Father Scott Borba, co-founder of e.l.f. Cosmetics, a multibillion-dollar cosmetics company, was ordained to the Catholic priesthood May 23 in his hometown of Visalia, California, after leaving behind a career in the beauty industry and entering seminary in his 40s.
Father Borba, 52, was ordained alongside Fathers Marco Antonio Ayala Rodriguez and Jose Francisco Orozco Cardenas during a bilingual Mass celebrated by Bishop Joseph Brennan of the Diocese of Fresno, at St. Charles Borromeo Church in Visalia, according to the Fresno Bee.
The church, which the Fresno Bee reported is the largest Catholic parish church in the U.S. by seating capacity, with about 3,200 seats, was filled for the ordination ceremony.
“We have some fine young men here,” Bishop Brennan said during the service. “Deacons Francisco, Scott, and Marco, about to be ordained to the Order of the Priesthood, and such a beautiful reminder of what a gift they will be and are to the Diocese of Fresno, and what a gift the priesthood is to the whole church.”
During his homily, Bishop Brennan referenced recent prayer intentions from Pope Leo XIV for priests in crisis and for those lacking food, telling the congregation that “without the priesthood, there is no Eucharist.” He urged the newly ordained priests to remain faithful through challenges and to “love your people and lay down your life for them like a good shepherd.”
Following the ordination, the diocese announced parish assignments for the newly ordained priests beginning June 27. Father Borba was assigned as parochial vicar to Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Clovis. He has four older siblings and worked as an esthetician, model, singer, and actor before co-founding e.l.f. Cosmetics, as Zeale News reported. He resigned from his business ventures in 2021 and later attended St. Patrick’s Seminary and University in Menlo Park, California.
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According to the diocese, Father Borba discerned a vocation to the priesthood in his 40s and returned to the area to begin formation for ministry. In previous interviews, he has said he gave away much of his fortune to charity and embraced a simpler lifestyle after years in the business world.