Scholastics
 Dennis Baker, S.J.
Buffalo, NY
Dennis, 28, is an alumnus of Canisius High School, Fordham University, and Niagara University. During both his undergrad years and graduate school, he studied in Ireland. After two years of teaching, he entered the Society in 2004. During his novitiate, he was missioned to Xavier High School in Micronesia. His interests include sports, barbecues, and things redheaded. (New York Province) |
 Ravi Budhooram, S.J.
Jamaica, West Indies
(New England Province) |
Julian Climaco, S.J.
Cebu, Philippines
Julian, 33, was born in Cebu, Philippines and grew up in Los Angeles, CA. Before entering the Society, he worked for eight years as a Registered Nurse with specializations in cardiac intensive care and occupational health. He also served as a music director at his local parish and sang with several choirs in the Greater Los Angeles area, San Francisco, and New York City, including once with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Esa-Pekka Salonen. As a Jesuit novice, Julian worked at the Spokane Reservation in Wellpinit, WA, the L’Arche Community of Seattle, and Campus Ministry at Santa Clara University. He is currently completing his last year of studies in philosophy and music at Fordham while endeavoring to help others find God. His interests include classical music, spirituality, reading, and aviation. (California Province) |
 Ryan Duns, S.J.
Cleveland, OH
Ryan, 28, decided to forsake the rock-star life of an Irish accordion player in order to join the Society in 2004. As a Jesuit he has taught kindergarten, worked at the Little Wind River Reservation, taught remedial mathematics at the University of Detroit-Mercy, and spent his Long Experiment doing CPE at Loyola Medical Center in Chicago. Prior to entrance, Ryan earned a BA at Canisius College and an MA at John Carroll University. He enjoys teaching and performing Irish music and cooking. (Detroit Province) |
 Avery Gray, S.J.
Jamaica, West Indies
Avery, 24, entered the Society of Jesus in 2005. Prior to the Society, Avery worked as an Entertainment Reporter for Reggaetimes Magazines, balanced with the position of Roulette table manager at Monte Carlo Casino and Gaming.
As a Jesuit, he co-led a literacy program and served as Chaplin to the South Camp Rehabilitation Centre, taught primary education at St. Ann’s Primary, and worked with the Missionaries of Charity in Kingston, Jamaica. He studied Spanish while working at the Amanecer orphanage in Bolivia and taught RCIA classes during his time among the Anishinabe on the Wickwemikong Reserve in Ontario, Canada. Avery’s hobbies include the visual arts (painting, drawing, architecture, fashion), snorkeling, tennis, watching soccer, playing cricket, and reading. (New England Province) |
Brad Held, S.J.
Slinger, WI
Brad, 24, grew up northwest of Milwaukee in Slinger, Wisconsin. He attended Marquette University earning a BA in Political Science. After graduating from Marquette, he entered the Jesuit Novitiate in Saint Paul, MN in August 2006. During novitiate, Brad spent time as a teacher and tutor in a Northeast Minneapolis Catholic School, spent a month at The Arch (L’Arche) in Clinton, IA, pilgrimaged for one month tracing Jesuit mission history in Maryland and Pennsylvania, and ministered on the staff of Ss. Peter and Paul Parish in Mankato, MN. He professed first vows in August 2008 and has since been in studies at Ciszek Hall. (Wisconsin Province) |
 Joseph Hill, S.J.
Scottsdale, AZ
Joe, 26, after spending his childhood years in Arizona, moved to England at aged 9. He attended Stonyhurst College, a Jesuit boarding school in the north of England. He graduated from the University of Oxford with a BA in Theology. At college, he played rugby for the Oxford under 21 team, and was captain of St. Benet’s Hall boat club. He spent one year in Rome, Italy, doing further studies in theology at the Gregorian University. In 2004 he entered the Society. As a Jesuit he has been missioned to McAllen, Texas, to work at a Hispanic parish; to Mobile, Alabama to live at a L’Arche community; and to Tijuana, Mexico to help at the Casa de los Pobres. He enjoys playing all sports, reading literature, and spending time with friends. (New Orleans Province) |
 John Hough, S.J.
Clinton, OK
John, 25, grew up in a small town in western Oklahoma. He graduated in 2006 with a B.A. from the University of Oklahoma, where he majored in Letters, an interdisciplinary program with requirements in literature, history, and philosophy. He entered the Society of Jesus in 2006. As a novice he worked with the elderly on the West Bank in New Orleans, taught English and coached crew at Jesuit College Prep in Dallas, and worked at the Casa de los Pobres in Tijuana, Mexico. His interests include tennis, percussion, and cheering for the Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Hornets. (New Orleans Province) |
 Christopher P. Johnson, S.J.
