
Gianni DiTola
Discipleship I
School: Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary
Parish: St John the Evangelist
I grew up the oldest of 4, raised in Saint John, IN. I attended St. John the Evangelist and Lake Central High School. I enjoyed playing sports recreationally, including basketball, tennis, soccer, and golf. I enjoyed studying mathematics, history, and religion throughout middle school and high school. My family enjoys camping and exploring on vacations. My extended family enjoys playing card games quite often. I attended Purdue University for one year to study mathematics before transferring to IHM Seminary to study philosophy.
Role Models: My greatest role models are my pastor and associate pastor, Fr. Sammie Maletta, and Fr. Declan McNicholas. They have shown me that no two priests are the same, yet can still achieve similar piety and shared success. I greatly appreciate the model of the Penitent Thief, who risked all he had at the final moments to enjoin himself to Christ.
Favorite Scripture: My favorite Scripture verse is one that I make certain to read each morning from the Book of Isaiah, “Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters” (Is 43:16). This verse shows the dependence we must place in the hands of our Heavenly Father. Much like Moses and the Israelites, we must trust in the Father to make open to us the surest path for us to walk through. This resonates with me because I constantly returned to this verse while I discerned entering seminary.