What is your summer assignment?
Simon Nguyen: My summer assignment is at St. Peter Chanel in Roswell. This is actually my second summer assignment. My last assignment was at Holy Vietnamese Martyrs in Norcross. These two parishes are completely different, but they share one thing in common and that is they are both humongous. At St. Peter Chanel, I will be serving mass and will be working with the religious ed. department.
Sean Lee: This summer I have the unique pleasure to be assigned to two different parishes, St. Catherine of Laboure in Jefferson and St. Joseph in Athens. These two parishes are both served by 3 priests who live in community with each other. This has been an amazing summer so far being a part of a community of priests who work together to serve the many families of St. Catherine’s and St. Joseph’s. My main responsibilities this summer are: working at a local St. Vincent dePaul thrift shop, serving at Mass, and helping in the office.
Alan Salazar: This summer I’m assigned to St. Theresa of the Child Jesus in Douglasville (a few exits past Six Flags). So far, this has been an awesome assignment! I have the privilege of getting to know the many diverse cultures this area has to offer. The pastor, Fr. Joe is such a great mentor! We mostly spend our time talking about Star Wars and other theological topics. I am helping the parish re-open to the public for masses, adoration, confessions, etc.
Sean Crepin: This summer I am assigned to the Saint Charles Borromeo House (our seminarian formation house in Sandy Springs) studying Spanish and helping at Hispanic parishes on the weekend. Myself and three other seminarians were supposed to spend the summer in Guatemala on a Spanish Immersion program, however due to COVID-19 we were unable to go. Despite the changes to life and social distancing this summer, it has been an amazing experience in fraternity and living in community with our vocation director and other seminarians at the Borromeo House.
Matthew Howard: This summer I am at Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans. I am currently going through a three-week retreat focusing on taking on that priestly spirituality that we are called to have in priesthood. Following those three weeks, we will enter into a four-week program that is more apostolate-focused, while at the same time doing spirituality classes with the focus of having a more personal and intimate prayer relationship with the Father, as modeled by Jesus Christ.
What are you looking forward to with your summer assignment?
Simon Nguyen: I’m looking forward to meeting and getting to know the faithful parishioners of St. Peter Chanel (even though they can only see one third of my face). I’m also looking forward to learning and seeing what life is like in ministry. Finally, I would like to interact with the youth and be able to share my vocation story with them and assist them in finding out what God is calling them to do.
Sean Lee: I am looking forward to serving and getting to know the people of St. Joseph’s and St. Catherine’s, learning what it is like to live in community and serve the people of God, even through a pandemic. With many of the summer activities being cancelled, I will however, have the opportunity to serve at Camp Hidden Lake in July which I am really looking forward too.
Alan Salazar: Unfortunately, almost all of the summer events that occur ordinarily every year have been either cancelled or postponed. Fortunately, as our parishes have begun to re-open we expect to catch up on all the Baptisms and First Communions in the coming weeks. I am looking forward to these unique experiences the most! I have been able to work on some projects for the parish as well. One of them is a summer video podcast for the youth that aims to evangelize important topics & themes during this time of uncertainty.
Sean Crepin: I’m looking forward to serving the Hispanic faithful of the Archdiocese in whatever way I can during this time, as well as learning more about Hispanic culture. The language may be a similarity, however the Mexican, Columbian, Guatemalan or Venezuelan cultures are very different. I hope by the end of the summer my self-confidence in speaking Spanish and interacting with the faithful will increase.
Matthew Howard: I am looking forward to seeing what the apostate work will be like, in light of what we have been taking on during our retreat. Alongside that, I am looking forward to getting to know the other guys who are in the program better and to walk along together in becoming disciples of Jesus Christ.
Simon Nguyen will begin his second year of college seminary at St. Joseph College Seminary in Covington, LA this year. He is funny and a good soccer player. Read more about Simon Nguyen.
Sean Lee will finish his fourth and last year of college seminary at St. Joseph College Seminary this fall. Sean is one of the most reliable and helpful seminarians, and he is the youngest of three brothers. Read more about Sean Lee.
Alan Salazar just finished Theology I at Notre Dame seminary and will be on pastoral year this coming year. One of the more tenured seminarians, Alan has a great pastoral heart for the people of Atlanta. Alan also loves singing louder than anyone else in Church. Read more about Alan Salazar.
Sean Crepin will continue his second year of theology at St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary in Boynton Beach, FL. From Trinidad and Tobago, a former Lifeteen missionary, and lived in Haiti for a couple years, Sean is confident, great at improv, and loves the liturgy. Read more about Sean Crepin.
Matthew Howard just finished his second year of theology and will be on pastoral year this coming year. Also known as “Matty Ice,” Matthew is introverted and loves reading philosophy, but also loves hanging with the boys. Read more about Matthew Howard.