Meet Brother Joseph Orozco

I grew up in Whittier, California in a good Catholic family.

When I was 18 years old, and a senior in high school, my parents invited two priests for dinner one evening. Father John Curran and Father Lorenzo Gomez, both Legionaries of Christ, came over for what I thought was only a visit. But during dinner, I realized they had something else in mind. They invited both my younger brother and me to a discernment retreat that was to take place clear across the country in Cheshire, Connecticut during Holy Week. I had no idea what a discernment retreat was! I was in the middle of football season, it was my senior year, and I would miss one of our games and a couple of practices. But something was compelling me to say “yes.” I committed to the retreat and the following morning Fr. Lorenzo sent me two plane tickets to Connecticut.

So now, I had to confront my head coach and tell him that I wouldn’t be able to play the next game and, instead, would be attending a retreat. He told me that the game I would miss was a very important game for the team. But I told him: “I can’t not go.” And that is how I ended up at the Legionaries of Christ Novitiate. I had an amazing experience, and I instantly knew that God was asking me to stay and follow him on this incredible adventure toward the priesthood.