Meet Br. Inoh Choe

My life changed forever on August 22, 2022. On that day, I faced death—at the age of thirty-three, clinging to the side of a mountain, and teetering on the edge of the unknown.

I was in Colorado, hiking two of its towering 14,000-foot peaks. What began as a typical adventure soon turned treacherous. My friend and I lost the trail while trying to outrun a sudden storm, and before long, I found myself ‘cliffed out’ on an isolated ledge—stranded between Mount Shavano and Mount Tabeguache, with no way up, no way down, and no signal to call for help. The only way forward was to leap across an eight-foot chasm using the side of the mountain as a springboard to propel me forward. I knew that if I missed, the sharp rocks and freezing waters below would end my story. Still, I jumped. My right foot clawed at the rocky edge of the mountain, and for a moment, I thought I’d make it—until my foot slipped.

I fell. In those endless seconds, my life unfolded in a vivid reel. I saw family, friends, my ambitions, my hopes—all slipping out of reach. Just then, my friend lunged out to grab the back of my shirt, just enough for my fingertips to catch the other side. As I pulled myself up to safety, alive against all odds, I found myself whispering, “Lord, you gave me a second chance. Thank you.” In that moment, gratitude filled me, but something else took root as well: a quiet, surprising thought. If God had given me this life back, was there a reason? If He called me to something new, would I say yes?

Until then, I hadn’t considered the priesthood. I barely knew anything about religious life or the term “apostolate.” I’d been set on a path to success—a high-powered job, a life of adventure, maybe even a big family one day. I had recently moved to Denver with a prestigious MBA/MS in Design Innovation from Northwestern, armed with a mandate from my Fortune 200 employer to build a billion-dollar company. But I couldn’t ignore the pull I felt after that experience on the mountain. Lady Death had opened my eyes to a different kind of ascent, one that wasn’t about corporate or mountain peaks but about giving my life to God.

Exactly one year later, on August 23, 2023, I finished Candidacy with the Legionaries of Christ. I sold my house, gave away my Jeep Wrangler and belongings, and let go of the dreams I’d clung to so fiercely. With every step, I felt a peace that I hadn’t known before, a “peace that surpasses all understanding.” I entered the novitiate ready to begin the climb up this second mountain.

Now, as I wrap up my second year as a novice, I think back to that August afternoon and the way God caught me from a fall. It wasn’t just the cliffs and peaks that had held me back, but my own ambitions and desires. I can’t say the path has been easy or that I don’t miss parts of my old life. But with each day, I feel more certain that God has given me this second chance for a reason.

Please pray for me as I continue this journey.

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

More info