A young boy’s dream of becoming a priest came to life at Saint Katharine Drexel Catholic Church, where second grader, Greyson, recently stepped into the role of “Pastor for a Day.”
Dressed in blue-and-white vestments he brought from home, Greyson joined the parish team for a full day of parish life alongside Fr. Matt, learning about Mass, office work and the many day-to-day responsibilities that come with serving a Catholic community.
“Welcome to the team, Greyson,” the parish shared. “We are so glad you came. Thanks for your service!”
A silent-auction surprise
The Social Media Ministry Lead for Saint Katharine Drexel, Rashely Rodrigo, explained that Greyson received the special opportunity through a silent auction hosted by St. John’s Regional Catholic School in spring 2026. Fr. Matt, pastor at Saint Katharine Drexel in Frederick, Maryland, sponsored the “Pastor for a Day” experience as an auction prize.
For Greyson, the prize carried particular meaning as he dreams of one day becoming a priest and often dresses up as a priest at home. His vestments in the video posted to the school’s Instagram account, a blue-and-white set, were brought from his own collection.
A day as “Fr. Greyson”
With the guidance of Fr. Matt, Greyson got a behind-the-scenes look at parish ministry. The day included an introduction to the “nuts and bolts” of the Mass, time learning about parish office work and opportunities to take part in the everyday activities that keep a parish community running.
Greyson brought enthusiasm and a sense of fun to each part of the day. He was joined during lunch by friends closer to his age, including Nina Franzone and Sabrina Owens, who also appear in the video.
Sharing a joyful moment
The project offered a lighthearted look at parish life while celebrating a young person’s faith-filled imagination and the support of a community willing to help make his dream feel real, after all the famous saying is “it takes a village to raise a kid!”
From the St. John’s Regional Catholic School auction to a day spent learning beside Fr. Matt and the Saint Katharine Drexel staff, Greyson’s “Pastor for a Day” experience became a memorable reminder of how encouragement, faith and community can make a lasting difference.