Not worthy, but here by God’s grace

    Throughout my journey to the priesthood I have been blessed to meet and work with many great, wonderful people from all over, thus experiencing the universal church come alive before my very eyes.
    I am thankful to all of the many people who have prayed for me and supported my formation to the priesthood over the years. Without their prayerful support and the grace of God, I would not be where I am today.

    I have traveled to many places throughout the world, including Central America, Europe and the Holy Land, and throughout the United States and our beloved archdiocese during my time in the seminary.
    I have learned more about my Roman Catholic faith and the teachings of the church of Jesus Christ along the way as well. I have been enlightened by how to better study, read, understand and pray with sacred Scripture.
    I have learned about the history of our faith, that of the Roman Catholic Church and how doctrine has developed as well as liturgical practice throughout the centuries.
    Even with all of the travels and new friendships and relationships I have made, the greatest experience during my years of seminary formation was the way in which I have grown in my relationship with our Lord. This strengthening of my relationship with Jesus has come about primarily through prayer and by receiving him in the Eucharist, his most holy body, blood, soul and divinity.
    It has also come about by the other things I have mentioned above. I have encountered the Lord in his people and in the many places throughout the world that he created along with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Through my studies I have also come to know Jesus more fully in an intellectual way, but I have also been able to integrate this understanding of our Lord from my studies with my prayer life and the way in which I have lived with and among others as well as serving them.
    All of these experiences have allowed me to know more fully and completely who Jesus is. This is of great importance, especially if I am to be a priest of Jesus Christ and be Jesus to others.
    In growing deeper in my relationship with Jesus, I have learned more about myself as well. This has been important as I have a better grasp of my gifts and strengths as well as any weaknesses or shortcomings that may hold me back from serving the Lord and his church in the best possible way.
    I look forward to the way in which I will continue to know Jesus and get to know him better as I serve his church as one of his priests. In all of this, however, I have learned most importantly that it is not I who deserve to be a priest of Jesus Christ, nor am I worthy of it, but only because of him who has called me that I will be ordained to serve and offer sacrifice in that capacity.

BIOGRAPHY
Age: 29
Birthplace: Metairie
Home Parish: St. Lawrence the Martyr and St. Mary Magdalen
Parents: Joni and Wayne Clark
Education: St. Lawrence the Martyr and St. Mary Magdalen; Archbishop Rummel (2001); University of New Orleans (2006); entered Notre Dame Seminary (2006)
Favorite Food: Shepherd’s pie, especially the way my parents make it!
Tell us something people don’t know about you: Although I can’t draw and have very little artistic talent, I consider myself to be an animation historian.
Favorite Saint: St. Jude Thaddeus, St. Francis of Assisi and St. John Vianney
Favorite Book (Religious and Non-religious): St. Augustine’s “Confessions” and Herodotus’ “Histories.”
Hobbies: Studying and collecting things of the past in order to preserve them for future generations and playing a few video games.
Summer Internships: St. Clement of Rome (2007); Spanish immersion program at the seminary of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mexico City (2008); Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos (2009); chaplain intern, Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte, N.C. (2010); St. Ann Church and National Shrine (2011-12)
Diaconate Internship: The Visitation of Our Lady, Marrero
First Mass: June 2, 11 a.m., St. Mary Magdalen, Metairie; June 9, 11 a.m., St. John the Baptist, Folsom; June 15, 4 p.m., St. Ann, Metairie; June 16, 10 a.m., St. Lawrence the Martyr, Metairie.
First Priestly Assignment: St. Ann, Metairie, July 1.