Pastor’s Keyboard: Dear parishioners, my name is Martin Begley. I am your summer seminarian assigned by the archdiocese.  I grew up in Montgomery County and I am the oldest of seven kids. All of whom have been, and are, homeschooled. Growing up, my family lived behind St. Raphael’s parish and my brother and I would serve mass on Fridays and Sundays. I played every sport under the sun when I was younger. I enjoyed soccer, swimming, basketball, baseball, etc.  But I finally settled on running when I got to high school and have kept that up ever since.

When I reached high school, my family moved, and my parish became St. Peters in Olney, where I began serving as well.  As an extracurricular (and mainly because of the opportunities it presented to socialize) I was part of a homeschool theater group and performed in Shakespeare plays. When I became of age, I began going on Quo Vadis discernment events, and those made me think more seriously about seminary.

When it came time to go to college I went to the University of Maryland.  It was there that I took on my faith as my own and began to grow.  I majored in Communication and got really involved in the Catholic Student Center.  I would go to every event that I could and was involved in every ministry they offered. It was there that I became open to a call to the priesthood. After going on a discernment retreat at the seminary in the spring of my sophomore year I applied to seminary and was accepted.

I have now finished the second of two awesome years at St. John Paul II Seminary, and I am looking forward to one more year there and four more in another seminary.  I am also greatly looking forward to spending the summer here in the County, and getting to know you all as well!

-Martin Begley