Prior to Pope Saint John XXIII, John worked for a decade in Jesuit high school education. He is also a veteran of the United States Marine Corps and Operation Iraqi Freedom. John holds an M.A. in Philosophical Studies from Mount St. Mary’s University and a B.A. in Social Sciences from Chapman University. He is originally from Fairfax County, Virginia.

“I credit my decision to enter seminary to my experiences in a large Catholic family, Catholic schools, and the friendship and example of Catholic priests. I was inspired to apply after reading a November 2020 op-ed by Pope Francis in the New York Times, regarding the “stoppage of time” due to the COVID-19 epidemic: ‘this can be a moment ripe for change: a moment to dream big, to rethink our priorities...and to commit to act in our daily life on what we have dreamed of.’”