I am proudly Catholic today because, after years of retrospection, I see how God-loving people poured their hearts into me and throughout my life guided me toward a personal, active faith in God.
My parents first provided this foundation, enrolling me in Catholic schools — St. Joseph Catholic School in West St. Paul and St. Thomas Academy in Mendota Heights for high school. This structure was reinforced by my grandparents, who were fiercely loyal to their Catholic faith and modeled an ethic of dignity, hard work and service that taught me the value of honest effort and a foundational sense of character.
While at St. Thomas Academy, several teachers and coaches, particularly Bob Slater and Dave Ziebarth, profoundly impacted me. They didn’t just mentor me; they stretched me and challenged me to contribute fully to the success of the team and to become someone who my teammates could absolutely count on. As a senior, I finally earned significant playing time as the team’s starting center, a position I had never played before. The coaches put me in situations that fostered my potential and built my confidence.
My teachers and coaches gave me a lifelong gift: the faith to pursue new opportunities, put forth my best effort and trust the rest to God. I learned to control my attitude and effort, knowing that good can be forged from every outcome.
The way my teachers and coaches saw my potential and put me in situations to succeed is a microcosm of God’s call to all of us. I’m reminded that our Catholic saints were once relatively ordinary people who, when presented with a challenge or an opportunity, chose to boldly step forward and partner with God. They demonstrate that ordinary effort, empowered by faith, can make a substantial impact. They are wonderful role models for every practicing Catholic.
These faithful servants are testaments to one of my favorite Bible verses, Romans 5:3-5, which speaks to the transformative power of endurance:
“Not only that, but we even boast of our afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance, and endurance, proven character, and proven character, hope, and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the holy Spirit that has been given to us.”
Even though I grew up attending Catholic schools, my faith only truly transitioned into something personal after college, when I started attending daily Mass at Assumption in St. Paul. I simply wanted to start my workday with Christ. What I didn’t expect was a completely life-altering community to grow around me. Not only did I connect with a core group of faithful, early rising Catholics, but this new habit delivered an even greater gift: my future wife, Jocelyn. It began when I met her father, a fellow daily Mass-goer, who introduced me to her. My faith continued to deepen through this daily Mass, prayer and Scripture reading, even as I balanced a corporate career in sales and marketing while earning an MBA and a law degree through evening classes.
Corporate success was fulfilling for many years, until, upon much reflection and prayer, I realized I was being called to use the skills I gained in the corporate world to help more kids experience the transformative power of Catholic education.
This was a monumental shift that led me to become an advancement leader, first at Totino-Grace and now at St. Thomas Academy (STA). It’s truly humbling to realize I have joined such a dedicated group of faculty and staff at STA, working alongside them to help shape the faith of today’s students — just like those who guided me. The students energize me daily and call me to action, motivating me to build strong relationships with the parents, grandparents and alumni who wholeheartedly support our school’s vital mission and future.
Personally, Jocelyn and I have made it our priority to attend Mass and raise our daughter within the heart of the Catholic faith. Along with the dedicated teachers and coaches in her Catholic schools, we are actively striving to guide her toward a personal relationship with God and a deep, lifelong understanding of the importance of believing in God’s faithful plan for her life.
I am Catholic because it is the Church that built me. It gave me the saints as models of courage, the sacraments as grace and a community of faithful people who taught me how to live out Romans 5:3-5 — to embrace the struggles that forge character and lead to hope. This foundation is not just a belief system; it’s a vocation to serve.
Mullen, 50, belongs to Assumption in downtown St. Paul with his wife, Jocelyn Bozivich, and their daughter, Madeline Mullen, who is a sophomore at Visitation School in Mendota Heights. He is the director of advancement at St. Thomas Academy, also in Mendota Heights. He enjoys playing golf, taking walks, listening to podcasts, traveling and trying new restaurants.
