by Eileen Quinn Knight, Ph.D. Profiles in Catholicism
Dr. Knight: Would you please share with us your early Catholic formation.
Anthony: As a child, I was an altar boy at my local parish and learned to appreciate all the rituals of the Mass. Specifically, I used to love hearing the lectors proclaim the Word of God during the Liturgy of the Word; and thought to myself, one day I am going to become the best lector I can be. But it was more than that. I started to see that my faith accompanied important milestones in my life . . . that God was always with me - for all my Sacraments; for so many memories, happy and sad; even for big life decisions. My faith is a gift for which I express gratitude daily. And to this day it is the absolute foundation of who I am as a man.
Dr. Knight: Please tell us the significance of your high school years.
Anthony: I have always been an overachiever, and my high school years were no different. I was the class bookworm who took all my studying and extracurricular activities too seriously. That said that level of attention to my studies formed a solid level of discipline and consistency that I apply to my work life, my personal life, and my fitness life.
Dr. Knight: You went to college and were called to major in business. How did you make that decision?
Anthony: As a young man of eighteen, I did not know in what I wanted to major. And frankly I empathize with young adults who must make that decision at such an early age. In my case though, prior to majoring in business, I had a strong background in linguistics. I am a child of Italian immigrant parents, and hearing Italian spoken in the house helped me develop an ear for western languages at an early age. So, while I had been studying French academically for some time, I thought matching “business” with “international” would be a reasonable path for me to follow.
Dr. Knight: You were called by God to work in business. What is the significance of your call to be a follower of Christ in this profession?
Anthony: Since day one of my career, I have always treated others as I wish to be treated. And while certain business relationships – like in any career – can pose challenges, it is about one’s ability to rise above the noise of a challenge and find common ground. Furthermore, I’ve always believed that “leaving things better than you find them” is a good mantra to follow in business . . . when people say, “it was wonderful working with you,” I’ve always believed it’s because the footprint of your professionalism is something they’ll remember and maybe even emulate in their own business relationships.
Dr. Knight: You spent time studying business where you found out your abilities and gifts through discernment. How was your discernment helpful to you personally?
Anthony: Creating a legacy for other business professionals to follow is something in which I take immense pride. Whether it is helping others understand my work style, obtaining information through interviews, or establishing effective working relationships, I am leaving a legacy of my work through which others who follow me might find inspiration or value, just as Christ did.
Dr. Knight: Do you think/feel that your life is somewhat a mosaic of your different gifts?
Anthony: God touches every life differently. And whether it be speaking in public, using my business skills to identify risks, using my languages to forge new and meaningful business relationships, learning about business in foreign countries, playing the piano, serving as a personal trainer, or volunteering my time to help or inspire others, one thing is for certain. All these gifts and others represent the mosaic of who I am as a follower of Christ.
Dr. Knight: What do you want the readers to understand after reading this interview about being a disciple of Christ? About carefully praying the words of scripture at Mass?
Anthony: Always remember that with God, anything is possible. Life will still bring its challenges, disappointments, and issues; but remember that when things seem most dark, God is sitting on your shoulder, walking beside you, and listening to you. God has a plan for your life – trust in that, no matter what comes your way in life.
As a lector during Mass, I take pride in the careful preparation of how I proclaim Holy Scripture to the congregation. That involves understanding the underlying message of the passage, and never forgetting how my objective should be to convey that message using various tones of my voice, likening it to a conversation you are hearing, or a letter you are reading. There will always be one person whose ears are open to hearing the Holy Scripture. If my proclamation moves that one person, I have done honor to my role as a Lector. I pray for God to use my voice that He might speak through me as His scriptural messenger.
Dr. Knight: What are some of the challenges of the future Church?
Anthony: As we live in increasingly divisive times, people rely on sources of information that are either too one-sided or too inaccurate. The same is true for how people learn of developments within the Church. I encourage people to be detailed and persistent in researching the Church on their own and not let others influence their decision-making process. One’s relationship with God is very personal . . . let it stay between you and God, not by what others tell you that relationship should be. I would also suggest that given these divisive times, the Church needs to be sensitive to introducing or opining on topics that create division, like politics for example. If the Church wants to have an impact on its attendance, it should focus more on the needs of its congregants, and less on its political beliefs. People come to Church to be spiritually fed – let it start and end there.
Dr. Knight: What are some of the joys you’ve experienced as a follower of Christ?
Anthony: As I get older and experience loss, I am grateful that my faith is always there comforting me. And while that comfort can take various forms; for me, it takes the form of listening to incredible music that is performed during Mass. As a pianist, I appreciate the impact of music. Its beauty and its ability to illuminate the human condition. But music in Mass is different. Many times - either before the Consecration, or just as the serving of Holy Communion ends, and a hymn is sung - I feel like angels descend from Heaven and allow the choir to use their voices in a way that resonates in my heart. To me, that is an integral part of the spiritual nourishment I mentioned earlier. The message underlying a great homily should resonate in the heart. So, too, with the power of music. To me, that is pure spiritual joy.
Dr. Knight: As a follower of Christ what are some of the responsibilities that you perform/pray?
Anthony: As a boy, I would always see my maternal grandmother saying the Holy Rosary. Back then, I did not have much appreciation for it. But now in my adulthood, and especially after the pandemic and living in this ever-darkening world, I have found great comfort in saying the Holy Rosary. Perhaps it’s the meditative repetition of the prayers, or the peaceful time in which I’m outside appreciating all of God’s wonders while walking and saying the prayers, but the Holy Rosary provides a good reminder to me that taking time out of my day to offer my mental or heartfelt intentions to God is time well spent . . . time spent reminding me that it’s important to turn off the world for a while, and have “coffee with God” instead.
Thank you so much for offering us this interview and letting us see all the good works that you do for us all.