On May 1, 2024, a Mass was offered for all seminarians so that they will grow in holiness and lead us in love. As our future shepherds, the seminarians need our prayers, and what a beautiful way for the children throughout the world to support these men called by God. Many people throughout the world have been inspired by the vocation stories we are featuring each month, and so we gratefully continue publishing our featured seminarians’ stories. This month, we introduce John Anthony Buono, a seminarian from Arlington, Virginia, USA.
Hi! My name is John Anthony Buono, a seminarian for the Diocese of Arlington, Virginia, in my second year of formation at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland. I am 24 years old and originally from Arlington. After I complete my second year of philosophy this year, I will continue at the Mount as I begin the first of four years of theology studies.
My vocation journey began when I was a senior in high school. During the summer right before my senior year, I attended a service camp in my diocese called WorkCamp. It is a program for high-school boys and girls that offers Daily Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, Praise and Worship, and serving the poor communities in the diocese through small home improvement projects. I thankfully grew up in a very solid, Catholic family, and so these kinds of things were not very new to me. I truly enjoyed the camp because of the combination of prayer, service, and community it provided. During Eucharistic Adoration on one of the nights, I felt a deep sense of peace in my heart, while still feeling like adrenaline was flowing through my body. In that moment I asked the Lord, “What do you want me to do with my life?” That was the first time where I truly felt as though the Lord may be calling me to the priesthood. I went home from that camp on fire and really excited to explore this possibility of priesthood, but I also wanted to start college and study Accounting. I began studies at the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC, in Fall of 2018. Throughout my time in college, the Lord kept trying to pull me towards Seminary even if I tried to run away from it. I even switched majors to Sales because at the time I was not particularly interested in Accounting. During the summer going into my senior year at CUA, I had a fantastic Sales internship for a software company called Nutanix. I was eventually offered a full-time position, which I was tempted to take, but after praying deeply about it, I felt at that time that the Lord had better plans for me. I graduated from CUA in Spring 2022 and entered Mount St. Mary’s that Fall.
As a priest, I want to simply save souls and share the Love of Christ with others. The priest is called to be an “Alter Christus,” another Christ, so that through the Mass and Sacraments, Christ can enter the hearts of everyone the priest encounters. If you are curious about what the Lord is calling you to do in life, do not be afraid, trust in Him and rely on Our Lady to guide you! May God bless you all and know of my prayers! I humbly ask that you continue to pray for me as well.
We humbly ask that you please keep John Anthony in your prayers!
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