There are paths to God that begin with a clear calling. Others require time, questions, doubts, and even attempts to run away from what one senses deep in one’s heart.
The history of Benjamin King, a member of the Miles Christi religious order, belongs to this second group. Born in Texas and raised in Virginia, he grew up in a Catholic family that instilled the faith in him from an early age. However, during his youth, he tried to turn away from what he sensed God was asking of him.
Her journey took her from college and a life of comfort to her parents' ranch in Texas. There, surrounded by horses and farm work, she began a period of self-reflection that would ultimately change her life.
A Catholic Family and the First Signs of a Vocation
Benjamin grew up in a practicing Catholic family. He received a Christian upbringing from a young age and was active in his parish.
When he started high school, he decided to attend a public school, but his mother asked him to stay involved with the parish and participate in the youth group and youth retreats.
It was precisely during one of those retreats that he experienced what he himself describes as a first significant grace related to his possible vocation.
But that initial enthusiasm didn't last very long.
School, sports, friends, parties, and the desire to enjoy his youth pushed that restlessness into the background. Benjamin didn't want to give anything up, so he tried to find a balance between the calling he felt and the life he wanted to lead.
Benjamin studied agriculture and economics at Virginia Tech. During those years, he fully immersed himself in college life, and after graduating, he began working in South Carolina in the fields of investments and insurance.
From the outside, it seemed as though he had achieved everything a young man could want: a good job, money, a sports car, friends, travel, golf, and a busy social life.
However, something wasn't right. When the parties ended and the distractions faded away, a feeling of emptiness set in. Benjamin realized that everything that seemed to promise him happiness failed to fill his life.
«Once the party was over, I went through dark moments when I realized the contradiction I was living and felt sadness: I wasn’t happy.» He knew that God might be calling him to something more, but he was afraid to take that step. He didn’t want to give up the life he had built.
Recalling his Catholic upbringing, Benjamin thought about the The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola, a journey of prayer and discernment to discover what God wanted from him.
She began to pray more, attended Mass daily, and, as if by providence, came across information about a retreat organized by Miles Christi based on the method of the Spiritual Exercises.
After that retreat, he began to seriously consider the possibility of a religious vocation. He then made a decision: to quit his job and return temporarily to his parents' home so he could discern his calling with greater freedom. But he was not yet ready to take the final step.
From the world of investing to a Texas ranch
Instead of immediately joining a religious community, Benjamin reached an agreement with his father. He would return to the family ranch in Texas and work with the horses, training them and also helping with the farm work.
He thought that perhaps that time would allow him to clear his head. About a year went by, and during that time he tried to convince himself that what he had experienced during the retreat hadn't really been a calling.
However, the priest who had led those Spiritual Exercises continued to guide him and recommended some readings that helped him deepen his discernment. Little by little, Benjamin realized that he could no longer ignore that uneasiness.
Finally, he decided to visit the Miles Christi formation house in Michigan. It was there that everything began to become clear.
Within a few days, he realized that God was asking him to make a radical sacrifice, but he also discovered that this sacrifice did not mean losing everything. On the contrary: it meant receiving a new life.
«I had to give up everything to receive EVERYTHING.». Benjamin realized that God was calling him to join Miles Christi and to devote his life to serving the Church, especially through the the sanctification and accompaniment of the laity and young people.
In 2013, he began his journey with Miles Christi. He later received part of his training in Argentina, where the Institute’s headquarters are located, and continued his studies in Rome.
Benjamin's Story It did not end with his entry into Miles Christi. Vocational discernment gave way to a journey of formation, prayer, and service that continues to this day.
In recent years, he has made progress on his path to the priesthood. By 2024, he was already listed as deacon of Miles Christi in vocational materials from the Diocese of Arlington, and in 2026 he continues to be listed as a deacon and seminarian at Miles Christi.
In addition, in August 2024, Miles Christi published a testimony by him on the occasion of the Eucharistic Congress, which had already been presented as Deacon Benjamin King, a glimpse into the growth of that young man who, years ago, was trying to figure out what God wanted from his life.
Her story helps us understand that a vocation isn't always discovered overnight. Sometimes it takes time, silence, support, and courage to leave behind what seems to offer happiness and open oneself up to a greater calling.
An initiative that needs the support of many
The training Becoming a priest or a member of a religious order requires years of study, prayer, guidance, and pastoral preparation.
In Benjamin's case, the help from the benefactors of CARF Foundation He was able to complete part of his academic training in Rome. As he himself explained, studying in the Eternal City allowed him to receive a well-rounded education and to experience firsthand the spiritual, cultural, artistic, and historical richness of the Church.
For CARF, stories like Benjamin’s demonstrate the value of supporting those who feel a calling to the priesthood or religious life. Behind every vocation is a real person, a story of spiritual search, and a future of service to the Church and to many others.
Benjamin's story began on a ranch in Texas; it took him through college, the world of investing, horses, and the Spiritual Exercises, and continues today on his journey of devotion to God as a member of Miles Christi.
Sometimes, to discover the path God has prepared, we must learn to stop running away from Him.
Would you like to help more young people like Benjamin discover and develop their calling?
Your support makes this possible training and his future service to the Church.
carf@fundacioncarf.orgLandline: +34 914 029 082Mobile: +34 638 078 51145 Conde de Peñalver Street.
