Fr. Joseph A. Espaillat II was raised in Manhattan and was ordained a diocesan priest in 2003 for the Archdiocese of New York. Prior to his becoming a priest, he obtained a Masters of Divinity degree in Theology and His Master of Arts degree in Theology (specializing in Church History) from St. Joseph’s Seminary in Yonkers, NY. Fr. Joe has served as a Parochial Vicar and Pastor and was assigned in 2012 by Cardinal Timothy Dolan to be the Director of Youth Ministry for the Archdiocese of New York. Currently, he is a pastor as well as the Director of the Hispanic Catholic Charismatic Renewal and the Hispanic Catholic Charismatic retreat house in the Bronx. Aside from ministering the sacraments and proclaiming God’s Word, Fr. Joe loves working with youth and helping them encounter Christ. Fr. Joseph enjoys spending time with family and friends as well as watching movies, writing poetry and rapping. Father has led numerous missionary trips to the Dominican Republic (his parent’s homeland) and Haiti and is the founder of the ministry “Messengers of Christ.”