Minneapolis, MN
Christopher, 44, entered the Jesuit novitiate in August 2004 following a 13-year career in the executive search industry. Other professional experience included service on the executive staff of the Boy Scouts of America and work for a national trade association. Chris grew up in the Twin Cities of Saint Paul and Minneapolis and is a graduate of American University in Washington, D.C. where he earned a B.A. in economics. As a student he worked as an intern for a U.S. senator and later for a member of the House of Representatives. Since entering the Jesuits, Chris has served as a volunteer at a child care center for children of new immigrants, lived with a L’Arche community in the Toronto area, spent a month on pilgrimage among the homeless in New York and Washington, D.C., volunteered for a non-profit that was formed to help revitalize 10 blocks of south Minneapolis, worked in development at Red Cloud Indian School on the Pine Ridge Reservation, taught CCD in the Bronx, spent a summer on mission in the wilds of N.E. India, and a summer in Spanish studies in Ecuador. Chris enjoys variety in circumstance, engaging with others in meaningful work, and thinking and reading about things. (Wisconsin Province) |
 Timothy Kieras, S.J.
Ann Arbor, MI
Tim, 22, was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where he grew up and
attended high school. During that time he was involved in scouting
(reaching the rank of Eagle Scout) and various musical groups
associated with school. After graduating, he attended Saint Louis
University for two years, where he was involved with the Micah House
Service Program, the Center for Liturgy, and the Theology Club. As a
Jesuit novice, he worked in diverse ministries such as teaching gym
class to 5th graders, being a volunteer chaplain at the Juvenile
Detention Center in downtown Minneapolis and a five-month stretch of
helping out at Regis Jesuit High School in Denver, Colorado. As a
newly vowed scholastic, he now lives in the Bronx and attends Fordham
University where he is finishing up his B.A. in philosophy and
classics. His interests include classical music, catching up on movies
he should have seen, trying to keep up with schoolwork, and exploring
the streets of New York City. (Missouri Province) |
 Joseph Koczera, S.J.
Rochester, MA
Joe Koczera, 28, was born and raised in Southeastern Massachusetts. He holds degrees from Georgetown and Notre Dame and is currently in his third year of philosophy studies at Fordham. As a Jesuit, Joe has worked in refugee resettlement programs in San Jose, California and Windsor, Ontario, taught social studies at St. Ignatius College Prep in Chicago, and studied Spanish in Chile and Peru. In his spare time, Joe enjoys exploring Manhattan on foot, listening to classical music, and reading books on Byzantine Christianity and European history. (Chicago Province)
|
 Drew Marquard, S.J.
Cleveland, OH
Drew grew up on the west side of Cleveland, OH where he experienced the hardship of being a Cleveland sports fan. He attended Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA and received a BA in Philosophy. After graduation he moved home to Cleveland where he worked as a Youth Minister and attended St. Mary's Graduate School of Theology. He entered the Society of Jesus in August of 2004. Since entering he has worked at a nursing home, as a preschool teacher, at an AIDs hospice in Greenwich Village, as a chaplain at the Oakland County Jail, and as a theology teacher at The University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy. He enjoys baseball, running marathons, Bruce Springsteen and Irish music, and watching movies. (Detroit Province) |
 Jake Martin, S.J.
Chicago, IL
Jake Martin, 34, was born and raised in the Chicagoland area and he received his B.A. in Theatre from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Before becoming a Jesuit, Jake performed and wrote improv and sketch comedy all throughout Chicago. His interests include Canada, tennis and reading. (Chicago Province) |
 Brett McLaughlin, S.J.
Brett, 27, grew up in western Massachusetts and upstate New York. He attended the College of the Holy Cross, where he majored in Political Science, History, and Religious Studies. He thoroughly enjoyed ministry in Social Justice groups, liturgical ministry, and teaching Religious Education in several different parishes. After graduation, he commissioned into the Air Force through ROTC. He attended Air Force Officer Intelligence School in San Angelo, Texas, and served at RAF Mildenhall in the United Kingdom. During the novitiate, he did ministry in several hospitals, including the Jesuit Infirmary in Massachusetts, Calvary Hospital in the Bronx, and CPE at Georgetown University Hospital. Brett ran Cross Country & Track in high school and college, and has interests in travel, reading history, watching sports, politics, and agriculture. (New England Province)
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David Paternostro, S.J.
League City, Texas
David, 22, is proud to be from the great state of Texas. He graduated from Strake Jesuit College Prep. in 2004, and then spent a year at Texas A&M University before entering the Jesuits. Right now, he is working on a B.S. in psychology, and helps out with the theatre program for Cristo Rey New York. His interests include hiking, reading, listening to most any music (especially country), and watching movies. (New Orleans Province) |
 Ryan Rallanka, S.J.
