Lay Missionary Profile: James Murla

James Murla graduated from St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA in 2005 with a BS in math and a minor in physics. He currently works as a health physicist at Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Virginia. What does a “health physicist” do? Basically he trains technicians to enforce health and safety standards when dealing with radiation. But that’s just what he does to pay the bills. Another big part of his life has been working in youth and music ministry at Ascension Catholic Church in Virginia Beach for the past seven years.

Jamie first met Fr. Herald in Honduras on a mission trip in 2005. Since then, Jamie has traveled back to Honduras twice for short-term missions, and worked together with Fr. Herald in leading several retreats for the lay Catholic community Missioners of Christ. It was through his involvement with Missioners that Jamie also met and started working with Dr. Will Stallings.

Now the three of us have come together for an exciting and unique opportunity to minister to, learn from and walk beside God’s people in Africa.