Welcome to “Pathway to Priesthood”—a special podcast series from the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States.

In these conversations, we’ve been talking with Jesuits who are in the final days of preparing for ordination to the priesthood. We’ve reflected back on their vocation stories and experience of Jesuit formation, and we’ve wrestled with some of the biggest questions surrounding priestly ordination.

This is the final episode of the season—so we went big. We have two Jesuits today: Orlando Portalatin and Joe Lorenz.

Orlando is from Puerto Rico. Before joining the Society of Jesus, he had a 20 year career in human resources management. He says he doesn’t have a late vocation—he was just late to respond! Joe is from Maryland. He studied Arabic in college and as a Jesuit, taught English in Beirut for over 200 students.

As you listen to Orlando and Joe share their stories and reflections, I invite you to consider whether you or someone you know might be interested in discerning a call to Jesuit life. If so, head over to beajesuit.org. And I invite you to pray for all of the Jesuits who will be ordained this year as the begin their priestly ministry.