Leaving the world behind and following the calling in his heart, our beloved father joined the Syrian Monastery in the Nitrian Desert in 1986. Putting his hand on the plow, he planned on spending the rest of his days as a simple monk in the blessed monastery… but God had other plans.

As the blessings in the land of immigration were flourishing and the number of new churches were increasing, His Holiness Pope Shenouda III, the 117th Pope of the Holy See of St. Mark of blessed memory, felt a need to establish a diocese abroad and, in His perfect providence, our loving heavenly Father had already chosen one of His faithful servants to be with Him in this new service.

In 1988, He was ordained to the priesthood rank.

In 1989 under the auspices of His Holiness Pope Shenouda III of Thrice-Blessed Memory, the 117th Pope of the See of St. Mark, he was appointed a resident priest to serve the Coptic Orthodox congregation of St. Mary's Church in Dallas/Fort Worth.

In 1992, His Grace was ordained as General Bishop.

in 1993, His Grace was appointed to oversee the Southern Coptic Orthodox Diocese.

In 1995, His Grace was enthroned as the first Bishop in the U.S. for the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States.

On Sunday, November 20, 2022, His Grace Bishop Youssef was elevated to the Metropolitan rank by His Holiness Pope Tawadros