said or who it was but I just felt I was being called to the priesthood at that moment. It took several years after this for me to really decide to pursue this path. 

Favorite part of mission life: My favorite part of mission life is being able to serve those in need and also being with others that desire to follow Christ.

Hometown: Raytown, MO
University: University of Nebraska 
Graduate School: University of Missouri 
Major: Music
First Promises: July 9th, 2017 

Where do you study? Sacred Heart Major Seminary, Detroit, MI

How did you find out about SOLT: My mom was a lay member of SOLT in the 1970's and 1980's, so our family was always close to the community when I was growing up.

How did God call you: After graduation from grad school I was working as a violin teacher and truly trying to grow in the spiritual life and my life of faith.  I felt God calling me to do more with my life so I joined several parish ministries and helped with fundraisers for the SOLT Montessori school in Kansas City.  But I always felt that no matter what I did, God was calling me to do more.  Then, two unlikely people within the span of the same week asked me if I had ever considered the priesthood.  After a powerful experience of the Lord's presence seemingly confirming this vocation, I discerned the call and joined SOLT a year later as aspirant to the priesthood.

Favorite part of mission life: Teaching kids

Hometown:  Baltimore, Maryland
University:  Franciscan University of Steubenville 
Major:  Catechetics and Theology
Ordination: July 18th, 2020
Where do you serve?  St. Ann's Mission on Turtle Mountain Reservation in Belcourt, North Dakota

How did you find out about SOLT:  I visited the SOLT mission in Belize in 2009 on a spring break mission trip with Franciscan University. I knew a few Franciscan grads who were missionary volunteers at the mission and when they showed me where they ate, where they lived, where they served, and introduced me to their students, I was sold. It was the kind of simple radical Gospel living that I was attracted to. I knew then that I wanted to volunteer at the SOLT mission in Benque Viejo.

How did God call you: God called me in a variety of ways. I had had faint invitations to a deeper calling to the priesthood and/or religious life since middle school after reading about the life of St. Francis of Assisi, St. Faustina, and Mother Teresa, but they were so faint that I could easily put them out of my mind and ignore them, thinking that I had made them up myself. This continued in small ways in high school and in college even as my prayer life grew. I fell in love with mission work in high school and college serving on short-term mission trips in Jamaica (2002, 2006, 2009), New Mexico (2008), Colorado (2008), and Belize (2009). But it was while in Belize that I felt God calling me to really give of myself completely. I loved the students and I loved laying my life down for them. All I wanted was for them to know that God loved them and for them to fall in love with God. The more I gave of my life, the more joy I found. The more I saw my students receive the sacraments, the happier I became. This showed me that I could be happy giving my life to teaching people about Jesus and walking with them as they sought Jesus in the sacraments. But the invitation to the priesthood that I could not ignore came on my way to World Youth Day in Madrid in 2011. The Lord spoke to me in a very clear way in Rome at St. Peter's Basilica and I knew that he wanted me to be a priest. Those faint invitations now became clear, and I could not deny them. After a year of seminary with the Archdiocese of Baltimore, the Lord showed me that it was through my missionary experiences that I found my place within the life of the Church and in the Body of Christ, specifically my time with SOLT. I am very close to my family and grew up in community and so joining SOLT with priests, brothers, sisters, lay volunteers and lay families was a natural familial fit.

Favorite part of mission life: Serving with children, youth, and young adults and teaching people about the Word of God.

Hometown: Burlington, Ontario, Canada
University: University of Notre Dame
Major: Bachelor of Finance and Sociology
Ordination: July 14th, 2009
Where do you serve now: Divine Mercy Church, Belize City; San Pedro RC Church, San Pedro Town, Belize.

How did you find out about SOLT: I met the SOLT providentially while on pilgrimage in Europe. 

