The Roman Catholic Diocese of Las Vegas

RECENTLY ORDAINED

Rev. Marc Howes

Ordained: May 28, 2004

Currently: Administrator at St. Francis of Assisi

I know of some who recognized their call to the priesthood at a very young age--this was not the case with me.

My first thoughts of the religious life were when I was a junior in high school at Chaparral. I was looking through all of the college literature I had received when I stumbled across a brochure for a college seminary in the Mid-West. It planted a seed as you might say. I thought about priesthood, but quickly discounted it.

At that time, a life of poverty did not fit into my plans of fast cars and a big home. I knew I enjoyed science and math so I pursued a degree in Environmental Engineering because I thought, out of all the engineering disciplines it had more of a social conscience. I knew at that point in my life that a rewarding career for me would be one that helped my fellow man.

While in college, I started to wonder if engineering was my true calling. I had discussions with my mom about my desire to explore other disciplines such as teaching and law. After three years of studying to be an engineer, she gave me the advice to complete my degree and try engineering. If engineering was not my true interest I could then investigate what was truly in my heart. At that point in time I did not fully understand what was missing from engineering. It was not until a year after I graduated from college that God made me aware that it wasn't the profession, but the vocation.

After I had graduated from college I embarked on my career search. Every day I would pray to Saint Joseph that I would find my true vocation and that God would make good use of my talents. After a couple of weeks of praying for Saint Joseph's intercession, I began to think of the priesthood again. I mentioned it to my mom once, but the idea frightened me, so I avoided much discussion. I came up with excuses for why I was not worthy of such a calling: I would be a bad priest, I could not live in poverty, and I was a sinner. Besides my excuses, I wondered if I could give enough of myself to be a good priest. I even tried to strike a deal with God: I asked for six more years, then I would respond.

I knew that I had many questions that needed to be answered before I could even consider responding to God's call. By this time I was a graduate student at UNLV studying structural engineering. I found myself questioning my direction. If God was truly asking me to think of being a servant to his people, why was I studying at UNLV? I began to realize that I was avoiding the subject. I was too scared to talk with anyone about the subject. To talk about it would set into motion the "Priest's Recruiting Service" -- a group of pushy men, like Army/Navy recruiters, bent on meeting quotas -- or so I thought. I was sure that I would be forced into a duffel bag and sent to the nearest seminary, if I opened my mouth.

During this period, I decided to get more involved in my parish, Holy Family. I was asked to be a lector and an extraordinary minister of the Eucharist.

Last October while preparing for Mass, Father Bede asked if I had ever thought of the priesthood. I paused for a moment -- remembering the "Priest's Recruiting Service" and then responded, "Yes." At that point in time my questions had far outweighed my concerns. I now realized that considering the priesthood would not make me an outcast from society. In fact, it was something that had to be discussed openly with my friends and loved ones.

At this point in time, I earnestly believe priesthood is what God is asking of me. I do realize that I have a very long journey ahead of me at the seminary. The seminary will be a place where I can discern God's will. I ask that all of you be an active part of my journey and pray for my fledgling vocation. Thank you for all your prayers and support.


Rev. Ron Zanoni

Ordained: May 21, 2005

Currently: Administrator at St. Peter the Apostle

                  Roman Catholic Church

e-mail: FrRon@stpahend.org  

My vocation story and my spiritual journey are very much intertwined. Soon after I received my first Holy Communion as a young boy, I felt drawn to the Eucharist. Every morning I would ride my bicycle to the convent near my school where I would attend daily Mass. I experienced a deep presence of Christ during those mornings in that little chapel. Also, it was during these times that I first began to see that maybe someday I should become a priest. In fact, I was very sure that was what I wanted to be.

As I grew older, however, I began to push this idea aside. My ideas about what would be a successful and fulfilling life began to change. I still wanted to do something in which I would be helping people, but felt that being a priest would be giving up too much.

In fact, the older I got, the less interested I became in my Catholic faith at all. I basically wanted to live life on my terms, and didn't need God tellling me what to do. I also began to believe that Christianity was "out of date" in a modern "advanced" society. And, like many people of my generation, I became drawn into false ideas of happiness like drugs and sex.

Somehow, though, I was able to get an engineering degree, and in 1982 landed my first job out of college at Nevada Power Company here in Las Vegas. A couple years later, I began to look again at the faith of my youth. Looking back now, I can see that it was God in His mercy drawing me back to Him. Finally, I recommitted my life to Christ (and continue to do so every day).

A few years later, the thoughts of becoming a priest began to surface again. And again, I tried to ignore them. Finally, at the urging of Father Mark Roberts, I began a discernment process with him to determine whether God might be calling me to be a priest. I began to understand that, in a sense God has "prewired" each of us for a particular vocation: to be married, a priest, a religious brother or sister, or single. We need simply to discover which one He is calling us to, and to say "yes" to Him! Then our life will be the most "complete" by following the vocation He has chosen for us.

