Called by God: Meet Three Alumni in Jesuit Formation for Priesthood

This story appears in the Spring 2024 issue of Regis Magazine.

In 2015, David Said, SJ, ’14 was a sophomore at Georgetown with plans to attend medical school after graduation. A friend had gotten him a ticket to see Pope Francis speak on Capitol Hill during his visit to the United States, and Said quickly accepted. Said says that at the time, he “wasn’t so deep” in his faith, other than going to Mass on Sundays. But something changed in him that day.

“There was something about Pope Francis’s presence,” recalls Said. “Just seeing his example and being in his presence rekindled the faith that was always within me that never really left.”

Today, Said is one of three Regis alumni currently in Jesuit formation for priesthood, a process that can take up to 12 years. The process includes two years of Novitiate and seven to 10 years of academic studies and pastoral work in preparation for ordination. A Jesuit scholastic’s journey continues with additional years of ministerial work, professional studies, and a year of preparation for Final Vows.

During his time at Regis and working at the REACH Program in Scranton, Said got to know history teacher Rev. Arthur Bender, SJ, ’67; Rev. James Croghan, SJ, then the Interim President of Regis; and Rev. Mario Powell, SJ, then the Director of REACH. Said says that while he wasn’t yet considering entering the Jesuits at the time, each of these men left an impression on him.

“They seemed genuinely joyful in what they're doing,” remembers Said. “I didn’t have an inside look at what their day looks like exactly minute by-minute, but just based on what they were doing and how they worked, there seemed to be a real joy there.”

Said, who is currently in the Regency stage of his formation and teaching at Xavier High School, had also considered becoming a diocesan priest, but he was ultimately drawn to the Jesuit order.

“I was just really drawn to the mission and this idea, which is both scary but also very inviting and exciting, of being able to be sent anywhere, of being sent to the margins,” he said.

Brian Engelhart, SJ, ’12, who is also in the Regency stage of his formation and teaching at Cristo Rey Atlanta Jesuit High School, recalls reading a book by Rev. James Martin, SJ, in which Martin described his day-to-day life during the Novitiate stage of formation. During the Novitiate, Jesuits take part in four fundamental experiences: a month of Spiritual Exercises, a month of service in a hospital, an extended time serving in a Jesuit ministry while living in community, and a pilgrimage in poverty.

“It was a crystal clear picture of like, oh, that's how I would like to spend my time,” said Engelhart, who at the time was studying electrical engineering at Villanova. “It took a few months before I realized that the thought wasn't going away, because as attractive as that idea was, there was a little bit of like, I didn't ask for this. I was hoping to just find an easy way to graduate from college and find a nice, comfortable, simple life as soon as possible. But when I realized it wasn't going away, I started to look into it, and I reached out to the vocation office and went from there.”

Rev. Philip Florio, SJ, Director of Vocations for the USA East Province, says that for some, God can be like a “nagging puppy who is constantly nipping at your heels to get you to pay attention” and that individuals should pay attention to the signs all around them.

“God's call can sometimes be very subtle, and other times it can be extremely dramatic,” said Florio.

He says that the vast majority of men entering the Jesuits are between 22 and 32 years old, drawn to the order’s mission-focused spirituality and the community life that Jesuits are a part of. He said it’s common for students to reach out to the Jesuits, as Said and Engelhart did, but the Jesuits also encourage individuals to get some life experience.

“We tend to encourage young men in high school to go to college,” said Florio. “A number of college students belong to discernment groups, but we also encourage them to be college kids at the same time.”

Melvin Rayappa, SJ, ’08, who is currently in his second of three years of theology studies and hopes to be ordained a priest in June 2025, says that his time at Regis was an opportunity for him to grow spiritually, especially during the retreats he attended, even if he didn’t know quite yet that he’d choose a religious life as
a Jesuit.

“In those teenage years, you're on the cusp of being a child versus being an adult,” said Rayappa. “I appreciated that Regis didn't really answer the questions for me but gave me the space to struggle with some of these questions about my faith and what it means to be an adult. I appreciate the structures and the resources that helped push me towards this good direction in my life.”