Howdy y’all,

During the summer of ’26, I will be serving as a missionary with Christ in the City in Denver, Colorado.

By the grace of God bestowed through Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross, I have been blessed to encounter the Lord revealing Himself to me in a personal way. My relationship with Jesus Christ was set aflame during my junior year of high school when my brother invited me to attend Ascend 2022, an SPO national Catholic retreat similar to SEEK. Led by actual grace, I said yes to the 26-hour road trip and stepped away from the virtual world that had distracted me from the chaos and brokenness at home.

During one of my very first conversations at the retreat, a bold Catholic asked me, “Have you ever experienced an encounter with Jesus Christ?” I grew up a cradle Catholic; however, it was difficult for me to engage deeply in the faith because distractions from the world — video games, social media, and habitual sin during the isolation of the COVID-19 quarantine — seemed more appealing at the time.

At that retreat, I encountered the profound humility and love of the Mystical Body of Christ through genuine vulnerability, honesty, and charity. In the Sacrament of Reconciliation, Jesus worked through the priest in a powerful way. The priest vulnerably shared that he himself had struggled with sexual sin during seminary formation. He did not tell me this to lessen the seriousness of sin or elevate me above him, but to help restore the dignity Christ had given me from the very moment of my conception. By the end of the retreat, I knew I was made for communion with Christ.

Fast forward to my time at Texas A&M: one random night at St. Mary’s, I felt a strong conviction to apply for the spring break mission trips. In the past, “too expensive” usually meant “not going.” However, God helped me break away from the fear and attachment that came with money. I still struggle with this today, but after witnessing religious brothers hitchhiking from Louisiana across Texas while relying entirely on divine providence, it has become a little easier to surrender those fears back to the Lord instead of letting them control me.

I’d also love to share a few stories from my mission in Philadelphia.

I was given the courage to comfort one of my sisters in Christ while she was emotional during a street walk, despite worrying what she might think of me afterward. I experienced intentional community living with brothers and sisters who loved Christ deeply, and their witness made me thirst even more for His love. I met a second abuelita named Maria, who zealously encouraged me to know the Word of God. I also shared in the trial of doubt with one of my brothers when we tried to do mission work without remaining rooted in Jesus. Together, we wrestled with that reality and ultimately surrendered everything back to the Lord through faith and the support of our community.

I chose to commit to the full summer of service because I want another opportunity to serve the Lord on mission. My heart, soul, mind, and strength desire to become more intentional on the streets and to encounter the presence of Jesus there, regardless of visible outcomes.

I truly appreciate anyone who feels called to support me financially. However, if you are not in a position to donate, I would sincerely ask for your prayers — especially that I may continue accepting God’s invitation to my vocation and receive the graces necessary to grow in faith. I also pray that my community at St. Mary’s will benefit from the fruits the Lord grows within me during this mission.

The fundraising goal is $1,500 to cover mission costs and airfare to Denver. If you would prefer to avoid the credit card fee (which does not go toward the mission itself), feel free to Zelle me at 575-741-0693, and I can write a check instead. The account is registered under John Paul Marconi.

If you have any questions about mission life, my experience, or simply want to connect, please feel free to message me!

God Bless,

John Paul Marconi

TAMU CLASS 28' AAA WHOOP