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By Portland Archdiocese [6],
On Saturday, June 20 at 11:00 AM at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Archbishop Alexander K. Sample will ordain four men to the Holy Priesthood for the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon. This year’s ordination class is the largest for the archdiocese in more than a decade and reflects a growing culture of vocations in western Oregon, where 32 seminarians are currently in priestly formation.
After years of prayer, study, and discernment, these four men are preparing to dedicate their lives to the service of Christ and His Church. Before their ordination, meet the men preparing to serve the people of western Oregon as priests.
Raised in a Protestant household, Deacon Shawn Daniel says faith was an important part of his childhood, though he drifted away from God in early adulthood. Even during those years, he recalls always feeling at peace inside a church.
That began to change after befriending a Catholic family whose two young daughters regularly invited him to Mass. What started as occasional visits gradually became a profound sense of spiritual homecoming. “It felt like God was pulling me back to Him through the Catholic Church,” he says.
Shawn eventually entered RCIA and soon found himself drawn toward the priesthood through the example of faithful Catholic priests and a growing desire to serve others. He says his years in seminary have strengthened his conviction that God is calling him to serve the Church in western Oregon.
As he prepares for ordination, Shawn hopes to become a priest who is faithful, compassionate, and deeply rooted in service to God’s people.
Deacon Nicholas MartellDeacon Nicholas Martell was raised in a pious Catholic family where daily prayer and frequent Mass were central to family life. Though he remained connected to the Church, he says his faith became lukewarm during college and law school.
Everything changed after the sudden death of his fiancée while he was finishing law school. The loss became a turning point that drew him back to prayer and deeper participation in the life of the Church. “The Lord used this tragedy to draw me closer to Him,” he says.
Following the California Bar Exam, Nick traveled to Ireland on what became an unexpected pilgrimage, including a visit to the Shrine of Our Lady of Knock on the Feast of the Nativity of Mary — an experience he describes as deeply significant in his discernment.
Another decisive moment came while watching the conclave that elected Pope Francis. Seeing the cardinals process into the Sistine Chapel while the Litany of the Saints was sung stirred something profound in his heart.
“In that moment, I could feel the Lord asking me to give of myself more deeply to Him and His Church,” he recalls. Today, Nick says there is no greater joy than the possibility of serving the people of God as a priest.
Only months after entering the Catholic Church, Deacon Zachary Muñoz was surprised when his parish priest asked whether he had considered becoming a priest. His answer was immediate: no.
But over time, the idea continued resurfacing in prayer, spiritual reading, and conversations with fellow parishioners. Though he resisted the possibility at first, Zach eventually realized he could not ignore what he believed was God’s invitation. “One of the hardest parts was surrendering my own plans and trusting God’s will,” he says.
A pivotal moment came after a period of intense interior struggle led him to confession and eventually to a discernment retreat with Archbishop Sample. From there, Zach began seriously discerning the priesthood with the guidance of a spiritual director.
He says one of the most influential books during his discernment was The Priest Is Not His Own by Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, which helped him better understand the beauty and sacrifice of priestly life. Today, Zach says his love for the Church and the faithful of western Oregon has only continued to grow during seminary formation.
Deacon Tristan Schubert first sensed God calling him during a retreat in high school while praying before the Blessed Sacrament in Eucharistic adoration. “I knew God was calling me, even if I did not yet know where,” he says.
That desire to grow closer to Christ deepened during his years at the University of California, Davis, where he studied environmental engineering and became active in the campus Catholic community. Surrounded by faithful friendships and strong intellectual formation, Tristan says his faith matured in a profound way.
As graduation approached, however, he began to realize that the career path he had envisioned for himself no longer felt complete. The possibility of priesthood — both attractive and intimidating — continued returning to his mind. “It meant surrendering my plans and allowing God to direct my life,” he says.
Tristan says two things especially shaped his vocation: the strength of Catholic community and the intellectual depth of the Church’s teachings. He hopes to one day help build strong parish communities and help others better understand and live the Catholic faith. As he prepares for ordination, he says he remains grateful for the people who have supported him throughout his journey to the priesthood.