A childhood marked by instability might not seem like the foundation for a life in Catholic leadership. Yet for Dr. Paul Chutikorn ’19, MA ’21, each twist and turn became part of a providential path leading him to Christ and His Church. With no religious upbringing to guide him, his journey began with a simple but powerful desire: to make dramatic changes in his life and build a better future for his family. What began as a search for order and a more moral life became something far greater—a discovery of the historic truth and beauty of the Catholic faith, and ultimately a calling to evangelize through teaching and leadership.
A Life Redirected
Dr. Chutikorn grew up in what he describes as a hectic environment. His parents divorced when he was only two years old, and he lived with his father until the age of nine. Paul then moved in with his mother, who was a real estate property manager, a profession with the downside of frequent relocation. Unfortunately, she battled personal problems, and as a result, Paul did not have the supervision a child needs. Although he did not get into trouble himself, he hung around with his cousin, who became involved with drugs and gang affiliation. Paul admits that, while not getting involved, he became attracted to the family-like, protective environment the gang brought—albeit destructive.
Paul’s life took a dramatic turn when he became a father at 16. After taking a year off from school to put his life in order, he completed high school and moved his future wife and child to Oregon to be near his sister. He felt a small-town environment was a better and more affordable place to raise a child.
While growing up, he and his siblings had no exposure to any religion at home. In high school, however, his sister joined a Christian youth group and, in Oregon, attended a Protestant nondenominational church. Now living in Oregon, Paul began attending the same church and loved it. He found that it helped him work toward his goal of becoming a more moral person and bring order to his life. His guiding principle was that he did not want his daughter to live the life he experienced, and he was doing everything possible to do something different.
Discovering the Catholic Church
During this time, when attending church and Bible studies, he began to love the person of Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, a strong anti-Catholic sentiment within the Bible study classes led him to develop a negative opinion about the Catholic faith. An important moment came when his brother, who was originally a Protestant, fell in love with and converted to Catholicism. Paul and his brother had heated discussions and, with the intention of proving his brother wrong, Paul did research into Church history. As he read, he realized that his brother was actually correct about the Catholic Church being the true legacy of Christ. As he put it, “The early Church looked remarkably Catholic.” He and his wife converted to Catholicism in 2009.
On fire with love for Christ and the Church, he hungered to learn more and share the information through teaching. He enrolled in the Holy Apostles online studies program in 2016, just two years after it was fully approved, after hearing about it from his brother. The program, grounded in principles of Thomistic philosophy and theology, was something Paul had been looking for and could not find at any other college. In 2019, Paul earned an undergraduate degree in Theology and Philosophy.
Still on fire, Paul immediately began pursuing his Master of Theology degree, concentrating on Thomistic studies. This, again, was a new program that had launched in 2019, at the same time he graduated with his undergraduate degree.
Teaching, Leadership, and Providence
After earning his graduate degree, he began working as a teaching assistant (TA) at Holy Apostles, while also maintaining a job as Director of Faith Formation at his local parish. When a position opened in 2020, Paul began his adjunct career as the instructor of Moral Theology.
While holding this adjunct position, Paul pursued a Doctor of Education (EdD), which he realized would enable him to provide for his seven children and offer additional opportunities for him to teach and lead. As with so many of the opportunities that came before, the hand of God was at work again. When Paul was completing this program, Holy Apostles posted a job opening for the position of associate dean. He applied and became the Associate Dean of Online Learning at Holy Apostles in September 2024, while maintaining his adjunct teaching position.
Describing this journey, Paul explains, “I have been very, very blessed. It has not been a smooth ride; it’s been a busy schedule—having seven children, going to school, and working. That has been quite difficult, but the whole journey has been a complete blessing.”
Alex Soucy, a 2023 graduate, is an example of someone living the missionary charism of evangelization that is the vision of Holy Apostles College & Seminary. He is the co-founder of Crossroads 4 Christ (C4C), an organization that brings young adults together to form communities of missionary disciples. Crossroads 4 Christ enables young adults to gather and discuss Christ in an environment that seeks to better their relationship with the Lord.
Alex Soucy, a 2023 graduate, is an example of someone living the missionary charism of evangelization that is the vision of Holy Apostles College & Seminary. Alex is the co-founder of Crossroads 4 Christ (C4C), an organization that brings young adults together to form communities of missionary disciples. Crossroads 4 Christ enables young adults to gather and discuss Christ in an environment that seeks to better their relationship with the Lord. Alex was born into the Catholic faith but considered it simply one of the many facets of his life. Then, in his senior year of high school, he attended an impactful retreat that changed him.
For one thing, prayer became part of his daily routine. In college, Alex became part of a faith community. Upon graduating, however, he experienced the lack of a solid community of young adults at the parish level. After traveling to see Pope Francis in Philadelphia during the Holy Father’s 2015 U.S. visit, Alex and his friend, Travis Moran, formed Crossroads 4 Christ, taking to heart the pontiff’s call to be missionary disciples and servant leaders. On October 1, 2015, they held the first C4C meeting at the Willimantic Brewing Company with two other people. After some time for discussion of faith, everyone traveled to St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel in Storrs for a Holy Hour of Eucharistic Adoration, which served as the focal point of the evening. The group only grew from there.
