7th grader brings unique story to essay about priesthood
Dominic Auricchio was four when he said he heard God’s voice in a dream telling him to become a priest. The now-13-year-old does not remember the dream too well, but he has felt drawn to the Catholic priesthood ever since.
When Dominic decided to enter this year’s Cardinal Joseph Tobin Essay and Video Contest — which asks seventh graders to explain why priests are important — he knew exactly what to say: Priests are important because they share God’s Word, celebrate the sacraments, and love everyone as Jesus did.
The Archdiocese of Newark’s Office of Priestly Vocations, which administers the contest, said the judges were impressed, stating that Dominic’s work stood out among the 49 submissions they reviewed. In June, Father Patrick Seo, the archdiocese’s director of priestly vocations, presented Dominic with the first-place award during a gathering at Holy Trinity School in Westfield attended by family and classmates.
A different perspective on the priesthood
“I was really happy when I won,” said Dominic, who received a plaque and $1,500. “Becoming a priest is important to me, so I worked hard on everything. Accepting the award in front of so many people made me feel very accomplished.”
Dominic’s achievement came during a particularly trying time in his life. In December, he began experiencing seizures for which he is still seeking treatment. In fact, when he first learned about the contest, he was in the hospital.
Despite these struggles, Dominic was determined to do his best, writing and polishing his essay over a few weeks until he was sure every one of his 642 words conveyed his admiration for the priesthood. He even drew on his health issues to offer a unique perspective on the subject.
“[My medical problems] helped me understand how other people feel when they are scared, different, or going through something difficult,” Dominic wrote. “Because of this, I feel called to help people who are hurting… A priest walks with people during sickness, grief, and fear, and I want to be someone who brings comfort and hope.”
As required by the contest, Dominic, with the help of his mother Maria and brother Vincenzo, also crafted a four-minute video in which he explained the necessity of priests while sharing his own story.
An apparition and a healing
In his video, Dominic shared that he was nine years old when a mass developed on his brain. While his doctors and parents contemplated the best treatment options, he says he experienced an apparition. Dominic believes that the woman who appeared in his bedroom, wearing blue and a head covering, was the Virgin Mary.
According to Dominic, she told him not to worry and that everything would be okay. Soon thereafter, a CAT scan revealed that his brain mass had begun to shrink.
Today, Dominic’s mass has shrunk to a tiny size. While his recovery cannot be confirmed as miraculous — because he was taking medication that may have caused the improvement— Maria believes God healed her son. She says the mass began shrinking immediately after Mary’s visit, a timing she believes is too remarkable to be mere coincidence.
Dominic, too, believes that something more than medicine was at work. He also feels fortunate to be able to share his experience with the world.
“I like telling other people because it reminds them that God is always there,” Dominic said. “It gives them hope.”
A life of faith and service
That is just one aspect of why Dominic wants to become a priest. In his essay, he explained how his time as an altar server at Saint Helen’s Parish in Westfield has brought him close to the Eucharist and helped him “see how important the priest’s role is.”
He also talks about experiences such as giving alms during Lent and serving as a “buddy” to a young girl with autism during St. Helen’s inclusive Masses, which have taught him “patience and kindness,” qualities he believes all priests should possess.
“I think a priest should always make people feel like they belong,” Dominic wrote in his essay.
Dominic’s pastor, Monsignor Thomas Nydegger, said that Dominic certainly possesses the empathy that is an essential quality of priests.
“From what I’ve seen of Dominic and the way he lives, he’d bring some very special gifts and talents to the priesthood,” Monsignor Nydegger said. “With his sensitivity and unique perspective, I think he’d be able to truly touch people’s lives in a deep way that we don’t often see in the world.”
Guided step by step
Maria — who works in multiple roles at St. Helen Parish and Holy Trinity School — said she would feel “honored” to be the mother of a priest. At the same time, she said her son is the only one who can decide whether the priesthood is right for him. She has told him he should not feel obligated to become a priest if he ever changes his mind.
“I just want him to be happy and find where God is calling him to be,” said Maria, who noted that there are many ways to serve God.
Dominic, who also loves hockey and hopes to one day follow in his father’s and great-grandfather’s footsteps by enlisting in the Marines, wrote in his essay that “I do not know exactly where God will lead me, but I trust that He is guiding me step by step.”
Still, he strongly feels that he will ultimately fulfill his dream of becoming a priest.
“The Roman Catholic priesthood is a life of service, sacrifice, and joy centered on Jesus,” he writes. “That is why I believe God is calling me to become a priest, and why I hope to answer that call one day.”
Visit newarkpriest.com for more information about the Office of Priestly Vocations.
You can view Dominic’s award-winning video below.
Featured image: Father Patrick Seo, director of the Office of Priestly Vocations, presented Dominic Auricchio with the first-place award for the Cardinal Joseph Tobin Essay and Video Contest in June at Holy Trinity School in Westfield, NJ. From left to right: Fr. Patrick Seo, Fr. George Joseph, Dominic Auricchio, Maria Auricchio, Maximo Auricchio, Neal Auricchio, and Vincenzo Auricchio. (Photo courtesy Holy Trinity School)