How did God call you: I believe it was through Our Blessed Mother's intercession that the call was coordinated in a way that would get my attention.  I was working in Commercial Real Estate with CB Richard Ellis, with the leading brokers of the area while growing in daily prayer and frequently receiving the sacraments.  I was very content with life, and had plans to settle in Sacramento, CA. Soon after the promise of Carmelite nuns to pray for me and during a period of repeated, and more frequent, but undeniable internal movements to love God in a more radical way than I was, there were three significant encounters, within a week, with persons reminding me of my invitation to the priesthood. These encounters impacted me in such a way that I made arrangements to sell my car, found a replacement for my lease agreement, and left my job to begin a very different way of following Our Lord.  I have never regretted that decision. 

Favorite part of mission life: A beautiful sunset at the end of a day of encountering our Lord in his service!

Hometown: Tabaco City, Albay, Philippines
University: Holy Rosary Seminary, Naga City
Major: Philosophy
Date of Ordination: September 28th, 2013 
Where do you serve now: SOLT Regionalate, Putiao, Pilar, Sorsogon

How did you meet SOLT: On the island where SOLT serves.

How did God call you: I was inspired by the people in the Island.

Favorite part of mission life: Being with the people in the remote areas.

Hometown: Beaumont, Texas

University: Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas

Major: Biomedical Engineering

Date of Ordination: Priestly Ordination (May 31st, 2014), Diaconate Ordination (July 16th, 2013), Perpetual Promises (July 13th, 2013).

Where do you serve? Dunseith, North Dakota

How did you meet SOLT: I attended a New Evangelization Retreat at the Ark in Pensacola, Florida that was led by Fr. James Flanagan on Aug. 26-28, 2005. (Hurricane Katrina passed by us on Aug. 29 and trapped us together for three extra days.)

How did God call you: After a an Aggie Awakening Retreat (a College version of a Cursillo) during my Junior year of College in 2000...I had a personal encounter with Christ that He asked me to be His priest. This experience began a 7 year discernment period which included various ministries and groups in Houston, including the 2005 SOLT retreat, that led to leaving everything to go to Belize in 2006.

Favorite part of mission life: Teaching! Whether it is Bible Study or RCIA or a Homily...I love learning, researching & understanding our Catholic faith...just so that I can teach it to a group and see them come alive with excitement!

Hometown: Legazpi City

University: Angelicum Pontifical University, Rome 

Major: Biblical & Spiritual Theology

Ordination: January 13, 1994

Where do you serve now: Trinitas Home for Contemplation

How did you meet SOLT: Through F. Thomas Gier

How did God call you: Through a friend

Favorite part of mission life: Preaching

Hometown: Detroit, Michigan
University: Oakland University (Rochester, MI) 1983, McGeorge School of Law (Sacramento, CA) 1986 Juris Doctor and 1987 Latin Laws Master in Business and Taxation.
Major: B.A. with a major in Political Science and a minor in International Management Juris Doctor and 1987 Latin Laws Master in Business and Taxation.
Ordination: July 10th, 2004
Where do you serve? I serve as Vocations Director and Director of Formation for the Clerical Association for the American Region of SOLT.

How did you find out about SOLT: I found out about SOLT through the preaching and missions of a SOLT priest

How did God call you: I was called to the Eternal High Priesthood of Jesus Christ through a Saint Paul type of conversion on the Vigil of the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception in 1993. I know what Our Lady did for this lost soul. At that time I was given the grace to pray one of the most powerful prayers of my life: “God help me” and to mean it from my heart. Everything changed from there as the journey began and continues to this day.

Favorite part of mission life: Every part of Mission is truly full of awe and wonder. It is the most demanding and challenging way of life. It is also the most rewarding and fruitful way of life. To be an instrument in the hands of God as He works miracles in the lives of His people is beyond describing with words.

