20-Year Timeout Episode 2: The Priest — Reconnecting with Father Jonathan

We all take different paths. Some lead us back to people we never expected to see again.

In Episode 2 of 20-Year Timeout, I reconnect with someone who said, “I’m going to be a priest someday”—and actually meant it.

His name is Father Jonathan Slavinskas—but growing up in Worcester, MA, we just knew him as Jon. It’s been over 20 years since we last hung out. Since then, he’s gone from classmate… to keg parties… to clergy.

This episode was filmed right on the front porch of St. Bernard’s Church, where he serves the local community as a modern Catholic priest.

20-Year Timeout Ep. 2: Reconnecting with Father Jonathan | Modern Priesthood, Faith & Friendship

🟢 About the Show

20-Year Timeout is a reunion podcast where I track down people I haven’t seen or spoken to in decades and hit “unpause” on the past.

It’s unscripted. It’s unfiltered. Sometimes awkward. Sometimes emotional. Always honest.

🙏 Episode 2: The Priest

This isn’t your typical church conversation.

We talk openly about:

The real-life path to becoming a priest
Growing up Catholic in Worcester
Mental health inside and outside the seminary
Balancing joy, discipline, grief, and service
Addiction, recovery, gym culture, vaping, and social pressures
Using faith to fuel purpose—and help others find theirs

What struck me most about this conversation was how raw and human it was.

It’s funny. It’s vulnerable. It’s full of real talk you rarely hear from someone wearing a collar.

📍 Recorded On Location

Location: St. Bernard’s Church, Lincoln Street, Worcester, MA
Date: [Insert Recording Date]
Host: Rich Marks (@richmarksthespot)
Guest: Father Jonathan Slavinskas (@fr.jonathanslavinskas2464)

🧠 What We Talked About

Here are some of the key themes and moments:

Becoming a priest in a modern, tech-obsessed world
Faith and mental health
The church’s role in community healing
Stories from street ministry and hospital visits
The grind of self-discipline and the joy of personal service
Vaping, youth pressure, and finding better outlets
Grief, addiction, and spiritual anchoring
Reflecting on our shared past and looking ahead

⏱️ Episode Chapters

00:00 – Intro & Setting the Scene
03:12 – Reconnecting After 20 Years
06:40 – Becoming a Priest
12:50 – Seminary Life & Mental Health
21:20 – Life as a Community Leader
31:00 – Stories from the Church
39:30 – The Gym, Health, & Discipline
45:20 – Vaping, Youth, and Social Pressures
53:00 – Faith, Service, & Calling
1:04:00 – Addiction, Escapism & Jesus
1:14:00 – Bringing Joy to the Community
1:26:00 – The Future of the Church
1:31:20 – Reflections & Farewell

🎥 Watch the Full Episode

▶️ Watch on YouTube
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✝️ Follow Father Jonathan

📲 Follow the Journey

YouTube: @RichMarksTheSpot
Instagram / TikTok / X: @richmarksthespot
Submit ideas or collab: richmarksthespot.com/connect

🔁 Subscribe for More

Each episode is a time capsule—a reunion you can’t plan, with conversations that couldn’t happen any other way.

New episodes drop monthly.
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