Four Loyola Graduates Pursue Priesthood This Year

BY JORDAN HARRIS

The mission of the Theological Department of Loyola College Prep is to help students build a better understanding of the Catholic faith; to help students develop strong Christian morals, compassion, and conscience; and to prepare effective leaders of the Church, ready to witness the Gospels to the world.

As Shreveport-Bossier’s only Catholic private high school, Loyola College Prep integrates faith and its Catholic identity into everything they do. With weekly Mass, religion courses for each grade, and opportunities to give back to the community through service hours, Loyola is committed to following the mission: “To create men and women of conscience, character and compassion, continuing the Jesuit Catholic tradition of discipline, academic excellence, student involvement and faith in action for ‘The Greater Glory of God’.”

Not only does Loyola prepare students to be men and women for others, but a primary focus of the theology department is to help students build a better understanding of the Catholic faith.

Today four Loyola graduates are in seminary at the same time: Kelby Tingle ‘15, Matthew Vitacca ‘16, Benjamin Haddock ’17 and Nathan Lirette ‘21.

“We are incredibly proud of Kelby, Matthew, Benjamin and Nathan, and it is an honor to have four graduates in the seminary at the same time,” said John LeBlanc, Loyola College Prep Principal. “They are all great men who will be incredible leaders in the Catholic Church. They are all shining examples of what it means to be a Flyer, and we are humbled they chose Loyola for their high school education.”

Loyola Chaplain Father Raney Johnson said seminarians need to have developed a prayer life before entering the seminary. Catholic schools help build this foundation for students.

“Loyola helps to form young men in the spiritual life by giving them an environment in which they can pray and learn about their faith,” he said. “Seminarians are also rooted in the sacraments, especially the sacraments of Eucharist and Penance. Loyola prepares students discerning entering the seminary by giving them the opportunity to attend Mass each week and allowing them to have frequent access to Confession. In a sense, Loyola is not only a preparatory school for college but also a preparatory school for seminary.” These four men share how Loyola College Prep helped prepare them for seminary and how their experience in high school helped build and strengthen their Catholic faith.

Kelby Tingle ‘15

Pontifical North American College, Rome

“As a proud graduate of Loyola, I often reflect on my four years of studying on Jordan Street with great fondness. I am grateful for the wonderful friendships that were fostered on the school’s campus and the many ways that Loyola prepared me for further education. Most importantly, I am beyond thankful for the instrumental role that Loyola played regarding my faith journey.

Loyola not only assisted me in arriving at a greater knowledge of the Lord from an intellectual point, but also on a personal and relational level. The religion classes allowed me to come to a deeper recognition and love for the Lord Jesus Christ and the teachings of the Catholic Church, which He established for our sake. In a special way, I experienced the beauty of the faith through serving at the altar during the weekly Mass. During my senior year, I remember going to school early, even an hour before the first bell, to spend time praying before the Blessed Sacrament in the school’s chapel. These seemingly simple and ordinary moments with the Lord were truly life-changing since they were the means by which the Lord revealed Himself to me and His call in my life.

Now, as I look back on six years of formation to the holy priesthood and as I look forward to being ordained soon, God willing, I see clearly the blessing that Loyola has been, and continues to be, in my life and in my quest for holiness.”

Matthew Vitacca ‘16

Notre Dame Seminary, New Orleans

“I first began to feel that God might be calling me to the priesthood during the summer between my freshman and sophomore years of high school. While this feeling started as a whisper, it was nourished and soon began to grow during the years I spent at Loyola College Prep. Attending Loyola gave me the opportunity to receive a quality education that was anchored in the Roman Catholic tradition. Through the religion classes, the weekly school Masses, and the time I spent talking to and serving Mass with Fr. Peter, my knowledge of the Church and my faith life began to deepen.

Through the countless hours I spent on the soccer field, and the trips I would go on for Science Bowl competitions, I learned how to be a leader and a strong team player. Through Flyers Aiding the Hungry (F.Ai.T.H.) and the service hour requirement, I learned the importance of assisting those who are in need. And through my teachers, priests, coaches, and friends, I learned how to be a better man. I am currently studying at Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans, and I am loving every minute of it. I truly believe that the academic and spiritual foundation I received at Loyola played an integral part in my ability to discern God’s call in my life. And if it is God’s desire for me to become one of His priests, I pray that I will be able to serve as chaplain at Loyola one day, so that I may have the privilege to minister at the school which made me into the person I am today.”

Benjamin Haddock ‘17

Mount St. Mary’s Seminary (seminarian for the Diocese of Arlington)

“My faith life definitely grew while I attended Loyola in Shreveport. I was undeniably prepared for college and further discernment of God’s call in my life. I enjoyed studying biology in high school and continued to do so at the university, but without a clear purpose for my life. Thanks to a wonderful Catholic community, I grew to love the Church and serving God’s people; along with that came a desire to spend my life according to the path He ordained. Through prayer, I asked Him to show me this path, and I inexorably returned to the idea of entering the priesthood.

My favorite quotation, surprisingly not from the Bible, is of Takeshi Shudo: “I see now that the circumstances of one’s birth are irrelevant. It is what you do with the gift of life that determines who you are.” Holy men and women throughout history have likely thought much the same, but our world today desperately needs the life of sacramental grace offered by the Catholic Church as I was taught at Loyola and found modeled in our chaplain and many a priest. Priests are the ones with the sacred duty to bring this grace to their flocks. In short, I want to share Jesus with the world, not just in the Word, but in the flesh, in the Eucharist. I am grateful to the Loyola community, and I look forward to taking on the mission and identity of Christ in a radical way and coming to know and love Christ and finding Him in our brothers and sisters throughout the world.”

Nathan Lirette ‘21

St. Joseph Seminary, Covington, LA

My four years at Loyola greatly impacted my discernment to attend seminary. The theology and tradition taught me about my religion and allowed me to better understand my faith. I could have never made my decision without this proper religious education. The great many teachers and mentors I had at Loyola aided in my discernment. The teachers cared very deeply about me and really pushed me to be better every day. The great life lessons they taught me helped mold me into who I am today. Without those great mentors, my discernment would have been much more difficult and cumbersome. I owe much to these great men and women that helped me along this path and, I cannot thank them enough for all they have done for me.”

Please pray for these four young men as they continue their discernment of the priesthood. If you would like to send them letters or birthday cards, please visit www.dioshpt.org/meet-our-seminarians for their addresses and birthdays.