Brooklyn native Father Rafael Jason Perez, 29, looks forward to “being able to encounter, serve and love Christ in God’s people.”
Father Perez is one of five children born to Joanne Scibilia and Rafael A. Perez. Like his siblings, he was raised in St. Rosalia-Regina Pacis parish, Bensonhurst. He attended public schools P.S. 176 and I.S. 187, before going to Edward R. Murrow H.S., Midwood.
It was in high school when the idea of a priestly vocation first came to his mind and heart, he said. He had stopped attending church after his Confirmation, yet he felt drawn to God.
“I needed God in my life because of things going on at the time, so I started to go back to church and I attribute that to me praying the rosary,” he said.
“Then, it was the example of a religious brother, parish priests and my pastor at the time, Msgr. Dino Zeni” that drew him to the priesthood.
He saw the religious’ faith first-hand when he became a sacristan. That, combined with the joy of his newfound relationship with Jesus, stirred something in him. But he felt hesitant to say “Yes” to the call.
Saving Souls
After high school, he earned his bachelor’s in secondary education at Brooklyn College and taught social studies at a Brooklyn high school for a year.
As a teacher, he wondered how to help his students’ souls reach heaven.
“A teacher does good for this realm, what about eternal life? How are those young people, people in general, going to make sure that they have an eternal well being? That drove me to say, ‘Let me act on what I have been feeling all these years.’”
He spent half a year at the Pope John Paul II House of Discernment, Cypress Hills, before entering the seminary in 2009.
He studied at Cathedral Seminary Residence, Douglaston, and Immaculate Conception Seminary, Huntington, L.I. He then enrolled at St. Joseph Seminary, Yonkers, where he received a bachelor of sacred theology degree and a master of divinity.
He credits several people as being “sources of inspiration and motivation at different stages” of his formation. Some of these include Brother Robert Ziobro, S.C., of Regina Pacis, Msgr. Ronald Marino, Father John Tino, Msgr. Kevin Noone and Father Joseph Holcomb.
He was assigned to minister at Our Lady of Angels, Bay Ridge, for two summers and served as a deacon at St. Andrew Avellino parish, Flushing.
“Teaching young people the faith in catechism, working with the Spanish-speaking communities of the parishes I was assigned to and, most recently, as a deacon leading prayer, celebrating the sacraments or helping with preaching, all this has reaffirmed my vocation,” he said. “I feel very peaceful, excited and joyful.”
His parents and siblings – Vanessa, Jaden, Christian and Marcus – will join in his happiness as he professes his priestly promises.
Father Perez will offer his first Mass of thanksgiving at Regina Pacis Basilica on Sunday, June 28, at 12 p.m.
Related:
Pope Francis to Priests: Be Men of Tenderness
Bishop DiMarzio: New Priests Are Committed to Sacrifice
