2. MEET THE SEMINARIANS Get to know our seminarians and PRAY for them!

3. David Exner St John the Evangelist, San Diego Birthday December 14th I was born in Pensacola, FL on December 14, 1982. My parents are Philip and Susan Exner, who currently reside in Colorado Springs, CO. Along with them and my younger siblings Mark, Amy, Christine, and Sarah, much of my childhood was spent moving around the globe until my father retired from active duty in the Marine Corps. After graduating from high school, I attended the United States Naval Academy where I received a bachelor’s of science in Naval Architecture and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps in 2005. I converted to Roman Catholicism in 2006 after years of searching, prayer, and study, and then I began to slowly learn about the process of discerning God’s will for my life. In the years leading up to my application to the Program for Priestly Formation, I helped lead a study of the Theology of the Body at St. Brigid’s Parish and also helped teach first year confirmation at Our Lady of the Rosary in San Diego, CA. I completed two years of philosophy studies at the University of San Diego while at the St. Francis Center. I am currently studying theology at the Pontifical North American College in Rome, Italy.

4. Oscar Lopez St. Mary, El Centro Birthday November 9th My name is Oscar Lopez Guevara and I was born in Jalisco, Mexico, in November of 1992. I spent my childhood in Jalisco up to the eighth grade. I arrived in the United States, in El Centro, CA when I was fourteen. I attended Central Union High School, and got my diploma in June 2010. After graduating from high school, I went to Imperial Valley College for two years. I was planning to study civil engineering or computer information systems, but God had in mind something different for me. I joined the Program of Priestly Formation at St. Francis Center in August, 2012. I am now studying Theology at St. John’s Seminary in Camarillo, California.

5. Corey Tufford Mission San Diego De Alcala, San Diego Birthday October 1st I am a San Diego native, born October 1, 1988, to Joan and Leonard Tufford. I have one half-brother, Jim, and a half-sister, Cathy. Though not raised a Roman Catholic, providence provided for my conversion to the Catholic faith during my freshman year at Saint Augustine high school. On December 4, 2004, I received the sacraments of Baptism, First Holy Communion, and Confirmation at the Mission San Diego de Alcalá, my home parish. It was while I was on the Confirmation retreat, preparing to receive these Sacraments, that I first had thoughts of priesthood; which I’ve discerned (not without prayer and direction from the Church) to be God’s call for my life. In May of 2011, I graduated from Franciscan University of Steubenville as a Philosophy and Theology double major. Throughout college I was considering a possible vocation to the religious life with a wonderful community, the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal. After much discernment, and the community’s wise discernment with me, I was able to decide not to join their community and to make application to the Program of Priestly Formation in the Diocese of San Diego. In August of 2011 I began my formation for priesthood with Diocese of San Diego. During the past years of formation I have been blessed to work in several ways within the diocese including: Working in the office for social ministry; working in the office for vocations, and helping with catechesis programs at Ascension Church and at the Immaculata.

6. Derek Twilliger St. Mary, Escondido Birthday October 24th I was born on Oct. 24, 1970 in South Carolina. I am the son of Wayne and Sharon Twilliger of Vista, Ca. I have an older brother, Glenn and a younger sister, Nichole. They have blessed me with eight wonderful nieces and nephews. During the early part of my life my father was in the Marine Corps, so it was spent living many different places. The family finally settled in Vista, where I spent my Junior High and High School years. Since then, I have spent many years in youth ministry and catechetical ministry, and served as an Extraordinary Minister of Communion at my home parish of St. Mary in Escondido. I spent the last ten years working for Home Depot as an Inventory Manager and Purchasing Agent. I am currently in Theology studies at Mount Angel Seminary in Oregon. I am looking forward to being ordained to the Order of Deacon in Spring of 2015 and priesthood in the Spring of 2016.

7. Billy Zondler St James, Solana Beach Birthday March 4th I was born in San Diego on March 4, 1987 to Bill and Lisé Zondler. I have a younger brother Jared who is three years younger than me. I was baptized at St. James Parish in Solana Beach and was raised Catholic. It was at a Steubenville Youth Conference in 2004 that I first truly became open to the possibility of a priestly vocation. I went to University of California at Santa Barbara to study Japanese, however I withdrew after 3 years there and changed my major to Philosophy in an attempt to more seriously discern and pursue the priesthood. I lived with the Eudist Congregation of Jesus and Mary as discerner for a year before transferring to Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio to obtain a degree and continue to discern. While there I was a student in the Pre-Theologate Program, an intensive program of men’s priestly discernment and formation. I also was heavily involved in various ministries on-campus, which included leading a mission trip to Emmaus Ministries in Chicago. I graduated in May 2011 from Franciscan University with a degree in Philosophy. It was through prayer and the formation in the Pre- Theologate that I felt God calling me to apply to the Priestly Formation Program for Diocese of San Diego. I am currently in a Pastoral Year assignment at St. Michael’s in Poway.

8. Brian Frice St Rose of Lima, Chula Vista Birthday August 4th I was born in San Diego and grew up in Chula Vista attending St. Rose of Lima Parish. I attended grade school there before entering the public school system in grade 6. I graduated from Chula Vista High School and from there went on to begin my collegiate studies at Marymount College in Palos Verdes. From there I transferred to the University of San Diego and received my B.A. in Theological and Religious Studies. After several years of work experience, to include work with the Federal government, a stint teaching at Marian Catholic High School, and Loews Coronado Bay Resort, I applied and was accepted to the Program of Priestly Formation for the Diocese of San Diego. I am currently studying Theology at Mt. Angel Seminary in St. Benedict Oregon.

9. Nathan Mc Weeney St. Margaret, Ocenside Birthday August 3rd I was born in Whittier, CA on August 3, 1985. My parents are Kevin and Barbara McWeeney, and they currently live in Oceanside, CA with my younger brother Eric and younger sister Lisa. For 18 years my family and I lived in Wrightwood CA, a small mountain town in the San Gabriel Mountain Range. In 2005 we moved from Wrightwood to Oceanside. Once in Oceanside, I began taking courses at Mira Costa College and later transferred to the California State University of San Marcos. In the fall of 2010 I graduated with a bachelors degree in Writing and Literature studies. During the two years leading up to my graduation, I played an active role in parish and campus ministry. I was also prayerfully discerning God's calling in my life. After my graduation I entered the Program for Priestly Formation and have since completed my studies in Philosophy at USD. Currently I am studying Theology at Mount Angel Seminary in St. Benedict Oregon and enjoying it very much.

10. Eric Tamayo St Pius X, Chula Vista Birthday November 11th My name is Eric Tamayo and I was born in Chula Vista, California, on November of 1989. I grew up in San Diego where I graduated from Chula Vista High School as salutatorian and eventually entered UCSD. I majored in pharmacological chemistry and graduated in 2011 with a Bachelors of Science. Before entering the seminary, I had the opportunity to work as a laboratory technician and received admission into UCSD’s Skaggs School of Pharmacy but ultimately discerned priesthood as my vocation. With the help of some great people and lots of prayer I spent my time discerning my vocation. We all have tough decisions to make in life but only when trusting in God do we find our true calling. So with a little trust I will be continuing in the Program of Priestly Formation at the Mt. Angel Seminary and look forward to seeing what God has in store for me next.