Rheo Ofalsa

Rheo Ofalsa was born and raised in Hawaii, graduated from the United States Air Force Academy, served six years on active duty as a commissioned officer, received his Masters Degree in Business Administration through Bellevue University, and continues his seminary career as a second year theologian at the Pontifical North American College in Rome. Saint James is his home parish.

Regarding his own call to the priesthood, he recalls, "years ago in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, Jesus had enflamed my heart in such a way that could not be ignored, to the degree that the responsible decision was to continue the process of discernment in a more committed manner, under the guidance of the Archbishop and the seminary faculty with which he would entrust me. I can't begin to understand the discourse between the Lord and the soul of a priest when our Lord asks him to share in His priesthood. It’s a very humbling thing to be offered so precious a gift; and as the years pass, I’ve come to see more and more that as the appreciation for the gift increases, so too does the realization of my own unworthiness of so great a treasure. This gift is still very much a mystery to me, not unlike how the entire world is a mystery to a little child. But with a child's faith, I hope to enter deeper into the mystery, led by the hand of our Blessed Mother, and encouraged by the gift of Christ's peace like that of a child knowing that he is loved.

To men discerning the priesthood, he shares some words of encouragement. "I think that our Holy Father, Pope Benedict, spoke well when he said, ‘The seminarian experiences the beauty of that call in a moment of grace which could be defined as ‘falling in love.’ His soul is filled with amazement, which makes him ask in prayer: ‘Lord, why me?’ But love knows no ‘why’; it is a free gift to which one responds with the gift of self.’”

“If you find your heart touched by such a particular grace and love, please consider seeking further guidance from your parish priest. I believe that Our Lord desires for us to be fully alive, and a vocation to the priesthood could be His priceless gift to you in particular, allowing you to live life as fully as you are able. For you, my dear brother, it could be that 'treasure buried in the field' that our Lord spoke to us about, or that 'pearl of great price' against which all other treasures pale in comparison (Matthew 13:44-46)."