Faith and Theology - Relationship with God My Priority

Welcome.

I am on the path to becoming a Catholic leader and candidate for the permanent deaconate. My ministry is dedicated to proclaiming the Word of God, Catholic doctrine, and evangelization in an increasingly secular world.

A peaceful church interior showcasing beautiful stained glass.

MY PATH OF FAITH

🟦 Theological training

St. Augustine Institute (USA)

I have completed the following certificate courses:

• The Church and the Sacraments

• Faith and Reason

• Justification

• The story of the Old Testament

• New Evangelization

• The Confessions of Saint Augustine

• Basic principles of Catholic social teaching

• Christmas

• God

These courses provide a structured theological education in scripture, doctrine, and Catholic worldview.

(The official certificates with verification numbers are available.)

⸻

Diocesan training – Brixen

I am currently training to become a lay preacher and a candidate for the permanent diaconate in cooperation with the

Philosophical-Theological University of Brixen

(Diocese of Bolzano-Brixen).

This training includes:

• Holy Scripture

• Liturgy

• Dogmatics

• Pastoral theology

• Spiritual guidance

• Homiletics and Proclamation

⸻

🟦 Broadcast

My service applies:

• the faithful proclamation of Holy Scripture

• the teachings of the Catholic Church

• evangelization

• spiritual growth through sacraments, prayer and truth

I consciously stand within the order and teachings of the Church.

----------

🟦 More about my faith journey

Our family home was deeply rooted in the Catholic faith, especially through my mother. Entrepreneurship, Christian-Catholic values, lifestyle, and upbringing formed an inseparable unity from the very beginning and have had a lasting impact on me.

Through my mother and later also through a godfather, I received religious books, writings, and cassette tapes as spiritual learning materials from an early age. Almost daily church attendance, Bible reading, catechesis, serving as an altar boy and altar server, pilgrimages, the sacraments, and intensive discussions about faith were part of my everyday life.

Since the age of 15, daily Bible reading and personal prayer have been a part of my life. At the same time, I was critical of church doctrines and authorities from an early age and didn't shy away from discussing matters with priests – especially those from stricter Orthodox denominations. This tension between fidelity to the faith and spiritual seeking accompanied me for many years.

In this search, I temporarily opened myself to various spiritual movements that were particularly prevalent in the 1980s and 1990s. In retrospect, I recognize clear influences of New Age and New Thought , which blended with my Christian faith. My reading ranged from Christian mystics like Meister Eckhart and Johannes Tauler, through authors such as Emanuel Swedenborg, Jakob Lorber, C.S. Lewis, and Anthony de Mello, to Eastern teachers like Yogananda, Ramana Maharshi , and the Bhagavad Gita . I even completed Kriya Yoga training and became acquainted with Transcendental Meditation . Thinkers like Gandhi, Sakharov , and Sun Tzu also influenced me.

The deeper I delved into these paths, however, the clearer it became that they couldn't satisfy my longing for truth. Around the year 2000, this path led me more clearly back to Christianity—initially, though, influenced by modern, liberal Christian movements, which I now recognize as New Thought and Prosperity Gospel currents . Books like *The Secret* proved particularly misleading. Works like *Happy Lies* by Melissa Dougherty later helped me to contextualize these influences. Although I remained faithful to the Bible and prayer, I realized how strongly my interpretation had been affected at times. I also still harbored prejudices against the Catholic Church as an allegedly corrupt and political system, with all sorts of arguments influenced by modern theology.

During my time in the USA, I got to know many non-denominational churches – I still maintain deep friendships with some of them. I experienced passionate preachers, modern music, and great dynamism, but also a lot of theatricality. This, in particular, fostered a deep longing for the Mother Church within me, and I began attending Catholic services regularly again.

The decisive turning point came through the study of the Apostolic Fathers : Ignatius of Antioch, Polycarp, Irenaeus, Clement of Rome , and the Didache convinced me of the historical and spiritual authenticity of the Catholic Apostolic Church. I was also greatly helped by Catholic and Christian apologists such as Joe Heschmeyer, Jimmy Akin, and Frank Turek , as well as podcasts and lectures by Bishop Robert Barron, Catholic Answers, Father Mike Schmitz, Dr. Scott Hahn, Keith Nester, and others.

The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible was particularly formative for me, as it revealed to me anew the inner unity and depth of Holy Scripture. From this also grew my love for the great teachers of the Church – Saint Augustine, Saint Thomas Aquinas , and Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI) .

Today I realize: My many detours were part of a path that did not lead me away from Christ, but rather, through humility, led me ever deeper into the truth of his Church.

For years I moved between Catholic parishes and free church communities. The valuable experiences in youth groups, Bible studies, and lived fellowship deepened my conviction that the Church of Jesus Christ is present in its fullness in the Catholic Apostolic Church .

In the Catholic communities of the USA, I finally felt a clear calling to dedicate myself entirely to the service of Jesus Christ. The contrast between the vibrant Church in Florida and the often spiritually weary situation in German-speaking countries made me realize what an immeasurable treasure many Catholics possess without recognizing it. The call was clear: not only to analyze, but to take responsibility, to evangelize anew, and—with my wife's agreement—to pursue the path to becoming a deacon.

Today I serve as a lector in South Tyrol and Cape Coral (Florida) . I began my theological studies at the St. Augustine Institute (USA) in early 2025 and am currently training to become a lay leader and deacon in cooperation with the Philosophical-Theological University of Brixen (Diocese of Bolzano-Brixen). I have also completed several theological courses at the St. Augustine Institute .

My aim is to faithfully serve the Church through proclamation, teaching, and spiritual ministry – to re-evangelize our region to the glory of God and the salvation of mankind, leading it to the true Church founded by Jesus: the Catholic Apostolic Church.

---

Faith projects and messages

---

Certifications