By Jessica Easthope
It’s easy to feel small while standing in the shadow of something so much bigger than yourself, but Elvis Toribio isn’t intimidated. He’s been preparing his whole life for this.
“Since I was, like, small, I always, like, felt the Lord calling me to be a priest,” Toribio, a seminarian at St. Joseph’s Seminary said. “I just really enjoyed being in church and always really enjoyed having everything to do with the church.”
Elvis is the youngest seminarian walking the halls of St. Joseph’s Seminary in Dunwoodie. The history, legacy, and future of the seminary’s mission are now part of his journey to the priesthood.
“I’m getting used to the place already. It’s a big place,” Toribio said. “Not what I’m used to.”
With a full course load—Fundamental Theology, Canon Law, and Psychology, to name a few—Elvis is getting used to his classes, as well as what he wears to class.
“At first, it was a little weird just because of the new, like, change of clothing and all that. I’m used to just wearing, like, a regular polo,” Toribio said. “But now with the collar on, it feels kind of surreal. It just kind of makes the dream, you could call it, more real and present.”
Elvis, who was born in the Dominican Republic and moved to Queens Village in 2011, will spend the next four years studying at the seminary before becoming a transitional deacon. After that, he hopes to return to serve the same community that raised him as a priest, specifically ministering to the elderly and sick. He was inspired by seeing his grandmother’s faith grow in her last years.
“The church being close to her was also very comforting for her in her last few years,” Toribio said. “So I want to, like, lean into that and just give those people a little bit of hope.”
These days, Elvis finds hope of his own in the fellow future priests he sits with in class, as they become fast friends. It turns out priestly fraternity starts long before ordination.
“Having them around helps a lot. Having those connections and friendships has also helped a lot with transitioning. Getting to know each other just helps with that, coming out of ourselves and realizing that we’re not alone in this.”
In the classroom—and the cafeteria—Christ is everywhere, and Elvis has taken the first step in surrendering to his call. But for now, there’s a lot to learn—class starts at 8:30 a.m.