In an age where priestly vocations can feel increasingly scarce, stories of young men saying “yes” to God shine with particular meaning. A new short film from the Diocese of Orange, Two Brothers, One Calling: The Making of a Priest, shares one such story – or rather, two. The project follows Francis and Travis Ang, the only children of their family, whose distinct journeys toward priestly discernment reflect a quiet but genuine renewal of a vocational culture taking shape in Southern California.

At the heart of the film is not only the brothers’ decision to enter seminary, but the family culture that made those decisions possible. As the trailer portrays, the Ang home was a place where faith was lived rather than forced. Prayer fit naturally into daily routines, conversations were open, and their parents’ witness helped the brothers recognize God’s presence in the rhythms of ordinary life.

Francis describes his family life as the early foundation of his spiritual identity and the first place he learned to recognize God’s love. “Having faithful parents, just knowing that they were present for me was like a representation of God’s love for me,” he shares in the trailer. “Even though I may not see Him physically, I can feel Him in my heart.”

Travis’ journey progressed more gradually, shaped less by a sudden realization and more by a long, honest search for direction. He remembers praying, “Lord, what do You want from me? Give me a sign. Give me something that I can’t say no to.” When a relationship entered his life, he initially hoped it might be the answer he’d been seeking. But when it ended, he was surprised by what came next. 

“I didn’t feel devastated,” he says in the trailer. “I felt a sense of calmness.” That calm became the clarity he had asked God for: “With that feeling, God was telling me, ‘Okay, I gave you what you wanted. I gave you that taste. I think it’s time for you to take Me seriously now.”

Although the brothers reached their decision in different ways, the film presents them as two men formed by the same steady witness of faith at home. 

Following the Same Calling

Father Cheeyoon Timothy Chun, vocations director for the Diocese of Orange, told the Register that this interplay between family life and discernment is precisely what led the diocese to highlight the Angs’ journey. 

“It’s not very often you get two siblings pursuing the priesthood,” Father Cheeyoon said. “As much as this film is about their faith, it is also about where that faith came from. Their parents’ example made this possible.”

By supporting this vocational discernment of their only children, the Ang parents are making a particular offering to God, said Father Cheeyoon. “Most people will think, ‘How sad, no grandchildren,’” he shared. “There is a bit of truth to that. But there is also a beautiful sacrifice. And God willing, if both become priests, there will be many spiritual grandchildren.”

Francis is nearing the end of formation, completing his final semester before entering six months of vocational synthesis at a parish. His ordination to the transitional deaconate is scheduled for early December. Travis, meanwhile, is just beginning. He is currently in the propaedeutic stage, which focuses on prayer, community, and laying a spiritual foundation. 

Their time overlapping in seminary is brief, yet their shared testimony forms the heart of the film: two different paths, shaped by the same home, converging toward discernment of the same calling. 

‘The Fruit of Many Souls’

Father Cheeyoon emphasized that a family’s witness plays a decisive role in fostering openness to God’s call. “The role of the father and mother is paramount. Holy priests and holy sisters come from holy families; that is where it starts.”

Although God can draw vocations from any circumstance, he added, the most stable formation often begins in homes where parents understand their own vocation as husband and wife and, from that partnership, their mission as father and mother. 

A vocation, he remarked, never emerges alone. 

“It takes a village to raise a child, and it takes a diocese to raise a priest,” he said. “A vocation is the fruit of many souls: family, friends, teachers, priests, and sisters, all nudging a young person toward holiness.”

The film also acknowledges the emotional reality of a son discerning priesthood. Grace is present, but so is the need for families to process changing expectations. “Parents need their own time to process,” Father Cheeyoon shared. “But ultimately, every child is first and foremost God’s child.”

Inspiring a Culture of Vocation

Father Cheeyoon hopes the story of the Ang brothers will inspire more than admiration. “I hope their story will give young men the courage to be open to God’s will, whether it be the priesthood or another vocation, and also encourage parents and families to support their children in pursuing holiness,” he shared. “Every vocation creates a ripple effect – what begins in one life spreads through many others, bringing joy and sometimes even challenge, but always pointing to God.”

The release of the short film fits into a broader diocesan effort to build a culture of vocation. The Diocese of Orange prays a dedicated vocations prayer after every Sunday Mass, hosts discernment retreats for men and women, and sends a traveling monstrance to parishes for holy hours focused on praying for vocations. Creative media, Father Cheeyoon noted, allows the Church to share these stories in a way that is accessible, beautiful, and inviting. 

The short film will be available on the Diocese of Orange’s YouTube page at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET on November 24, inviting viewers to watch, pray, and reflect on how God continues to call young people to service and sainthood.