And so, through this process of discernment, I came to believe that God may indeed be calling me to be a priest. When I came to this realization, I remember thinking of Mary's words to the angel Gabriel: How can this be? Still, I had certain fears which were totally unfounded: everyone--from family to co-workers--has been incredibly supportive.

God is calling others in the Las Vegas Valley to the priesthood. He is faithful in doing the calling; we need to "be not afraid," and say yes!

 

 


 

Rev. Steve Hoffer

Ordained: May 21, 2005

Currently: Parochial Vicar at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

                   Roman Catholic Church 

Family Background:
I was born July 27, 1965, in Muskegon, Michigan. My parents are Robert George Hoffer and Jean Marlene (Bourdo) Hoffer. I am the oldest of five children and have three brothers and a sister all of whom are married. My dad is retired from the City of Grand Haven, Michigan as the manager of the Water Department, and my mom stays at home as a homemaker. My brother Dale, who is a year younger than I am, is married and has four kids. He is the only one of my brothers or sister who changed religions from the Catholic Church to First Christian Reform to match his wife’s religion. Dale works as an electrician and lives in Grand Haven. My sister, Joyce, is two years younger than I. She is married and works as a dental hygienist in Lake City, MI. My brother Dave is four years younger than I. He works as a mechanical engineer in Grand Rapids, MI. My brother Dan is six years younger than I. Dan is a rental merchant and lives in Muskegon, MI. We are a close family and do everything together and get along really well.

Education:
High School: Grand Haven Senior High School, Grand Haven, MI -Graduated June 1983
College: Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI -Sept. 1983 to Feb. 1988.
B.S. Forestry.
Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI -Mar. 1988 to Aug. 1990.
M.S. Forestry

Vocation
It was during my junior year in high school when I first thought about becoming a priest. I thought about it for a while, and then put it out of my mind. During college, the thoughts reappeared and I again put it out of my mind. In the summer of 1987 I began to get serious about the idea and contacted the vocation director for the Diocese of Marquette, Michigan. I stayed in contact with the vocation director and in 1988 decided to pursue the idea of becoming a priest more seriously. I went through the entire application process and then at the end, at my parent’s urging, I decided to wait. They mentioned that I had no real world experience. I went right from high school to college and graduated school. They thought I should wait and gain some real life experience first before pursuing the call to priesthood. So I again put it out of my mind. When I moved to Las Vegas, I thought about the priesthood off and on over a number of years. I became interested and contacted the vocation director for the Diocese of Reno –Las Vegas (Father Tony Vercellone) in 1991. I met with Bishop Walsh who stated I would have to pay off my debts first.

So I started working on that. In August 1993, I listened to a talk by Father Ken Roberts at World Youth Day. It was during his talk that the ideas of becoming a priest resurfaced. I began thinking about the priesthood more. So once again, I contacted the vocation director (Father Pat Learey) for the Diocese of Las Vegas. He suggested that I start taking some philosophy classes at UNLV to help with the pre-theology classes in addition to paying off my debts. So I started on a massive debt reduction plan. I began to investigate different religious orders and different dioceses.

After much prayer and discernment, I feel God is calling me to become a diocesan priest rather than a religious priest. I also feel he is calling me to the Diocese of Las Vegas over the Diocese of Grand Rapids, Michigan. I grew up in the Diocese of Grand Rapids and that is where my family lives, but I really don’t have any ties to the diocese and I don’t know the diocese. I really know the Diocese of Las Vegas and have a lot of support from friends in this area. I feel I really know this diocese, so I decided to apply to become a priest for the Diocese of Las Vegas. Ever since I made the decision to pursue the priesthood my life has been at peace. I feel this is where I am really being called by God to serve him.

Jobs/Careers:
From August 1990 to September 1995 I worked as a remote sensing analyst (satellite and aerial photograph interpretation) for Lockheed Engineering and Sciences Company in Las Vegas, NV. In September 1995, when I was laid off from Lockheed due to the problems with the federal budget.

When I worked at Lockheed, I taught an introductory computer course at Community College of Southern Nevada. I taught at CCSN from September 1992 to May 1995 as an adjunct faculty member. In August 1995, I started teaching full time at CCSN. I taught introductory computer classes, remote sensing and geographic information systems classes. In July 1999, I was granted tenure and began teaching as tenured professor.

While teaching at CCSN, I have had the opportunity to work at Philmont Scout Ranch, Cimarron, NM, as a 28-day Trail Crew Foreman in 1996 and 1997, Associate Director of Conservation in charge of the 28-day Trail Crew Program in 1998 and 1999, and Conservation Surveyor in 2000. These positions were during the summer months.


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