Hometown: San Mateo, Isabela, Philippines

University: Our Lady of Angels Seminary in Novaliches, Quezon City; Holy Rosary Major Seminary in Concepcion, Naga City

Major: Bachelor in Philosophy at Our Lady of Angels Seminary in Novaliches, Quezon City in 1995 and Bachelor in Theology at Holy Rosary Major Seminary in Concepcion, Naga City in 2003

First Promises: May 3, 1996

Final Promises: February 17, 2004

Ordination to Diaconate: April 1, 2004 at Mary the Queen Parish, Fairview, Quezon City Philippines

Ordination to the Priesthood: April 8, 2005 at Holy Family Parish, Putiao, Pilar, Sorsogon Philippines

Where do you serve now: Good Shepherd Parish, Tabaga, Nebilyer, Mount Hagen Papua New Guinea

How did you meet SOLT: In 1989, when I was in high school, I came to know the SOLT through Rev. Fr. Tom Gier. SOLT who, at that time, was the Pastor of Holy Cross Parish in Amparo Subdivision, Caloocan City, Philippines. In 1991, I joined the SOLT after my second year of college, wile I was studying Accounting. I did not finish because I felt called by the Lord to join the SOLT Summer Aspirancy Program in April of 1991.

How did God call you: When I was in third grade, as told by best by my mom, I would role-play the part of the priest in our house. That vocational call, that started in my younger years, grew when I became a member of the Knights of Altar in our parish. I was a member from the sixth grade through my second year in college at while at Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Parish in Tala, Caloocan City, Philippines. My vocation grew because of my active involvement in parish activities.

Favorite part of mission life: My favorite part of mission life at the SOLT mission at Mount Hagen is the mission itself. It is such a grace to be assigned in a remote and mountainous areas with the least of our brothers and sisters. I love to be with them, to live with the people and serve them. I was assigned in Mount Hagen, Papua New Guinea in 2008. It has been 12 years already and I’m looking forward to continuing to serve the people in the frontier.

Hometown: Tampa, Florida
University: Franciscan University of Steubenville and Holy Apostles
Major: Psychology/Theology, Philosophy/Humanities
Ordination: May 25th, 1996
Where do you serve? Most Holy Redeemer, Detroit, MI 

How did you find out about SOLT: I found out about SOLT from a friend, Hubert Hey, now deceased. He was a wonderful older gentleman, who looked into the Society for a while. I then went to Holy Apostles, unsponsored, and found the Society there, with about 20 seminarians at the time. At the end of my first year there, I met Fr. Flanagan, who was just returning from the Philippines; this would have been in the Spring of 1990. I joined the community the following fall semester. 

How did God call you: The Lord first called me, you could say, from near atheism to a firmer belief in Him. It became clear to me, later, that there might be a call to the priesthood. I tested this once, by asking the Lord to show me 3 times, through the scriptures, that this was what He wanted of me. He answered, but I was still not convinced. Later, I found the desire to be a priest growing within me, without knowing how. I asked the Lord again, a year after the first time, to confirm this through  the scriptures, and when I opened the Bible and pointed, with my eyes closed, I landed on the verse from Hebrews: "You are a priest forever..." As I said, the desire to be a priest kept growing, from being non-existent, to being a possibility, to being a probability, to being the only thing I could imagine doing.

Favorite part of mission life: I love, above all, to celebrate the Mass, and to proclaim God's word to His people. I love also, working with the poor, who have so much faith, with the needy, who are special to God. 

Hometown: George Town, Grand Cayman
University: Franciscan University of Steubenville
Major: French and Theology
Ordination: May 31st, 2014
Where do you serve? Nuevo Laredo, Mexico

How did you find out about SOLT: I met SOLT through my sister, Sr. Maria Stella Maris, SOLT

How did God call you: God called me in many and varied ways.

Favorite part of mission life: You never get the same thing two days in a row.

