Fr. Jacob Braun

Hello! My name is Fr. Jacob Braun, and I am the Associate Pastor here at Incarnate Word Parish.

I grew up in the country outside of Union, Missouri, near the western edge of the Archdiocese of St. Louis. In addition to my parents and three siblings, my maternal grandparents eventually moved into our home as well. This multi-generational household provided many fun and valuable experiences that have continued to bear fruit for me, both personally and ministerially.

My journey to the priesthood was a long one, filled with peaks and valleys, but always guided by the Lord’s loving Providence. I was homeschooled through high school, but began college in 2011. After a few years pursuing a degree in Petroleum Engineering, first in community college and then as a transfer student at Missouri S&T, I began applying to seminary. When I was in Rolla, Jesus, primarily through the Sacraments, instilled in my heart a desire for the priesthood that I once believed was lost in my childhood. In 2023, after 7 years of seminary formation, I was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of St. Louis. In my short time as a priest, I have been amazed and humbled to see the splendor of God’s grace in peoples' lives, operative through the Sacramental life of the Church. To be so close to these Divine Mysteries as a priest has been an incredible and privileged experience.

I am an avid guitarist, and often spend my free time practicing my instrument and learning new songs. In addition to music, I enjoy reading books of many different genres, spending time with friends and family, and watching the St. Louis Cardinals, Blues, or Indianapolis Colts. I also love to travel when I can!