Born in 1961, I grew up in a devout Catholic family where love for the Blessed Virgin Mary was at the heart of daily life. My relationship with Our Lady began early—deepening, especially after my First Holy Communion, when I felt her maternal love bring an extraordinary peace to my heart, which was embattled with anxiety, panic attacks, and depression. Through this love and peace that the Blessed Mother imparted to me, I sensed a call to the priesthood. Prayer became my refuge, and through a devoted practice of the Catholic Faith, I found the strength to manage my emotional struggles. At the age of fifteen, in 1976, I entered high school seminary, but what I had hoped would be