Jerome Placido
I was born in the Philippines and my mother and I moved to the United States when I was only three years old. My early life was defined by trying to navigate the values instilled in me by my family while also struggling to come to a clear understanding of why other children had families that didn’t quite look like mine. My mother, a single parent, was a beacon of perseverance and devotion, who taught me the importance of anchoring ourselves in God’s plan, no matter the circumstances.
As I grew older, I journeyed to find my own identity and trying to understand who I was and what God’s plan for me was. While the path itself was not a straight one, one day after witnessing the enthusiasm and joyful witness of some religious brothers and sisters, the Lord placed a curiosity in me to discern a vocation to religious life. I spent the next three years in religious life discerning God’s will for me. Although I ultimately discerned that God’s plan for me lay elsewhere, I always look back on this experience as one that layed the foundation for my vocation as a husband and father and provided an experience that allowed me to concretely understand what the grace of God could do in my life.
After coming back home I rediscovered a friendship with someone who greatly inspried me early on in my spiritual journey. Her deep love for our Lord in the Eucharist and her willingness to follow God’s will where ever it led her inspired me own journey towards Our Lord. That friendship blossomed into a relationship where God’s will became undeniably clear for the both of us. We entered into the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony in the Spring of 2014.
Since that day, our marriage has been immense source of joy and growth. Together, we have bore the crosses God has graced us with, while striving to keep Christ at the center of our lives and our marriage. One of the most transformative parts our marriage has been the gift of becoming parents. It has helped us to deepen our understanding of God’s love for us as His children and drawn us into other facets of our faith. Being a father has helped me to understand more of myself and who God calls me to be in the context of His Fatherhood. To be patient, selfless, strong, caring, compassionate, and willing to sacrifice all for those whom I love.
In addition to my personal faith journey, God has blessed me with various opportunities to serve Him using the talents He has given me. My passion for the intersection of our Catholic faith with science and technology has driven me to study both fields more deeply. I currently live out this passion as Head of Engineering and Communities at Tabella, a Catholic technology company that is pioneering new ways for faith communities to communicate and inspire one another. I also serve on the Advisory Board for Catholic Polytechnic University and the Alumni Board for Divine Mercy University. With the rapid advancements in technology, including the emergence of AI, I am particularly committed to ensuring that we reclaim our voice in the ethical and responsible design and use of these tools, so that in all things, we glorify God and save souls.