Paulist Father Marcos Zamora joined the U.S. Navy to see the world. In many ways, he’d already experienced a lot of world culture–he grew up in a multiethnic community in Chicago and he’d studied ancient cultures en route to becoming a teacher.

When Father Marcos left the Navy, he tried some business ventures before entering the Paulist community. His time as a priest has included burying his own brother, who died of AIDS. Father Marcos also had the tough task of integrating a multicultural parish. These days he serves the Catholic community in Vero Beach, Florida, celebrating funerals and Masses as needed. He works to bring reconciliation among families where there is dissent.

All these stories and more are part of his conversation with Jennifer Szweda Jordan for The Paulist Fathers.