There's a version of the American dream that looks like working with movie stars, an Aston Martin in the driveway, and a beach house in California. Scott-Vincent Borba had all of that. And standing at a party at the height of his success, surrounded by everything he'd built, he felt completely empty, he says.
What happened next is one of the most dramatic career changes you can think of: he decided to sell everything and become a priest.
From Celebrity to the Seminary
Borba co-founded e.l.f. Cosmetics in 2004 alongside a father-and-son business team. The brand – "Eyes, Lips, Face" – hit $100 million in sales by 2014 and became one of the most recognized names in drugstore beauty. Borba served as its celebrity esthetician, building a client list that included some of Hollywood's biggest names and a lifestyle to match. He left the company in 2019.
In the years that followed, that lifestyle caught up with him. At an industry party one night, Borba hit a breaking point – and says he felt a calling to give it all up.
So he did. His fortune, his property, his vehicles, all were donated to charity. He now lives in a small room at St. Patrick's Seminary in Menlo Park, California where he has been studying to become a priest. He will be ordained as a Catholic priest by the Diocese of Fresno later this month.
"My life has been culled down to the bare minimum," he said. "I have never been happier in my life."
What This Says About Faith and Wealth
Borba's conversion sits in striking contrast to one of the most prominent strands in contemporary American Christianity. Prosperity gospel theology frames financial success as a sign of God's favor – a reward for faith. By that logic, a $3 billion fortune should be evidence of divine blessing, not a burden to surrender.
Borba's story turns that narrative upside down, but it's also true that the Catholic tradition he's entering has a very different relationship with material wealth.
From Francis of Assisi to Thomas Merton, the tradition is full of figures who found that stripping away possessions brought them closer to God rather than further from it. Priestly vows of poverty are not framed as sacrifice so much as freedom. Borba seems to have arrived at the same conclusion on his own terms.
He's also not the first famous person to undergo a religious conversion. But at a moment when trust in clergy is at historic lows, partly because of highly publicized cases of leaders who pursued wealth at their congregation's expense, a story about someone moving in the opposite direction proves an interesting examination.
Whether you share his faith or not, it's hard to ignore someone walking away from billions of dollars to pursue a religious calling. What would you have done in his shoes?
43 comments
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Alexander Clarke
It is nice that he can do as he pleases. If it pleases him to become a priest then good for him. Money does not make one happy but it does make misery more comfortable.
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Hector Luis Moctezuma
Religions are replete with stories as his. In my own spiritual, Siddhartha Gautama did the same. And I suspect, most faced jealousy and criticism like he is. None of it matters. He does the right thing by following his heart. The world needs good priests, and I for one wish him the very best. Words from the Gospel come to mind: where else can we go? You have the words of eternal life. Amen. We all have a life. Let’s make it a beautiful one at the service of all.
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Rev. Kev
The more stuff you own, the more your thoughts, time, and energy will go into keeping that stuff. If not acquiring more. People who hoard wealth are inevitably greedy and self-centered. Because -- let's face it -- the whole thing is about self-enrichment. We certainly have enough real-life examples in this and other countries about how the wealthy treat others and care not about us mere peasants. To put it in Biblical terms, they serve mammon. Their god is money. Unfortunately, others who have been raised to look up to the rich serve the rich while coveting mammon. And as someone in the Bible is recorded as saying, you cannot serve God and mammon at the same time. It can only be one or the other.
A lot of people across the world have seen the true value in simple living and not getting wrapped up in vain pursuits. It even frees up time to consider others and reach out to help. Doesn't have to go so far as a ministry or some other committed endeavor. Just being a good, friendly neighbor and maybe occasionally volunteering for local charity drives or working at a local charity center.
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Roy S. Thorpe
I guess that its easier for people to relate to physical things of this world to their idea of heaven! Sorry but no physical things are needed in the spiritual world! Love will go a long way in the spiritual life and helping in the worldly life!
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Roy S. Thorpe
Sounds like an idea but a better idea would be to set up perpetual fund that gives donations forever to needy charities! And have the Catholic Church give all that gold in the Vatican that they stole from peasants worldwide to the needy of the world! No need for gold chalices for communion! Maybe melt down all the Catholic Church gold worldwide for needy! There's no need for gold in heaven!
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Ari Joseph Bertine
This is sensationalized in a somewhat misleading way. He clearly did not donate $3 billion to charity, because that would be national news and would cause major restructuring to various endowments/institutions, or would have significant impact in hunger & housing initiatives. Associating him with his $3 billion company makes it sound like that was how much he gave away. He did walk away from it, true. But if it was making him feel unwell in some way, then he did what was necessary for his mental health and it's no different from anyone else making a major life change in order to survive and remain healthy.
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Patricia Ann Gross
Not if the donations were given anonymously and spread out across multiple charitable institutions. This happens every day, and doesn't make national news.
