Meet Our Seminarians

Ricky Armstrong

Christopher Busser

Louis Candelaria

Hello, my name is Louie Candelaria. I was born in Appleton, Wisconsin but have spent most of my life in Tampa, Florida. I earned my bachelor’s degree from the University of South Florida as a Communication Major. My parents are Sherrie and Lou Candelaria. I have 4 incredible siblings named Tom, Jessica, Julia and Sister Josephina.

I love to be physically active, read, play card games and my favorite show is “The Office.” I had a very successful career in Software Sales, but I knew in my heart that wasn’t the Lords’ plan for me. After discerning for almost two years I said, “YES” to what God was calling me to and I am excited to begin my first year of Seminary Formation at St. Vincent De Paul’s in Boynton Beach, Florida.

What excites me most about becoming a Priest is sharing Jesus’s ministry with members of my parish and anyone else in my sphere of influence. There are many lost sheep in this world, and I hope God will use me as an instrument of light to bring his mercy, healing and love to those in need.

Isaac Cruz

Isaac Cruz was born in Deland, Florida. When he was 10, he relocated to New Jersey with his mom, dad and sister. He grew up in the Assemblies of God Church, a Pentecostal denomination, for most of his middle school and high school years.

In 2010, he relocated again with his family, this time to Clearwater, Florida. He felt a call to enter the Catholic Church in 2011 but dismissed the idea out of hand. After struggling with his faith for five years and going through person struggles for two of those years, Isaac felt a call again to enter the Catholic Church and began to discern and research the faith and his misconceptions of the faith in 2015.

In the summer of 2017, He attended Mass at St. Michael the Archangel, in Clearwater, and soon after enrolled in the parishes RCIA program that fall. He began to discern a call to the priesthood shortly after that.

He enjoys hanging out with his niece, watching Red Sox and Patriots games, reading history books and cooking.

Jorel de Guzman

I was born and raised in Tampa, Florida. Along with my mom, dad, and sister, I spent the entirety of my life up until seminary within the Diocese of Saint Petersburg. I began my schooling at Most Holy Redeemer and then graduated from Mother Teresa Catholic School at Saint Timothy’s. After middle school, my high school education consisted of four years at Jesuit High School in Tampa. While in high school, I worked at Panera Bread and also worked as a parker for Tampa Sports Authority at Raymond James Stadium. I am an avid reader and enjoy kayaking out on the ponds at the seminary. A huge basketball and football fan, I try to play any sport possible in my seminary attire.

Ever since fourth grade, my family and I have made Mary Help of Christians our home parish. My attraction to the priesthood, especially the Diocesan life, has found its root in my upbringing in this Diocese. In my discernment, the realization that I am asked to serve the very people that have helped me get into seminary has been nothing short of humbling.

Mark DeSio

Mark was born and raised in the Diocese of Saint Petersburg and came from a large Catholic family. He is 1 of 6 kids, and has an uncle who is a priest! Blessed Sacrament in Seminole is his home parish and where he attended grade school. For high school, Mark attended St. Petersburg Catholic until changing schools his senior year and graduating from Clearwater High in 2014. After high school he had a profound conversion like that of the prodigal son (Lk 15:11-32).

Having his mind set on becoming a firefighter, Mark attended St. Pete College for their EMT and Fire programs. He always assumed his vocation was marriage; the priesthood wasn’t even on his radar. When Mark’s plans left him feeling out of place, he sincerely asked God what His plan for his life was. In that prayer, the Lord put the call to priesthood on Mark’s heart. He then entered seminary in the fall of 2016 (the year of mercy). After over four years in the seminary, he took a leave of absence and taught theology at SPCHS where he had attended high school. In January 2023, Mark re-entered seminary formation and is entering Configuration II. Thank God for His love and mercy!

Alexander Fleming

I was born and raised in Tampa and graduated from Robinson High School in South Tampa in 2019. I was baptized and confirmed at Christ the King Parish in south Tampa in 2020. I worked as a cook at a local Tijuana Flats, I worked there for three years and left to go in to seminary.

I’ve always been close to my family; my mom and dad, grandparents and my brother all have played a huge role in my journey to becoming Catholic and discerning the priesthood. I first felt Gods call to discernment when I was in the RCIA program to become a Catholic. At first I thought it was just an interest in what the priesthood was, but as time moved on I couldn’t stop thinking about the possibility of becoming a priest. Going to Mass and a daily prayer life were two major ways that I have been discerning the call.

I love to read, especially Ernest Hemmingway novels or Sherlock Holmes stories. During the pandemic, I started to take pictures with an old film camera that I inherited and have been taking photos of the native wildlife in Florida.

Matthew Fulton

Matthew Fulton was born in Clearwater, FL as one of five boys given by God to his loving parents. He grew up in the bay area and received his sacraments at St. Luke the Evangelist in Palm Harbor. Upon arriving at the University of Florida, Matthew encountered the Lord in a deeply personal way for the first time and was introduced to a full life in the Church by new and lasting friendships. After receiving a degree in economics, he found himself working at an intelligence company, first in Tampa and then New York City. After three years in a variety of roles, Matthew resigned and moved into full-time mission work with the poor and homeless in the South Bronx with an organization called LAMP Catholic Ministries. It was here that the Lord fostered healing and a great love of his beloved poor. After two years as a missionary, and in the search for peace around unanswered questions, he made the decision to apply for seminary, choosing to come back to his home Diocese of St. Petersburg. Matthew is looking forward to hearing ever more clearly God’s voice and will for his life.

