John Paul’s Cool2B Catholic Video Wins EWTN Contest

What did you do?

I won the the High School category in EWTN’s Cool 2b Catholic video contest. I was inspired to make the video because of my love for filmmaking and the desire to make a video to inspire young men to join the Holy Priesthood.

With my contest entry, A Day in the Life of a Priest, I wanted to dramatically capture the truly epic nature of the Priestly vocation and the Sacraments and also the relatability of the Priest as a human.

It was so exciting for me to think of the various ways I could utilize what is available to me and thus show the beauty of my home parish, the nearby Fatima Shrine, and the rural landscape of New Jersey. This is not to mention the awesome performances I received from my family actors and actresses!

This is a link to my full interview and first prize video on EWTN. I am the first young man being interviewed for the High School category. A link to my YouTube channel where I post my latest films is below.

What organization recognized the achievement?

EWTN recognized my achievement, awarding me first prize in the Contest.

How did homeschooling help you achieve your goal?

Seton Homeschool has helped me tremendously in achieving this victory! Because of Seton, my understanding of the Faith and the Holy Priesthood has been enriched and enlivened.

Homeschooling has always fostered my ability to be creative and think “outside of the box” which is such a valuable asset in film-making. Seton has also afforded me the flexibility to get the best film shots that happen spontaneously and at the times I need them most.

What are your interests?

I greatly enjoy filmmaking… as you might have guessed! It is because filmmaking is the summary of all the art forms. Film allows us to take the gifts that God has given us and re-present them to him in the beautiful, inspiring, and moving art that we have created. Film reflects life, our stories, our philosophy, our hearts… It can pose and answer questions but more importantly, film can lead us to God and be a source of His grace to work in us.

One moment in a film can change our outlook and the direction of our lives forever. We can relate to it and recognize the truth and reality of human life through beauty, suffering, and contradiction all woven together into a tapestry that reveals the truth of God’s love, compassion, and mercy bursting forth upon mankind.

I also greatly enjoy music and have been playing the violin since the age of six. I take joy in the beauty of nature and love to stargaze, play Frisbee, watch the clouds, and really take in the glory of summer and share this joy with family and friends.

What are you inspired to do with your life?

My goal, first and foremost, is to get to Heaven and bring everyone else with me! I have a burning desire to build a strong close-knit community of families who live out their lives together and foster true friendships and authentic joy. I also want to bring Christ to others in all that I do. I love filmmaking and really see the beauty and profound impact of this art form. I feel a special need to impact the culture for Christ with great films and through my authentic friendships and affirmation towards others. This is a link is my YouTube channel where I post my latest films.

What are your favorite subjects and why?

My favorite subjects… well it’s hard to say since I love most of them! I greatly enjoy History. For me, it is such an inspiration to learn of the Catholic legacy and the History of Christendom of which I am a part. It fills me with such enthusiasm, wonder, and motivation to learn of God’s hand throughout History and of the countless brave deeds, sacrifices, and Faith of the men and women who struggled to change the world for good.

I also feel very enriched by studying Religion and have definitely grown in my appreciation for and understanding of the Holy Mass and the Holy Bible.

I greatly enjoy English since it resembles filmmaking’s most important quality: storytelling. I learned how to analyze the many elements of stories and what to value in good storytelling.

The photo was taken at EWTN Studio headquarters in Irondale, Alabama on the set of “Life on the Rock.”