I was born in New Orleans, LA on March 4, 1965 at Southern Baptist Hospital, the third son of the late Helen Eileen Scaglione (March 28, 1938 - September 10, 2017) and the late Joseph Nicholas Lawrence (October 16, 1930 - June 6, 1986). I was baptized at Our Lady of Lourdes Church on March 28, 1965 and received 1st Communion at the same church on May 14, 1972. I graduated from Redemptorist Sr. High School, Baton Rouge, LA in May of 1983. I also attended St. Joseph Seminary College, St. Benedict, LA, and graduated from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. I studied Philosophy at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, Overbrook, PA and Theology at Mount St. Mary's University, Emmitsburg, MD, earning a Master of Divinity (MDiv.) and the Master of Arts in Theology (concentration in Church History). I was ordained a Roman Catholic Priest on June 13, 2003 by Bishop Robert J. Carlson at St. Joseph Cathedral in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. In February of 2007, I was named Pastor of St. Mary Church, Salem, SD (www.salemcatholic.org).

I was born in New Orleans, LA on March 4, 1965 at Southern Baptist Hospital, the third son of the late Helen Eileen Scaglione (March 28, 1938 - September 10, 2017) and the late Joseph Nicholas Lawrence (October 16, 1930 - June 6, 1986). I was baptized at Our Lady of Lourdes Church on March 28, 1965 and received 1st Communion at the same church on May 14, 1972. I graduated from Redemptorist Sr. High School, Baton Rouge, LA in May of 1983. I also attended St. Joseph Seminary College, St. Benedict, LA, and graduated from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. I studied Philosophy at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, Overbrook, PA and Theology at Mount St. Mary's University, Emmitsburg, MD, earning a Master of Divinity (MDiv.) and the Master of Arts in Theology (concentration in Church History). I was ordained a Roman Catholic Priest on June 13, 2003 by Bishop Robert J. Carlson at St. Joseph Cathedral in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. In February of 2007, I was named Pastor of St. Mary Church, Salem, SD (www.salemcatholic.org).