Hometown: Grand Rapids, Michigan

University: Grand Valley State University, Aquinas College, Franciscan University of Steubenville, Holy Apostles Seminary

Ordination: June 3, 1995

Where do you serve now: St. Gertrude Church, Mora, New Mexico, where SOLT began in 1958

How did God call you:  I was teaching high school religion at a Catholic School in Michigan in 1987 when I was discerning a deep calling toward priesthood. It was in the month of May and I was praying a novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help asking for a sign to reveal the Lord’s Will. I actually prayed the Novena once and did not discern a sign, so I prayed the novena a second time and received a clear sign. The sign was this: I had asked one of the priests at the parish where I was serving if he would talk to all my classes about the scapular. At the end of the day, as I was walking back with him to the rectory, he asked me, “Are you thinking about becoming a priest?” I had told no one about my discerning the call toward priesthood. By the grace of God I am now a priest for 25 years.

Favorite part of mission life:  My favorite part of mission life is bringing families into a deeper relationship with the Lord, especially through the sacraments, and especially through the Sacrament of Marriage.

Hometown: Fredericksburg, TX

University: Texas Lutheran and Texas A&M

Major: English and Spanish

First Promises: May 31, 2012

Final Promises: July 10, 2017

Where are you serving? Most Holy Trinity Parish in Phoenix, Arizona

How did you find out about SOLT: several SOLT friends, Anthony Whistler, Fr Michael Slovak, Paul and Mary Boldy and Family, and Maureen Broughton

How did God call you: through The Sacred Scriptures!!!

Favorite part of mission life: Community Life!!!

Name: Br. Adam Schmitzer, SOLT

Hometown: Logan, Ohio

First Promises: July 12, 2020

How did you find out about SOLT? I found out about SOLT when I discovered a prayer card that was left in the back of an adoration chapel which was printed by community.

How did God call you? One of the ways God directed me to religious life was through the story of the rich young man:  The young man said to him, “I have kept all these; what do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” Mt 19: 20-21

Favorite part of mission life: My favorite part of mission life is the underlying goal of pursuing God through the works and prayers it involves.

Hometown: Rockville, MD 

University: University of Maryland, College Park

Major: Government and Politics, and Economics

First Promises: July 2019

Where do you study? I study at Sacred Heart Major Seminary, Detroit, Michigan.

How did you find out about SOLT: I found about SOLT through volunteering with their high school in Benque Viejo Belize. I graduated college wanting to improve my Spanish and/or find a strong Catholic community and environment. After speaking with an acquaintance of Deacon Dave Brooke and Deacon himself (a brother at the time), I was convinced to go to Belize.

How did God call you: God called me through the relationships of those I worked with, worked for, or lived with.

Favorite part of mission life: Community life of parish or mission 

Hometown: Springfield, MO

University: Missouri State University

Major: Culinary Arts

First Promises: July 17th, 2013

Final Promises: July 19th, 2018

Where do you serve? St. Anthony of Padua, Robstown, TX.

How did you find out about SOLT: St. Ann’s Summer Camp in Belcourt, ND

How did God call you: After serving in several Youth Ministry positions, the Holy Spirit was moving me to draw close to Jesus and His cross in a more intimate way of pray and service to His Church as a Brother.

Favorite part of mission life: Teaching our youth about our Catholic Faith, Sacraments, and Relationship Jesus.

Hometown: Puebla, Mexico

First Promises: July 9, 2017

Where do you serve? Most Holy Redeemer Parish, Detroit, Michigan

How did you find out about SOLT: I found out about SOLT through my home parish in Phoenix, Arizona.

How did God call you: God called me when I was invited to a discernment dinner, on January 26, 2015; it was there that I heard a religious brother from the Crosier Fathers & Brothers community sharing his vocation story and how God had called him to discern his vocation as a religious brother. When the brother was sharing all the things he did in his community, all of a sudden, my heart stared burning and pounding, to the point that I felt that it was about to come out of my chest. Something deep inside me was telling me to ask the priest who was sitting at my table to ask him if they had religious brothers in his community. I asked him and right away he said yes. He was a SOLT priest.  

Favorite part of mission life: My favorite part of mission life is serving God’s people.