Meet Br. Mark Laurance

During and after college, my Catholic faith was secondary, and eventually it became an inconvenience. I was more concerned with fun, girls, and money, and I was slipping into the culture of moral relativism. The world deceives us with a flawed definition of love, and I was caught in the trap. St. Augustine said, “those who want to find their joy in externals all too easily grow empty themselves.”

Then God sent a friendly helping hand, an angel messenger, to give me a wake-up call. I had begun dating a girl who lived her love for Jesus in every part of her life. She invited me to start going back to church, and she patiently guided me towards an urgent, irrefutable path to self-knowledge, sanity, freedom from slavery to sin, and acceptance of the Father’s mercy.

It didn’t end up working out between me and her, but her virtuous example and her questioning me about my faith impacted me and set me on a trajectory to find answers to the big questions of life. Who do I say that Jesus Christ is? What place does God have in my life? How much does truth matter? In that time of separation and uncertainty, I had a transformative experience of God’s presence, of gratitude, and of understanding that I entirely depended on Him. I suddenly found myself reading many books on theology, philosophy, and spirituality, and began making my faith my own.

Some realizations I had at this point: The greatest treasure we have is within our own hearts, and that is that we are made in the image of God, our creator. The world offers much enticing short-term pleasure, but a lot of it does not end in true happiness. Christ alone offers eternal joy. The real definition of love is willing the good of the other, and this requires putting others before ourselves. Today’s society often has an alarming lack of sound reasoning and truth. The harvest is abundant, but the laborers are few.

In the next few years, I became involved in my parish, Saint Brigid in San Diego, through the young adult ministry, and joined various Bible study groups. Diving into Mother Teresa’s spirituality focused me on Jesus’ words, “even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve.” I felt Christ calling me to be a missionary, yet I wasn’t sure what that could look like. I tried different service opportunities and realized I wanted something more immersive. I was interested in joining the seminary and thought about reaching out to the Legionaries of Christ, whom I had known in my childhood, but I had fears.

“Our Father in heaven gives good gifts to those who ask him.” The Young Catholic Professionals (YCP) national conference connected me with some amazing friends who continued to inspire me in my journey. The vocation director of my diocese gave me a copy of the book To Save A Thousand Souls, and recommended that I start praying holy hours. My Exodus 90 men’s group showed me a glimpse of the value of community and accountability. After praying a novena to St. Therese of Lisieux, and on the ninth day, receiving several roses, I felt that I had received enough signs of confirmation. I made a few visits to Cheshire, Connecticut, and in 2023, I took the leap to join.

These two years of novitiate have been a time of silence, disconnecting from the world, learning to pray, learning about virtues and vices, meditating on the Gospels, and remaining in the desert with Jesus. I love being a part of the Legionary brotherhood, adventure, and mission, and I am excited to continue sharing with others the beauty and richness of our faith.

Come and experience the joy when Br. Mark makes his first vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience on Saturday, August 9, 2025!

More info