A dream, strong faith and a health struggle inspire teen’s winning essay on priesthood
Dominic Auricchio, 13, won first place in the Archdiocese of Newark’s Cardinal Joseph Tobin Essay and Video Contest for his essay on why priests are important. His winning essay drew on a dream he had at age four and his recent health struggle with seizures, giving him a unique perspective on vocation. The judges noted his work stood out among 49 submissions, and he received a plaque and $1,500 presented by Father Patrick Seo. The contest invites seventh‑grade students to explain the importance of priests, encouraging young people to reflect on the priesthood.
19 days ago
A 13-year-old New Jersey Catholic, Dominic Auricchio, won the Archdiocese of Newark’s 2026 Cardinal Joseph Tobin Essay and Video Contest after writing about the importance of priests. His vocation aspirations were shaped by a childhood dream, his service in parish life, and experiences with serious health problems.
Dominic’s winning essay responded to a prompt asking seventh graders to explain why priests are important. He wrote that priests share God’s Word, celebrate the sacraments, and love people as Jesus did. His entry was selected as the strongest among 49 submissions. 1
He received a plaque and $1,500 at a summer ceremony attended by family, classmates, Father Patrick Seo, the archdiocese’s vocations director, and Father George Joseph, pastor of Holy Trinity Parish in Westfield. 1
Dominic says he first felt drawn to the priesthood after a dream at age 4 in which he heard God telling him to become a priest. Although he does not remember the dream clearly, he has continued to feel called to that vocation. 1
His essay was written during a difficult period. He began experiencing seizures in December and was hospitalized when he first learned about the contest. He said those experiences helped him understand how people feel when they are frightened, different, or facing hardship. 1
In his essay, Dominic connected those experiences with his desire to comfort others, writing that priests accompany people through sickness, grief, and fear. He spent several weeks revising the 642-word essay. 1
The contest also required a four-minute video, which Dominic produced with help from his mother, Maria, and his brother, Vincenzo. In it, he described being diagnosed at age 9 with a brain mass. 1
Dominic said that while doctors and his parents were considering treatment, a woman wearing blue and a head covering appeared in his bedroom. He believes she was the Virgin Mary and that she told him not to worry. A subsequent CAT scan showed that the mass had begun to shrink. 1
The article states that the improvement cannot be confirmed as miraculous because Dominic was taking medication that may have contributed to it. His mother believes God healed him, while Dominic says the experience reminds people that God is present and gives them hope. 1
Dominic serves as an altar server at St. Helen’s Parish in Westfield, an experience he says has helped him understand the priest’s role and brought him closer to the Eucharist. He also described giving alms during Lent and serving as a buddy to a young girl with autism during inclusive Masses. 1
He identified patience, kindness, and the ability to make everyone feel included as qualities priests should have. His pastor, Msgr. Thomas Nydegger, said Dominic’s sensitivity and perspective could enable him to touch people’s lives deeply if he eventually enters the priesthood. 1
Maria said she would be honored if Dominic became a priest but emphasized that the decision must remain his. She has told him not to feel obligated to pursue the priesthood if he changes his mind and encouraged him to follow wherever he believes God is calling him. 1
Dominic also enjoys hockey and hopes to join the Marines, following his father’s and great-grandfather’s example. Despite not knowing exactly where his future will lead, he says he trusts God’s guidance and continues to hope that he will one day become a priest. 1*
What is the Catholic Church’s view on youth vocation discernment?
The Catholic Church sees youth vocation discernment as a prayerful journey of discovering how God calls each person to holiness, love, and service. It is not limited to choosing priesthood or religious life; it includes marriage, consecrated life, priesthood, diaconate, dedicated single life, and the various ways laypeople serve God and society.
Every young person is first called to:
The Church therefore does not treat vocation as merely a career decision. It concerns the deeper questions: Why am I here? What gifts has God given me? Whom am I called to love and serve?
Young people should be helped to consider openly:
The Church should neither assume that every young person has a religious vocation nor quietly exclude priesthood and consecrated life from consideration. It should present all legitimate Christian vocations positively and allow the individual to respond to God’s call.
The Church emphasizes several essential means:
Families and parishes should create a genuine culture of vocation: they should pray for vocations, speak naturally and positively about them, affirm young people’s gifts, and expose them to credible examples of joyful Christian living. The Church must accompany youth with “courage, warmth, and tact,” while avoiding manipulation or pressure.
Young people are also not merely “the Church of tomorrow.” They are already active members and protagonists of the Church’s mission today, even while discerning their future state of life.
In summary, Catholic teaching encourages young people to ask seriously, in prayer and within the Church: “Lord, what do you want me to do with my life, and whom do you want me to serve?” The goal is not simply to find a personally satisfying option, but to receive one’s life as a gift and give it generously in love.