Fr Stephen is from a small town called Reddick, IL, about an hour and a half south of Chicago. The town has about 250 people and is in the middle of the corn fields. There are seven kids in his family: six boys and one girl. His sister is the second and he is the third oldest. Now they are spread out all over the USA: in Florida, Illinois, Maryland, South Carolina, Montana, and Nevada.

Ever since Fr Stephen was a kid he loved sports, especially basketball, and either wanted to be a professional athlete or a soldier. In the end God called him to be a spiritual soldier, so he joined the Legion in 1989. He was 13 then and entered the apostolic school (school for boys thinking of the priesthood) in New Hampshire. Fr Stephen says, “Despite my natural fears and sadness of leaving my family, that was the happiest day of my life (along with my priestly ordination)! I knew God was calling me to a great mission of helping save souls all over the world, and I knew the Legion was the place. This of course was a grace from God.”

Since he joined the Legion, Fr Stephen has been in formation in NH, CT, and Rome, and done internship in NH, ON (Canada), and CA. Since his ordination on 22 December 2007, he has done priestly ministry in France and Quebec. Fr Stephen says, “It was a life changing experience over the past four years working in Montreal. I helped in a private school called Selwyn House, and part time in St. Leo parish in Westmount, all the while building our spiritual family of Regnum Christi.”

In his spare time Fr Stephen likes to play hockey, do physical work around the house, and read biographies, books on mentoring, and books on the spiritual life or lives of the saints.

“What I love most with the Regnum Christi members, whether it be Legionaries, consecrated, or lay people, is to see how we all share in a common vocation and mission. We truly are a spiritual family and share the same charism inspired by God. I love to work together in communion as a family, and I believe this is the only effective way to fulfill our mission. Each one of us has a very important and particular role for the good of the whole family and ultimately for the good of the Church. I look forward to continuing this great mission now with you in the Tristate area,” shares Fr Stephen.

November 2015