Fr. David Genders Vocation Director Father Dave Genders was ordained a Carmelite Priest on May 14, 2011 at Saint Jane Francis De Chantel in North Hollywood, California. Very active in church activity from a very young age, "Fr. Dave" was well acquainted with the Carmelites prior to entering the community, having graduated from Crespi Carmelite High School. In Encino, California. It was there that he began to develop his calling to become a religious and today as a member of the Carmelite Province of the Most Pure Heart of Mary, he joins six of the Carmelite Priests who taught him at Crespi in 1998! Fr Dave went on from Crespi to graduate from the University of California in Los Angeles, California and is currently working towards his Masters degree in Communications at Northwestern University in Chicago, Il. Dave describes himself as a "jack of all trades" actively using computer applications for creative endeavors in film, photography, graphic illustration and layout. He also enjoys playing the guitar, double bass and electric bass and is usually up for a game of basketball with his fellow Carmelites. Well versed in social media applications he is presently heading up the Carmelites efforts to expand their community presence on the web. Provincial Director of Vocation Carmelite Father Gregory Houck has been appointed to the position of Provincial Director of Vocations as of July 2011. In this capacity he is responsible for developing Carmelite vocations throughout all of the United States. Immediately prior to accepting this position "Fr Greg" was the Vocation Director for the Midwestern region as well as the Provincial Director of Telecommunications and Consultant to and Copy editor for the Carmelite Review, an international province magazine. Prior to becoming a Carmelite, he was a lifelong member of Our Lady of Grace Parish in Highland, Indiana, having attended their elementary school before going on to Highland High School. Greg earned his BS in Chemistry in 1981 from Indiana University. He worked as a lab technician before joining the Carmelite Order in 1985. During his two-year internship, Greg taught Chemistry at Salpointe Catholic High School in Tucson, Arizona. In 1992, he received his Masters in Theology from Washington Theological Union and was ordained a Carmelite priest in May of that year. For the next six years after his ordination, Father Greg was associate pastor at Saint Johns Parish in Leonia, New Jersey. Read Fr. Greg's vocation story Vocation Director The oldest of six children, the vocation "bug" bit Fr. Brian Henden in high school, where he met the Carmelites at Salpointe High School in Tucson. But, by the time he got to college, Fr. Brian was enjoying himself too much to think about becoming a priest. Still, he was very involved in the Newman Center at the University of Arizona, where he studied political science and philosophy. The Carmelites kept in touch while he was in college and after graduating in 1985, he joined them and moved to Washington, DC, for further studies. Fr. Brian had the opportunity to teach one year and be a youth minister for two years. These two experiences have helped work in high school ministry, parish ministry, and as a retreat director for teens. He attended the Washington Theological Union and graduated with a Master of Divinity in 1993. After ordination that same year, Fr. Brian was assigned to St. Therese in Cresskill, NJ. He ran the RCIA, sacramental preparation program, and helped with youth ministry. He says, "One of my favorite things was teaching religion on Fridays in the parish’s Junior High. This prepared him for seven years of teaching at his alma mater, Salpointe Catholic High School, in Tucson where he taught part-time and worked full-time as the Director of Kairos retreats for seniors."Most recently he supported vocation efforts on the West Coast and is currently expanding his duties to support these efforts on a national level in the Provincial Vocation office. He enjoys walking, jogging, swimming, and other sports. Brian shares his enthusiasm for his work and his vocation stating, "The Carmelites have been super to me. It is a privilege to be a Carmelite priest, to teach, and to serve wonderful people at every ‘stop.’" Read Father Brian's vocation story