marianist.com/donate • 15 The View From Here Just outside Baltimore, Marianist Brother Justin Quiroz lives in a small community with two other Marianists: Brother Jesse O’Neill and Father Neville O’Donohue. Like them, his lifestyle is simple. He spends much of his free time reading, writing poetry and short stories, and listening to ‘80s music (the rock band Journey is a favorite). However, when it comes to his ministry in youth education, it’s anything but simple. Monday through Friday, Brother Justin commutes to inner- city Baltimore to teach religion and technology to more than 60 middle schoolers at Mother Seton Academy. He’s in his second year at the school. The students at Mother Seton come from families who are unable to afford a Catholic education without the school’s financial assistance. Along with the Marianists, five other religious orders sponsor the school: School Sisters of Notre Dame; The Sisters of St. Francis Philadelphia; Daughters of Charity; Sisters, Servants of the Immac- ulate Heart of Mary; and Xaverian Brothers. As a way to relate to the kids, Brother Justin decided to put his creative culinary skills to work. “I started a cooking club, mainly because I love to cook,” he says. He has since learned that some students don’t eat nutritional meals at home, and many lack people in their lives to guide and mentor them. “A lot of these kids don’t have any positive male role models,” Brother Justin says. That’s where Brother Justin steps into the picture. “It’s the greatest feeling going to work every day. I serve as a religious presence in their lives, but I’m also like a big brother, too.” At age 27, Brother Justin still can relate to them on a lot of fronts. “I can throw a football with them and understand their ‘Pokémon’ and ‘Dragon Ball Z’ references,” he says. Most important for Brother Justin, though, is helping students discover their potential. “The kids are in an important phase,” he says. “They’re beginning to shape their character. Essentially, we’re person-building, preparing them to make the right choices in tough situations and find what God wants them to be.” Down-to-earth and joyous Brother Justin felt God’s calling from a young age. “I came from a very Catholic family,” he says. “My father worked two jobs so my siblings and I could stay in Catholic school.” It was during his freshman year at the now-closed Mount Carmel High School in Houston that he saw a priest outside of church for the first time. It left a strong impression on him. “I was mesmerized by how human he was,” Brother Justin says. “Seeing him in the hallways and in class every day, it was a differ- ent dynamic.” When it was time to look for colleges, Brother Justin sought out Catholic schools. St. Mary’s Uni- versity popped up in his online search. “That’s how I first heard about the Marianists,” he says. Brother Justin visited St. Mary’s for a weekend, and that was all it took for him to make his decision. “I couldn’t quite put my finger on it,” he says, “but I felt at home there.” Brother Justin majored in theology and English. Then, just before his junior year, he attended a sum- mer camp at Tecaboca, a Marianist retreat center in Texas, to become more involved with the Marianists. “I met so many Marianists through this ministry and came away with the impression of how down-to-earth and joyous they are,” Brother Justin says. Brother Justin credits the camp, as well as his interactions with Marianist Brother Mark Motz, for inspiring him to take a leap of faith into religious life after grad- uating from St. Mary’s in 2013. He professed first vows in May 2016. He is aware of the challenges that come with being a young Marianist — and finds the humor in it, too. “Recently, I was explaining to one of our 89-year-old brothers how Siri (a personal assistant for Apple products) works,” he says. “We both had a good laugh.” Brother Justin is finding divine purpose in his ministry as an edu- cator. “Like Mary, I’ve been called to help bring Jesus to the world,” he says. “And I want to be a posi- tive force in my students’ lives so I can help them be the best they can be.” ■ Alex Salinas is communications coordinator for the University Communications Office at St. Mary’s University. ALL PHOTOS: STEPHEN CHERRY If you know of anyone considering religious life or would like more information, please contact Brother Mark Motz, SM, at [email protected] or call 314.250.4505. God is calling “Where is … someone who's happy, happy to give; happy to be with you, it's here you belong …” —from “Happy to Give” by Journey Help our vocation ministry. We invite you to assist our vocation ministry. There are monthly giving clubs and other options from which to choose. To donate, use the enclosed envelope or go to marianist.com/donate or contact Brother Alex Tuss, SM, 937.222.4641, ext. 3003, or [email protected]. “Like Mary, I’ve been called to help bring Jesus to the world.” —Brother Justin Quiroz, SM