Deacon Louis McHale, a lifelong Catholic raised in a large family rooted in faith, will be ordained as a priest for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington on June 21.
A native of the Washington area, Deacon McHale grew up as the second oldest of eight children and was homeschooled until he entered the eighth grade at The Heights School, a Catholic school sponsored by Opus Dei in Potomac, Maryland. After graduating in 2016, he attended The Catholic University of America for his freshman year of college, and he first sensed a call to the priesthood.
“I felt called by the Lord to discern entering seminary,” Deacon McHale said. “Once I opened myself to Him, I could see how the Lord had been forming me throughout my life. He was asking me to place my talents at the foot of the cross and serve the Church.”
Deacon McHale studied at Saint John Paul II Seminary in Washington and at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland. He credits the example of many priests in his life, particularly Father Scott Woods, and the deep Catholic faith instilled by his parents, Bob and Carol McHale, for shaping his vocation. Father Woods serves as the pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in La Plata, Maryland. The future priest noted how Msgr. Michael Mellone, then the pastor of Annunciation Parish in Washington, showed him “what a pastor can and should be, and how to be happy and holy in that life.”
“Being around many good and holy priests and having good and holy parents made discerning the priesthood not something abnormal or strange, but rather something natural that comes from being a good Catholic man,” he said.
Deacon McHale praised the example set by his father, whose work ethic, perseverance, and sacrifice for his family inspired him. “I want to be like my father, but only better — to take what he has taught me and go farther. The principal thing he taught me was how to love and sacrifice for family,” he said. “But through the example of many good priests and my formation at The Heights, I saw that there was something even greater to sacrifice for: Christ and His Church.”
As a priest, he hopes to help create a true spiritual home for his parishioners.
“Growing up, the idea of home – of having a place where, come hell or high water, you can return and be safe – was deeply instilled in me,” he said. “I want to build that for others, a parish that is a fortress, a safe haven, where people can encounter Christ and know they are loved.”
For him, that mission includes all aspects of priestly ministry: reverent liturgy, vibrant ministries, effective administration and pastoral care. “In order to give people a fortress in which they can encounter Christ, I must do each part to the best of my ability with charity and patience,” he said.
After his ordination, he will celebrate his first Mass at Annunciation Catholic Church in Washington on June 22 at 4 p.m., and the homilist will be Father Patrick Mullan, his cousin who serves as the chaplain for the archdiocese’s Office of Deaf and Disabilities Ministry.
Deacon McHale enjoys cycling, trail running and weightlifting. He also appreciates spending time with family and friends, often gathered around a bonfire and “laughing long into the night.” A perfect day off, he said, would start with chocolate chip pancakes at Bollinger’s Restaurant in Thurmont, Maryland, followed by a nap, a long bike ride through the mountains, and end with a cookout and cold drinks with friends.
The future priest makes no secret of his devotion to his favorite football team. “I want the world to know that I am a Commanders’ fan,” he said.
