Father Andrew Q & A

Where are you One week that year we watched a video about from? Fr. Damien of , who gave his life to serve the lepers in . God first touched my heart I was born and then about possibly being a priest. It took a raised in Aiken, SC. while, though, for me to finally say yes! I grew up as a typical American What inspires you about ? kid, watching way too much TV and I love how he served heroically the people under playing a lot of his care, with amazing love in spiritual matters video games. My but also exhaustive work for their physical mom and dad welfare. He would tend their wounds, build their were always great housing, plant crops, and even build their examples of the faith for me and my younger caskets! As a priest I try to follow his example of sister, Lindsay. Mom and Dad still live in Aiken, leading the way for my people, being willing to and Lindsay lives in Bluffton working as a copy do things myself that I am asking them to do. editor for the Island Packet. Why did it take a while to say yes to the When did you start thinking about being a priesthood? priest? Girls! I didn’t think that I could give up being In fifth grade, my parents decided to send me to married, in particular being a dad. I have always St. Mary’s, the Catholic school in Aiken. I ended loved working with kids and been good with up really benefiting a lot from the faith them. By the time I got to high school, I figured I formation there, especially daily religion class. would serve God by being a high school teacher. In my teens I dated different girls, and as a student at Clemson I had a girlfriend I cared about very much. In my first year there, helped me to finally see that he was calling me to be married to his bride, the Church, and to be a father in a different way to countless spiritual children.

Last fall I was able to go on a pilgrimage to Molokai, where I got to walk in Damien’s footsteps. Here I am in my Father Damien outfit, about to ride on a mule down the mountain to the colony where he served. Clemson or Carolina? Is it true that your previous guinea pigs are internet superstars? Clemson, of course! Although not in an overly irrational way. For example, I was rooting for the Yes! My guinea pigs Carmy and Claire, who Gamecock basketball teams in the Final Four; in passed away earlier this year, are the stars of a cases like that, state pride comes first! couple of videos that I made while serving the school kids at my second assignment. Together they have over nine million views on Youtube! (“To the Guineamobile!” and “To the Guineacycle!”)

What is your favorite part about being a priest?

I love being able to work all day long, doing work for the Lord, and not a typical 9 to 5 . Everything I do in a normal day can have eternal consequences for people… which is a bit daunting, but it means that it is the most worthwhile work one could spend one’s life My friend Matthew and I at a doing! In particular, I enjoy celebrating the , Clemson homegame this season. National Champions, baby!!! preaching, helping people in confession, and working with kids and teenagers.

What do you like to do for fun? Does that mean you can’t work with older folks? I enjoy hanging out with friends, going to the movies, playing poker, as well as quiet stuff on Being good with kids doesn’t mean that one is my own like video projects or writing. I also have unable to minister to non-kids. I’ve got a lot of two guinea pigs, Gelica and Rez, who are fun experience working with those who are older, pets. especially from my time in Bluffton and in Myrtle Beach, and the people there were all really sad to see me go! (Unless they were lying to me!)

What is your hope for St. Peter’s?

My hope is for us to work together to grow in our own relationships with Christ, so that we each have a vibrant, living friendship with him that changes our lives. And as we grow as his disciples, this good news of Christ and our Catholic faith is too good to keep to ourselves! Together, we will make St. Peter’s a beacon helping lead everyone in the Beaufort area closer to Christ. Rez & Gelica as babies, named after Saint Therese and Mother Angelica.