03/19/2026
You may be familiar with a “signing day.” It’s a day when student athletes or scholars make commitments to their particular college of choice. At St. Patrick High School in Biloxi, Senior Cobie Martino’s signing day was a little different. Cobie Martino, a senior at St. Patrick High School in Biloxi celebrated the first ever signing day at the school where a senior has publicly shared that they are discerning the priesthood. The student body of St. Patrick were gathered in the gym following mass as they came together to celebrate the moment when one of their very own signed a commitment to attend St. Joseph Seminary College in St. Benedict, Louisianna to discern the priesthood.
“I am excited to start this new time in my life,” said Martino, “to really trust and see what plans God has for me.” When asked about what advice he would give to someone considering the priesthood before deciding to go to the seminary Cobie stated: “Pray, pray, pray. That’s the main thing that got me through a lot of this and talking to my parish priest and the Vocation Director has helped me out with a lot of insight.” Cobie indicated that speaking to other seminarians including Chris Collins and Adam Tran, who are also alumni of St. Patrick helped him in discerning God’s call.
Paul Knapstein, Principal at St. Patrick, said: “It is an amazing testament to how the spirit is alive in our school and our community and that Cobie is willing to experience God’s grace in this way is amazing. I am so grateful for the St. Patrick faculty and staff and for the students who are so supportive of him… This is the best signing I have ever done and I have been in education for thirty-four years so this is awesome.”
Cobie’s mother Charnell, said, “I am blessed that he is discerning God’s call. I knew that there was always something special about him.” In terms of other parents whose children may be discerning God’s call Charnell said: “Be supportive and let them [your children discerning] know that no matter what they decide good or bad, if they decide to discern in or discern out that they would know that you support them 100% and that they know that you will be there to support them no matter what the outcome is.”
Fr. Braxton Necaise, Director of Vocations stated: “Just because Cobie is signing a letter of intention does not mean that he will be ordained, but what it does show is an openness and a docility to God’s will. This is a time of great joy for young men and women discerning God’s call for them in their lives.” Should you feel God’s invitation to discern, please feel free to reach out to the Vocation Director, Fr. Braxton Necaise and check out biloxivocations.org.