Before they knew it, they had 25-30 young adults attending the first chapter in Columbia, Connecticut. Then came a chapter in New Haven in January 2017. There are now seven chapters throughout Connecticut, and all three dioceses are interested in increasing that number. There has also been extraordinary interest regionally. Launching each new chapter, however, takes training, work, and time. The mission of C4C is to develop communities of young adult missionary disciples, and the payoff is that young adults are encountering the Lord. As Rev. Anthony Federico, the Vocations Director of the Archdiocese of Hartford, wrote in a letter about Crossroads 4 Christ, “It is not a stretch to say that C4C is the brightest and most promising initiative in the Archdiocese of Hartford today.” He went on to say that “a disproportionate number of young men from C4C are coming forward to discern a vocation to the priesthood.” That news is exciting.z
After years of self-study about the Catholic faith, Alex felt the desire to further this spiritual formation in a formal setting. He was somewhat familiar with Holy Apostles through its hosting of Catholic Underground in years past. When examining further, Alex explained, “I started to hear about some of the fantastic alumni of Holy Apostles, like Matt Fradd, Trent Horn, and Fr. Chris Alar, MIC, and thought, ‘This college is 10 minutes away from me, and people who are really well-respected, well-known leaders in the Catholic world in the U.S. have received amazing formation from Holy Apostles.’” He also learned that it was very affordable, truly faithful to the Magisterium, and on the Newman Guide, which added to the selling points for him. Finally, he felt that the online asynchronous format with its flexible schedule was a good fit, and he enrolled. In 2023, Alex received his Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies with a concentration in Youth and Young Adult Ministry, which he feels strengthened him personally in his faith and equipped him to be the leader that the Lord is calling him to be at C4C.
Regarding Holy Apostles, Alex explained, “The Lord gave C4C an effective model of young adult ministry that so many parishes and dioceses are searching for. But at Holy Apostles, I learned more at a macro scale that there was a need throughout the nation for more of this, so that was helpful.” When asked to reflect on his 10-year journey with C4C, Alex paused. “There is a mystery behind who the Lord calls for specific roles. Sometimes I think, ‘Wow, Lord, you called me to be one of the co-founders and executive director of now what is the largest parish-based Catholic, young adult ministry in New England…’ It’s humbling. But I think the saying, ‘The Lord doesn’t call the equipped, he equips the called’ is spot on.” Alex went on to say, “Calling myself, calling Travis, calling over 100 servant leaders, at this point, over the past 10 years to step up and be a part of this revival in the state of Connecticut. That’s been a great honor and blessing.”
Holy Apostles was proud to learn that one of our alumni participated in the first Mass of the newly elected Pope Leo XIV. Sister Mary Mercy Lee, FSE, MA ’11, PMC ‘17, proclaimed the first reading in English at the Mass that took place on May 9 in the Sistine Chapel.
Image credit: Vatican News Youtube Live Broadcast
Sister Mary Mercy received her Master of Arts in Theology at Holy Apostles prior to discerning her vocation as a religious sister. At that time, her given name was Robyn Lee. In 2016, she entered the novitiate of the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist in Meriden, CT, and professed her perpetual vows in May 2024. During discernment and while in the novitiate, she studied at Holy Apostles and received her Post Master’s Certificate in 2017.
After her profession of vows, Sister Mary Mercy was assigned to work at the Vatican, where she serves in the English language section at a Vatican office. As relayed in a Facebook post by the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist, Sister Mary Mercy considered it a privilege to proclaim the first reading at the Holy Father’s first Mass for the cardinal-electors.
At Holy Apostles, we share the excitement about our new pope. As President-Rector Rev. Peter Kucer, MSA, stated in his email of joy upon Pope Leo’s election, “We welcome him with hearts full of hope and prayers, trusting that the Lord will continue to guide His Church through the humble service of the Vicar of Christ.”
Watch Sister Mary Mercy as she proclaims the first reading at Pope Leo XIV’s first Mass.
Sr. Naomi Zimmerman at Mass at the Tomb of Christ.
Sister Naomi Zimmermann, FSE, is a woman whose calling has brought her to many places with the objective of providing missionary services to others. Of all her work, the longest time spent has been in the Holy Land, a beautiful and historic area that many people wish to visit but some choose to avoid due to the many conflicts that have occurred. Instead, Sr. Naomi has returned time and time again to work with those in need.
Sr. Naomi grew up in Southington, Connecticut, a town that neighbors the Meriden motherhouse of the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist. After receiving a degree in education, she entered the postulancy in September 1988. Working for several years as a teacher in both Oregon and Minnesota, she then returned to Connecticut and became a student at Holy Apostles, earning a Master of Arts in Moral Theology in 1996. Sr. Naomi explained, “It was a valuable time for me because I was already a teacher but had grown up in the public school system. I remember thinking that I needed to know more theology to integrate it into my work as a teacher.”