Ryan, 24, was born in Sacramento, CA, where he later met the Jesuits at Jesuit High School. He attended Seattle University, where he received his BA in Sociology and English. In college, he enjoyed working with the various choirs, campus ministry, and habitat for humanity. After graduation, he entered the Jesuit Novitiate in Portland, Oregon. As a Jesuit, he has volunteered at the Cristo Rey school in Portland, OR, helped a Jesuit priest at the Native reservation in Pendleton, OR, lived in a L'Arche community in Tacoma, WA, and helped with the choral program, liturgy, and retreats at Gonzaga Preparatory High School in Spokane, WA. Ryan enjoys singing, contemplating (sometimes a little too much), playing the piano, writing, and the concept of exercise. He also needs to find greater mortification with his eating habits. (Oregon Province) |
 Martin Silva, S.J.
Manila, Philippines
Marty, 46, grew up in Manila and moved to California thereafter. He has an undergraduate degree in Economics from the University of the Philippines, an MBA from Pepperdine University and industry experience in banking, brokerage, telecommunications and shipping. Marty was involved in leadership positions in his parish's Young Adult Group in San Francisco, where he also took courses from the School of Pastoral Leadership. His Jesuit experience has involved him with Katrina relief work in New Orleans, a L’Arche community in Seattle and campus ministry in Honolulu. He enjoys tennis, golf, badminton, SCUBA, photography and hanging out with friends. (California Province) |
 Vincent Strand, S.J.
Dousman, WI
Vincent, 25, was born and raised in Dousman, Wisconsin. Before entering the Jesuit novitiate in St. Paul, Minnesota, he attended Marquette University where he studied biological sciences and theology when he wasn’t busy watching Marquette basketball. As a novice, Vincent served as a chaplain at the Hennepin County Juvenile Detention Center in downtown Minneapolis, spent five months in Ecuador working in a variety of social apostolates, and wandered between monasteries in the Western United States during a one-month pilgrimage. His interests in basketball, baseball, fishing, and hunting help alleviate the perpetual suffering associated with being a Milwaukee Brewers fan. (Wisconsin Province) |
 George Teodoro, S.J.
Renton, WA
George, 28, grew up in the Seattle area, and graduated from Seattle University with a BA in History. After studying Southeast Asian Studies at the Australian National University in Canberra, and working in real estate management, George entered the novitiate in Portland, OR. As a Jesuit, George has served in the recovery effort in New Orleans and as a live-in assistant at L'Arche Spokane, as well as teaching history, music and math at Bellarmine Prep in Tacoma, WA. George's interests include music, composition, swimming, baseball, cooking and all things nerd. (Oregon Province) |
 Ike Udoh, S.J.
Walnut Creek, CA
Ike was born in the U.S. and grew up in Nigeria, emigrating back to the United States in 1997. Prior to joining the Jesuits in 2004, he completed a Bachelor's degree in Integrative Biology atUC Berkeley. Presently, he is pursuing a Master's degree in Philosophy. His novitiate experiences include working at a battered women's shelter, Hospital ministry, parish work, teaching and Spanish language study in Mexico. Some of his hobbies are singing, walking (especially on the beach), reading and movies. (California Province) |
 Marc Valadao, S.J.
Marc, 28, grew up in a small coastal town in Northern California. He holds a BSFS from Georgetown University and an MA in international relations from Syracuse University. Prior to entering the Society, he worked with the National Endowment for Democracy and interned with the Jesuit Refugee Service - Europe in Brussels, Belgium. As a novice, he served as a hospital chaplain, tutored at an elementary school in East Los Angeles, worked at L'Arche Seattle and taught world history and economics at St. Ignatius College Prep in San Francisco, CA. He enjoys politics, learning languages, running, and reading. (California Province) |
 Christian Wagner, S.J.
(Chicago Province)
|
 Michael Wegenka,
S.J.
Katy, TX
Michael, 21, is a midwesterner from Texas who isn't afraid to claim both and neither at the same time. He attended Strake Jesuit College Prepartory for four years and entered the novitiate a few months after graduation. As a novice, he did administrative work and grant-writing at Cafe Reconcile in New Orleans, coached crew at Dallas Jesuit, and helped out the doñas at the Casa de los Pobres in Tijuana, Mexico. He is an occasional runner and a fervent Radiohead fan, and few things make him as happy as a reading Hopkins poetry on a sunny Saturday afternoon. (New Orleans Province) |
 Jason Welle, S.J.
(Oregon Province) |
 Stephen Wolfe, S.J.
(Wisconsin Province) |
Vincent
Sullivan, S.J.
Richard Zanoni, S.J.
Lucianus Suharjanto, S.J.