That was the moment that I was called by name.

Meet Br. Austen Davis

I grew up in a family of six in Raleigh, North Carolina. Both of my parents were raised Catholic and kept our family close to the Church from the beginning. I was blessed to attend a small Catholic high school called Saint Thomas More Academy, and I was an altar server at my home parish for several years. However, our family’s faith lacked depth. Sometimes we would go through periods of not going to Sunday mass, and for a long time, we didn’t see the need to go to confession. I knew that my family needed a stronger faith, but I didn’t know that the Lord was working on granting it to us, and that He would use me in a particular way to do so.

The Lord began to really grab my attention when I got accepted into NC State University. I applied to NC State after studying for two years at a community college, but almost all of my classes were online due to COVID, and I struggled. Because I prayed to Mary so often during those two years, I had faith that she would get me into NC State, but when it happened, it was still amazing. Not long after, our family witnessed another miracle. While my dad and I were visiting NC State’s campus, he struck up a conversation with a priest, Fr. John Curran LC, who offered me a place to live at St Joseph’s parish. I was immediately able to see God’s hand in creating this opportunity for us. We were so sure of God’s guiding hand that before even meeting my roommates, I signed for a room in the house.

My roommates ended up being instrumental in the nurturing of my vocation. One was a Navy Lieutenant, and the other a former Legionary brother. I became open to the priesthood for the first time in my life while living at the house, and my roommates supported me. They handed me the book “To Save a Thousand Souls,” which kickstarted my discernment. I spent some time with this book while also doing a dating fast, but it wasn’t until I started following a spiritual program called “Exodus 90” with some friends in the Catholic Campus Ministry that I began to hear God’s voice clearly.

I could write pages and pages here of the journey in prayer that began then. In a few words, it has been mysterious, enlightening, passionate, suspenseful, painful, and deeply fulfilling. One moment I like to focus on, which marked a turning point in my discernment, was an experience I had during a Saturday vigil mass at Saint Joseph’s. I knew God was preparing something when I heard the mass was being offered for a man named “Austen”. The moment of light came to me during the homily, in which the priest spoke about why Jesus chose to go to Galilee for His ministry. His perspective was that it was the most efficient way for Him to evangelize, since Galilee was populated and diverse. From his reflection, a question arose in me: “What is the biggest thing I can do for my family and my friends?” My answer: “To become a priest!” That was the moment that I was called by name.

I walked back to my house and immediately reached out to my spiritual director in order to meet for the first time. I became determined that God was calling me to take steps. To name a few of those steps, I contacted the vocations director for my diocese, visited the Dominican House of Studies in DC, went to the Easter Test-Your-Call retreat in Cheshire, signed up for the Aspirancy program, and ultimately committed to the Legionaries of Christ Candidacy for the summer of 2023.

It was difficult to think about leaving home, especially as the start of candidacy approached, but I am so glad that I came. Already, I have seen Christ’s Kingdom come into my family in more ways than I could have imagined. As I continue to unite myself more and more to God’s will, I only expect to see more.

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