Fr. Joseph began the novitiate at our abbey in 2003. He made his solemn profession on August 20, 2008 and was ordained to the priesthood August 15, 2009.

Fr. Joseph grew up in Norcross, Georgia. He first began to discern a vocation while attending St. Pius X Catholic High School in Atlanta. He was especially grateful for the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and he saw the importance of the priestly vocation to make that gift available to others. He chose to attend the University of Dallas where he studied philosophy and continued to grow in his discernment with the help of outstanding friends and faculty. He especially appreciated the witness he received from the Cistercian fathers, some of whom were his professors during this time.

In addition to his regular monastic formation, since entering the monastery Fr. Joseph has gained graduate degrees in theology at the University of Dallas, the Pontifical Gregorian University (Rome), and the Catholic University of America (Washington, DC). His studies focused especially on apologetics, St. John Henry Newman, and medieval Cistercian theology. He served for eight years in the theology and campus ministry department at Cistercian Preparatory School and is the proud form master for the CPS class of 2017. He currently teaches theology full-time at the University of Dallas and takes special pleasure in carrying forward the Cistercian presence there, having benefitted from it so much as a student.