Ten men entered the Society of Jesus on August 16, 2025, at the Novitiate of St. Stanislaus Kostka in Denver. Over the next two years, they will learn about the Society of Jesus and deepen their relationship with Jesus. A mix of prayer, apostolic service, community life and studies of Jesuit primary documents and the Society of Jesus’ contemporary mission will help each novice discern how the Lord calls him to live his life generously.
For the first two weeks of their novitiate experience (called first probation), the new novices spent time learning about the Society of Jesus and getting to know one another as companions in the Lord. Novices put aside cell phones and social media to focus on how to offer their gifts and talents for the service of the Church and the care for others.
New novices close this time of first probation in a three-day silent retreat led by the second-year novices in order to prepare them to fully enter the work of the novitiate.
They are accompanied in their studies and discernment by Novice Director Fr. Drew Kirschman, SJ, Fr. John Vowells, SJ, and Fr. Daniel Mora, SJ.
Meet the ten incoming novices of the Jesuits USA Central and Southern Province:
Ivan Brea
El Paso, Texas
Ivan Brea was born in New York to a Dominican and Nicaraguan family and grew up in El Paso, Texas, where he attended Cathedral High School. As a student at New York University, he studied in Argentina and double majored in political science and Spanish, with a minor in social and public policy. He completed a Master of Philosophy at the University of Cambridge. He began a graduate program in Hispanic studies at the University of Texas before entering the novitiate. In his free time, he enjoys watching movies, reading, writing, traveling and hanging out with friends.
Roberto Brunel
Houston
Roberto Brunel was born in Houston and attended the Regis School of the Sacred Heart for elementary school and Strake Jesuit College Preparatory. As a seminarian for the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter, he completed his philosophy degree at the University of St. Thomas in Houston. After leaving the seminary, he earned a Baccalaureate of Sacred Theology (STB) at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. He was a member of the Alumni Service Corps at Strake Jesuit for a year and then a theology teacher and moderator of the sodality at Belen Jesuit Preparatory School in Miami. He recently completed a graduate degree in Catholic educational leadership at Saint Louis University. In his free time, he enjoys books, fitness, travel, museums, Gregorian chant and cooking.
Eddie Crowder II
Dallas
Eddie Crowder II was born in Bryan, Texas, and grew up in Dallas, where he attended a public high school. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration and a master’s degree in accounting at Southern Methodist University and then worked for many years as a certified public accountant in wealth and asset management. He converted to Catholicism in 2020 and has been volunteering in his parish’s food pantry and serving as a sponsor for the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA) program. In his free time, he enjoys spiritual reading, family time, wine tasting and charcuterie, as well as volunteering at a cat cafe.
John Henry Hobgood
Shreveport, Louisiana
John Henry Hobgood was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, where he attended a Catholic parochial school and the former Jesuit high school, Loyola College Preparatory School. He earned a bachelor’s degree in liberal studies at the University of Notre Dame. After graduation, he moved to Boston to work in the wine industry. Next, he moved to Washington, D.C., to work as a program manager at the Catholic University of America. He recently completed a master’s degree in political science at Boston College. In his free time, he enjoys reading, cooking and long walks.
John Knowles
Houston
John Knowles was born in Houston, where he attended a Catholic parochial school and Strake Jesuit College Preparatory. As a student at Boston College, he lived with the Jesuits in Paris and studied in Chile, while earning degrees in English and philosophy. He returned to Strake Jesuit for a year with the Alumni Service Corps, then worked at St. Theresa Catholic Church. He worked for a start-up company and taught at a public charter school. John likes to cook, read and listen to music, and he is an amateur actor.
Dominic LaMantia
St. Louis
Dominic LaMantia was born in Houston and grew up in St. Louis, where he attended St. Louis University High School (SLUH). At Georgetown University, he double majored in philosophy and math with a minor in Russian. After graduation, he returned to SLUH as a member of the Alum Service Corp, then returned to Georgetown as a Catholic Studies Program Coordinator. He recently completed his doctorate in philosophy at the University of Notre Dame. Dominic enjoys discussing philosophy and theology, watching movies and sports, and cooking for dinner parties with friends.
José Luna
Miami
José Luna was born outside of Miami and attended public schools. He earned bachelor’s degrees in statistics, economics and classical civilizations from the University of Rochester. While there, he served as vice president of the Thomistic Institute and was active in the Newman Catholic Community. He worked at a Mexican restaurant and taught theology and assisted with campus ministry at Immaculata-La Salle High School. Prior to his entry to the novitiate, he began graduate studies at the Franciscan University of Steubenville. In his free time, José enjoys reading, watching movies, working out and spending time with family.
Michael Meeks
Austin, Texas
Michael Meeks was born in Ft. Campbell, Tennessee, and grew up in Fredericksburg, Texas, before moving to the suburbs of Austin, Texas. He attended Catholic grade schools and St. Dominic Savio Catholic High School. At Texas A&M University, he earned a bachelor’s degree in international studies and Spanish, with minors in Chinese and Japanese. He studied abroad in Dushanbe, Tajikistan; Beijing; Oaxaca, Mexico; Granada, Spain; and Tokyo. He also completed an internship at the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Western European Affairs in Washington, D.C. In his spare time, Michael enjoys spending time with friends, singing sacred music, taking walks to explore new places, visiting coffee shops and attending Mass in different languages.
Nicholas Sanders
Madison, Wisconsin
Nicholas Sanders was born in Madison, Wisconsin, where he attended Catholic grade school and a Catholic high school founded by the Sinsinawa Dominican sisters. Nicholas attended the University of Wisconsin, where he completed a bachelor’s degree in business administration. After graduation, he moved to Chicago and worked for large corporations. He took a break from work to volunteer at World Youth Day in Lisbon and walk the Camino de Santiago. After returning, he worked as the director of operations at the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Denver as well as for some time as a program manager and finance specialist for the Archdiocese of Denver. Nicholas enjoys outdoor activities like snow skiing, waterskiing, running and hiking.
Richard Williams Jr.
Metairie, Louisiana
Richard Williams Jr. was born in Metairie, Louisiana, where he attended a Catholic grammar school and Jesuit High School of New Orleans. He attended Dartmouth College, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in history, was in the wind ensemble and spent a semester in Spain. He then attended the University of North Texas and earned a master’s degree in Spanish and began a doctoral program in history. Taking leave from the program, he returned to Jesuit High and taught world geography and Spanish. Richard likes reading and watching movies, TV and YouTube in English and Spanish.
Please pray for these men as they continue to discern their vocations.
Is God calling you to a vocation in the Society of Jesus? Learn more about our vocation at www.BeAJesuit.org.
Photo at top is the novitiate community, including Frs. John Vowells, SJ, and Daniel Mora, SJ. Novice Director Fr. Drew Kirschman, SJ, was the photographer.
Please join us in praying for vocations to the Society of Jesus:
Creator and Lord,
You have created us to praise, reverence
and serve You for Your greater honor and glory.
May the call of Christ be heard today by young people
with generous hearts and a passion for service.
Through the intercession of Your Blessed Mother Mary,
St. Ignatius of Loyola, St. Francis Xavier and all Your saints,
inspire young men to consider serving You and Your Church
as Jesuit priests and brothers.
Grant them courage to overcome fear and doubt,
and strength to meet the pressing needs of the Church and world today.
Fill them with holy desires to serve the mission of Christ,
to find new ways to spread the Gospel message,
to defend and proclaim the faith of the Church,
and to promote the justice of Your Kingdom,
as companions of Your Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ.
Amen.