Dakota Gates

Tyler Gates

I was born in Albany, NY, and lived there for 11 months, before moving to Pinellas County. I graduated from Countryside High School in 2015. I went to Florida State University and majored in Biological Science. While at FSU I was very active in the Catholic Student Union which ultimately led me to say yes to the call of the Lord. After graduating college, I moved back to the Tampa Bay Area and started working in the operating room as an OR Care Technician at Mease Countryside Hospital.

I felt the call to the priesthood during my Junior year of high school. However, after 7 years I finally said yes to this calling that the Lord had been inviting me to. One of the many things that attract me to the priesthood is the opportunity to be able to be a part of different families’ lives and to be able to provide the sacraments to them.

My home parish is Christ the King in Tampa. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with family and friends, being at the beach, the pool, or on the golf course. I also enjoy watching FSU sports, the Buccaneers, and the Lightning.

John Paul Grabowski

Hello, my name is John Paul Grabowski, and I was born in Binghamton, NY. After high school, I moved down to Florida from PA to study Aerospace Engineering for two years. Then I transferred over to USF where I studied Industrial Engineering for three years before transferring to seminary.

I am the fourth of five children of my lovely parents, Joseph and Alaine and my home parish is the Catholic Student Center at USF – Tampa. In the past, I have worked for the Boy Scouts, Lowe’s, Allegiant Air, and Busch Gardens.

In my spare time, I enjoy being with friends, playing the Ukulele, gaming, walking in the outdoors, and collecting LEGOs. Most importantly, I was attracted to the priesthood because of the total self-giving of different priests I have met and the sheer love for God that they emit.

Benjamin Harris

Hello! My name is Benjamin Harris, and I am in III Philosophy (junior year) at St. Joseph Seminary College in Saint Benedict, Louisiana. I was born in Indianapolis, Indiana and I grew up in Hudson, Florida. I currently call Weeki Wachee, Florida home. I come from a Catholic family consisting of my parents, Stephen and Jennifer, and I have three siblings: an older and younger brother, and a younger sister (Nicholas, Timothy, and Alexandria respectively). My home parish is St. Anthony the Abbot in Brooksville.

I graduated from Hudson High School in Hudson, Florida in 2015 and briefly studied theology online at Franciscan University of Steubenville in 2016. Before seminary, I worked a few different jobs, from fast food, retail, senior living, and most recently, highway construction and maintenance. My hobbies include fishing, cooking, sports, swimming, and reading in my hammock, and my interests include, appropriately, theology, spirituality, and philosophy.

Growing up, I was lukewarm in my faith, the real attraction to the priesthood came after I graduated high school when I started taking my faith more seriously. I found myself strongly attracted to the way that priests live their lives in imitation of Christ’s life.

If you see me around, ask me more! God bless.

Caleb Malec

My name is Caleb Malec. I am a parishioner at St. Stephen Parish in Riverview. I am the 4th of 5 children born in New Jersey. I grew up here in Florida where I attended St. Stephen Catholic School and graduated from Riverview High School in 2018. Growing up I loved to spend time playing sports, such as biking, motocross and lacrosse, with my siblings and friends. As I got older sports turned into more adventurous activities and traveling. Right out of high school I became a missionary with NET Ministries. The following year I continued as a missionary for Life Teen, living at Camp Covecrest. These two years were important in my formation of living the Christian life.

Thankfully, Catholicism has always been a part of my life. I began taking the faith much more seriously in high school. Ever since restoring my relationship with God, I’ve had this zeal to help others seek the mercy and joy filled freedom the Lord provides. The witness of many young priests I came in contact with during high school and my two years as a missionary helped me to realize this desire to pursue the selfless life of the priesthood, to serve God and His Church!

Michael Santos

Austin Smith

I grew up in Brandon, Florida, attending my current home parish of Nativity since I was a little boy. Before entering seminary, I attended Jesuit High School in Tampa and felt my call to be a priest the summer before my junior year of high school while sitting in solitude and silence.

After graduating, I moved to Nashville for two years where I ministered to teens in middle school and high schoolers with a group called the Love Good Apprenticeship Program. While in Nashville, my calling to priesthood was deepened, and after a year at Ave Maria university, I joined the seminary in the fall of 2020.

Studying and praying in seminary is a blessing, but outside of these activities, I enjoy shenanigans with friends, watching and playing sports, working out, reading fiction, adventuring, eating, and listening and analyzing music.

Thuan Tran

I was born in Bao Loc a small town in Vietnam. When I was 12, my family moved to America. I graduated high school and have an Auto-Body Certificate. I am the youngest in a family of five. We attend Holy martyrs of Vietnam Parish in St. Petersburg. I like to work outside and I like kayaking but I actually don’t know how to swim. In my young age I always felt the call to become a priest.

Ricardo Velasco

Vincent Washburn

My name is Vincent Washburn and I am a seminarian from St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Hudson. I spent my entire childhood growing up in Hudson, graduating from Fivay High School in 2016. After attending Pasco-Hernando State College, I transferred to the University of South Florida, Tampa in 2018 and graduated in May 2020 with a degree in Psychology. I was involved in my parish for many years as a volunteer before joining the staff in 2018 as the youth minister; eventually becoming responsible for Liturgical Ministries and our outreach to the sick and homebound as well. My hobbies include watching movies and TV, reading, playing piano, exercising, and hanging out with friends.

While the idea of becoming a priest has been in my head since a child, I seriously began discerning the possibility of a vocation during my transition from high school to college. Encountering a priest much like myself, who joyfully lived out the gospel in his own vocation, opened my eyes to the Lord’s call for me in my life. After an amazing first year, this year I am in my second year of Pre-Theology studies at St. Joseph Seminary in St. Benedict, Louisiana.