Seminarian Bios

Augusto Lorenzo Cortes Gamalo

Sacred Heart Parish, Trenton

What drew you to the United States to prepare for the priesthood? I believe that the Church is Universal - that we are one, regardless of our race, color, and culture. I am anxious to serve a diversity of people.

What seminary do you attend and what year did you enter the seminary? St. Mary Seminary & University, Baltimore, Maryland and I entered in August, 2009. I am in First Theology. Prior to coming to the US, I attended Nativity of Our Lady College Seminary in Borongan City, Philippines.

Prior to the seminary I: I was a High School student.

When I want to relax or have some fun I would:
Music, basketball, movies.

The first time I thought about a priestly vocation was:
When I first heard of the word "seminary," I thought of it as a place where "seminars" and meetings occur. Sounds funny, but that was my idea of the "seminary". My Dad told me the real meaning of the word, and that he was a former seminarian when he was in High School. When I was about to graduate from Grade School, I decided to enter into a High School Seminary, but after my second year, I left and attended regular high school.

How do you pray, what is your prayer life like? I love praying especially when I am alone, but I am also comfortable with communal prayer.

What excites me about being a priest is: Sharing my stories and experiences in homilies and administering the sacraments.

What do you enjoy about seminary life? Seminary community, liturgy, apostolate, and recreation.

If someone is considering a vocation to the priesthood I would tell them: It is a gift, yet a task, and you have to respond to it unconditionally.

A couple of books on my shelf, CD's I own or songs I have downloaded are: The Alchemist, by The River Piedra; I Sat Down And Wept, 11 Minutes (all from Paulo Coelho); Mere Christianity (C.S. Lewis); The Wounded Healer (Henri J. M. Nouwen); College notes on Philosophy, and Theological books.

A Scripture passage that inspires me is:
For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but might have eternal life. – John 3:16