We’re excited to bring you the second installment in this three part interview series with our 2021-2022 foreword writer, Fr. Paul-Michael Piega! If you missed the first part of the series you can find it here.
Fr. Piega holding his diploma from Texas A&M University!
Part II: Tell God your plans…
Kassie: You graduated from Texas A&M with a degree in Psychology and had discerned that God was calling you to religious life—can you walk us through your path to now becoming a priest for the Diocese of Austin?
Fr. Piega: You know the saying “Tell God your plans to make Him laugh?” This story is like that—because His ways are not our ways! I was initially drawn to the Jesuits because I wanted to be a missionary, but I discerned that teaching wasn’t the right fit for me. I heard the call to become a priest in Austin, so after graduating college I entered seminary. I was at St. Joseph Seminary College in Louisiana for two years studying theology and acquiring a philosophy degree.
Fr. Paul-Michael and his mother on his last day in Rome!
Kassie: Why was studying philosophy an important part of your preparation to become a priest?
Fr. Piega: Philosophy is part of the church's foundations to really learn how the person thinks and what are ways in which we can apply reason and logic. To be quite honest, things don't often change in the human mind. We’re dealing with a lot of the same stuff that has happened in our salvation history—it’s nothing new, it’s just presented in different ways.
Kassie: After finishing seminary in Louisiana you were asked to further your studies, correct?
Fr. Piega: Yes, and here's where my story comes back again to the Jesuits. Bishop Joe Vasquez asked me to study theology at the Gregorian University, which is one of the oldest universities in the world. It was such a humbling experience to be taught by Jesuits at their mother university in Rome! After finishing that theology degree, I was asked to continue further studies in the sacred liturgy—which is a two year degree that is a license to teach. So now I have a license to teach the faith and liturgy officially, even when I hadn’t thought teaching was part of my path.
Fr. Piega was able to serve at Mass for Pope Francis three times - an experience he shares with us below!
Kassie: Full circle! This is also around the time when my family visited Rome and you were so generous to show us around that amazing city! You lived there for over 5 years—what were some of your favorite places or experiences from your time in Rome?
Fr. Piega: Just to walk where the saints walked is such a humbling experience. I loved experiencing the universality of our faith—when celebrating the Mass it’s just so beautiful to see a brother and sister from China, France, or anywhere in the world! Even if we didn’t share a language, we were able to unite ourselves in the celebration of the Mass.
I also had the beautiful opportunity to serve at Mass for the Holy Father Pope Francis three times, including the memorable experience of proclaiming the Gospel on the Feast of the Epiphany in 2018 when I was a deacon. Just to share with you how nervous I was—I distinctly remember how the book of the Gospels at the Vatican is really, deceivingly heavy. It’s a wood cover bounded by leather and decorated with gold elements—fitting for the Gospels! Of course, you don’t want to be the seminarian that falls, so I’m holding up the book of the Gospels and processing down the center aisle of St. Peter’s and it’s a feast day—talk about nerves! Then I go up to our Holy Father and ask for his blessing, which was surreal, then proclaimed the Gospel. It was just a life changing experience to hear my voice proclaiming the Word in that space for the universal Church, militant on this earth and the Church triumphant. We’re united with the heavenly reality and the heavenly glory of the saints also praising God at Mass. When I got back to my chair I realized my hands were shaking and I was sweating so profusely—just an amazing, beautiful moment! I’m thankful to just be able to share these experiences with the people in my diocese and with you all at Every Sacred Sunday.
Fr. Piega serving at Mass with Pope Francis, as a deacon, on the Feast of the Epiphany in 2018!
Kassie: We’re thankful to experience this through you sharing your story! St. Peter’s is obviously special to you—if you could go back and visit one other place in Rome, where would you go?
Fr. Piega: The Basilica of St. Mary Major. August 5th is the dedication of St. Mary Major, which is also my baptismal date, so it's one of my favorite churches to ask our Blessed Mother Mary's intercession. They have a relic of wood from Christ’s manger, which also reminds me to have a childlike faith. If I go back, that would be my favorite place to visit and pray.