Working with the children in the Holy Child Program, a unique educational and psychological treatment center in the Bethlehem area.
Her first trip to the Holy Land took place in 1996, shortly after graduating from Holy Apostles. She worked at The Holy Child Program, a unique educational and psychological treatment center in the Bethlehem area, and found the experience wonderful preparation for entering her final vows.
Returning to the motherhouse in 1997 to take her final vows, Sr. Naomi remained in the U.S. for two years. In August 2000, she returned to the Holy Land to continue at the Holy Child Program, this time as deputy director and educational consultant.
Because of her love of both the Holy Land and the people within the Palestinian society, which is where the Holy Child Project was located, acclimating to life in this land was not as hard as one would think. She was very involved in the daily lives of the Palestinian people and the Arab-speaking Church. In September 2000, however, the second Intifada started an intense time that lasted until February 2005. In the midst of that came the tragedy of September 11, 2001, and the fighting in the Middle East that followed, bringing increased tension and security issues.
In 2006, when the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist decided to start a center in Jamaica, Sr. Naomi worked there for four years. In 2011, she returned to Jerusalem but gained a completely different perspective working in the Old City Jerusalem with the Franciscan Custody, while also consulting for the Holy Child Program.
Sr. Naomi looking out on the Old City Jerusalem.
In 2017, the sisters moved closer to the heart of Jerusalem, to the compound of the Capuchin Friars, which is in the heart of a Jewish neighborhood. Her work, first in the Secretariate of the Custody, and now in the Christian Information Center has enabled her to build relationships with more Israeli people, allowing for a fuller understanding of the people and land where she has lived for so long. As she said, “Both the Palestinians and the Israelis are diverse people with ancient histories and immense talents.”
Language continues to be difficult for her to master. She has learned some Arabic for basic communication, Hebrew, and basic Italian, but joked, “I provide entertainment when I attempt to speak Arabic and Italian comes out.” Simple sentences usually work, and phone translators have proven to be amazing tools.
The war that began on October 7, 2023, has reignited the divisions and suffering between Palestinians and Jews. Living in Jerusalem, Sr. Naomi explained,
“Most of the time we can forget that there is a war around us. But it is eerily quiet, people are tense, things are extremely expensive. Every once in a while, a rocket is sent this way, and we have sirens. And your heart rate spikes, and you go to your protected area until you get the signal that you can go out again. And you pray for the people who have experienced this 10 times a day for months, and who have left their homes. And you pray for those who took no part in what happened in Gaza on October 7 but are suffering the consequences.”
The sisters, Sr. Naomi and Sr. Maria David – also a graduate of Holy Apostles – stayed because they felt that they were not in danger, but also because they want to be hope for the Christian communities, who feel they are caught between other people’s conflicts.
Sr. Naomi’s experiences have given her a new perspective on what being a missionary means. “It is about the people we serve and what they need at a particular moment, not what we have to offer them.” She feels that this 2025 Jubilee Year of peace and hope will offer strength to the Christian communities in the Holy Land.
Rev. Wade Menezes, CPM shares how he was led to the priesthood, to the Fathers of Mercy and to his important ministry today.
Fr. Wade is a summa cum laude graduate of the Holy Apostles Class of 2000, with dual Master of Arts in Theology and Master of Divinity degrees. Coupled with prior degrees in journalism and communications, he has been successful in his utilization of TV, radio, and print to evangelize as a priest.
Fr. Wade is also the host of EWTN Global Catholic Radio’s Open Line Tuesday and has been featured on other stations, such as Ave Maria Radio, Guadalupe Radio Network, Catholic Broadcasting Northwest, and more.
At the 66th Commencement Ceremony in May, Fr. Wade received an Honorary Doctorate of Moral Theology for his impactful work in evangelization. He emphasized in his commencement speech that we are all called to “defend truth and faith as our Catholic calling.”
After years of self-study about the Catholic faith, Alex felt the desire to further this spiritual formation in a formal setting. He was somewhat familiar with Holy Apostles through its hosting of Catholic Underground in years past. When examining further, Alex explained, “I started to hear about some of the fantastic alumni of Holy Apostles, like Matt Fradd, Trent Horn, and Fr. Chris Alar, MIC, and thought, ‘This college is 10 minutes away from me, and people who are really well-respected, well-known leaders in the Catholic world in the U.S. have received amazing formation from Holy Apostles.’” He also learned that it was very affordable, truly faithful to the Magisterium, and on the Newman Guide, which added to the selling points for him. Finally, he felt that the online asynchronous format with its flexible schedule was a good fit, and he enrolled. In 2023, Alex received his Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies with a concentration in Youth and Young Adult Ministry, which he feels strengthened him personally in his faith and equipped him to be the leader that the Lord is calling him to be at C4C.
