Meet Michael Vento, St. Anthony's Newest Seminarian
A Call To Holy Priesthood
Michael Vento has the heart of a servant leader, with a calling to especially serve “Christ distressingly disguised in the poor” as Saint Mother Teresa described those her call within a call centered around. He is currently living as a full-time lay missionary in a homeless shelter run by the Missionaries of Charity in Gallup, New Mexico. He previously lived as a volunteer in the Missionary of Charity’s shelter in Phoenix, Arizona. His other service over the years include but is not limited to: Sacristan duties (three times), Prison Ministry, Youth Ministry (several times including Life Teen, and at a Tri-lingual Catholic Church), Street Evangelization (such as in Kensington, PA, AKA “Zombie Land”), Pro-Life including helping launch a consistent life ethic shelter for Migrant Women and Children in ‘cartel country’ (Juárez, Mexico), Lector, Eucharistic Minister (at Mass, to the homebound, and the hospital), Usher, Altar Server, Catholic Farming Community, Chastity Speaker, Faith Formation Catechist (for children receiving Communion and also Confirmation), RCIA/OCIA Instructor, Parish Office volunteer, Franciscan volunteer with the poorest in the Dominican Republic, and volunteer 5th Grade Teacher - just to name a few.
Michael Vento has ‘a heart restless until it rests in God’, as St. Augustine put it. Born into a Catholic Family and given a Catholic education by Priests and Religious from Kindergarten through college, he now clearly sees a call by God through Our Lady to Priesthood starting back in the 8th grade. During the decades seeking God’s will in his life, Michael was very successful in his secular career spanning from Manhattan, New York’s financial district to Asia’s biomedical field, to being asked by one of the largest global banks to learn a new line of business and launch an office for them in Arizona in 2018.
Michael Vento has a heart for Brotherhood, being a Knight for almost 15 years starting at Council 394 in New York while living, discerning, and volunteering full-time with the LaSalle Christian Brothers. Michael joined our Council shortly after moving to Casa Grande amid lockdown restrictions lifting. Michael had also found work in Catholic organizations over the years ranging from Pro-Life to international media as he sought to hear God’s wish for his life.
On a Mission Trip to Guatemala in February 2025, while walking to where the first US Martyr gave his life (Blessed Father Stanley Rother, a Missionary from Oklahoma), Michael was told the amazing news that Bishop James Wall gave his permission for Michael to apply to be a Diocesan Seminarian! The Diocese of Gallup is the largest and poorest Diocese in the US, so where better would Jesus be sending him? Michael is completing his application for the Diocese, and is excited to learn which Seminary he will be attending this fall!
All for Jesus’ glory, through Mary! Vivat Jesus!