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Religion as a Weapon is Wrong
The news this morning reported on a Meals on Wheels program in California suffering because of the cost of gasoline. Not only did they reduce the amount of food given to seniors and disabled, but the volunteers themselves are cutting back their hours because they can't afford the gasoline to get to the center. Then I found out that my local food bank has run out of money for the month, hence, one of the meal plans is not operating. My first thought was if I were a billionaire, I would fund these organizations. Sure, it's never ending but people need to eat today, not next year or when the situation improves. I also thought about what I would do with a huge amount of money and I sure wouldn't want to spend my time in court (like Musk suing Altman) or tweeting all night. I would look for where I could do the most good and also live my best life. This man made his decision and I support him and wish him well. He may be the first person to become a billionaire that isn't miserable. The rest of them sure act unhappy and frankly, a lot of them act rather insane. They think they are going to live on earth forever and spend their time and money trying to achieve it. I'm baffled by the number of people posting here that do not wish this man well. He made his money, he gave it to charity, he lived life large, and now he has been called to serve his god.
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Dr Dennis Chevalier, MDiv, PhD, DDvin, ULC honorary DD
No, he didn't give it to charity that's one of the issues i have with this. Certain behaviors we associate with conversion are absent with him.
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Keoni Ronald May
He truly had a calling, and, he demonstrated his true intentions, by giving up all of his worldly goods, to become a true believer of God.
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Dr Dennis Chevalier, MDiv, PhD, DDvin, ULC honorary DD
Maybe, or he hid it as a backup plan like I detailed earlier; after looking into his background, something stinks.
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Rev Ned
Good for him!
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Patricia Ann Gross
Been there, done that. Not giving up billions, but a six figure income and a large 401K and stock portfolio to follow a calling. It hasn't been easy, as I had to finance everything, came close to bankruptcy and huge issues with imposter syndrome. Once I finished seminary I was rejected by churches, because I wanted to do missionary work rather than lead a church, so I followed with a chaplancy residency that gave me experience in spiritual care, which was my calling. I later joined an agency to work with the poor and marginalized, many of whom were unhoused, and guess what. I discovered that my missionary calling was fulfilled right in my own back yard. I have never been happier or more fulfilled, to the point that I have gone back to school for a PhD in Theology and Leadership. I am happier now than when I had money. I have faced ridicule for giving up what I had for something with less than half the "earning power," but I believe I am making the world a better place by lifting up those without voices or the strength to do it for themselves. My congratulations go to the Future Fr. Borba,
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Michael J Burlager
How wonderful for you. Sounds like the road to your goal was rocky, but finally led to the right path. You have riches of a better sort.
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Patricia Ann Gross
Thank you. It certainly was the right path for me. Peace of mind, and not having to worry about a stock portfolio, or a dip in the market, or waiting for the next commission check, is priceless. The more you have, the more you want, and it never ends. I am grateful I was able to break the cycle.
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Reverend Paula Copp
Why is this article important?
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ServantOfJudgement
Because it puts a cork in the mouths of anti Christians who complain about how churches spend their money or don't spend their money.
When a Christian comes along and gives his money to charity, the anti Christ's all then say......so what....
See?
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Ari Joseph Bertine
I think a lot of people say "so what" because there are more helpful things he could have done if his intent was to help people. The way he handled it shows that his primary interest was in preserving his own sanity, so the focus here doesn't go to his giving money to charity. This goes back to the way churches spend their money--on things that further the church's goals. Pretty much the same thing, and therefore it's just not noteworthy. If he had liquidated his company so that he was worth an actual $3 billion in usable funds and then had channeled that into housing & food, we would have read this on the front pages of every newspaper in the USA because it would have saved millions of lives. Instead, we find out about this undisclosed charity donation through a small human interest and religion article. It appears that he just walked away from that potential, the "fortune" of being tied to corporate assets, so he could feel better. That's nice, but it won't shut up the people who feel that big money should help people in a big way.
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TheStranger
No one is complaining how churches spend money. The complaints are all about how they COLLECT monies. And it’s all about greed and corruption, just like real corporations. And I think there’s something fishy about this guy and mark my words, the truth will eventually come out. Put a cork on that
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
Just a reminder to be careful. There are some real whackjobs out there.
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Sir Lionheart
I just might have missed it, did anyone say this article is important?
🦁❤️
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Colleen McAllister
Since I have never had wealth it is impossible to know what I would do in that situation. I do pray that Borba finds what he's looking for. It seems as if je might be on the right track.
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Rev. Miche'al Yosef Dixon
As a child both of my Grandfathers influence us that "Jesus rode a donkey and technically had no home I can't see My savior wearing thousand dollars clothes and jewelry riding around in million dollar cars living in million dollar mansions." His from two men that didn't always see eye to eye, One a Freemason (Methodist by faith) the other a simple Baptist farmer by life. I got my first Ordination as a Christian Minister expressly because I wanted to be rich like the televangelist. But during my studies I discovered truths hidden within the lies the common sects teach their followers. Common sense right in front of everyone, we arrogant species refuse to see that Yeshua pointed out and the same scripture text that been around for millennia they call "New teachings". Although this man I applaud his desire to be faithful his method is questionable. Yeshua said, "It is easier for a Camel to go through the eye of a needle than a rich man to get into Heaven." First you have to know what the "eye of the needle" is in his context. He's referring to the 2' X 5' door in a city gate for foot traffic not the hold in the end of a pin. And further the reference to getting "into Heaven" has hard cord meaning as overlooked and sugar coated it's scripturely inferred that every one will get into "Heaven" for the "Great Judgement" so to say "harder to get into Heaven" inferring some will screw up soo bad they won't even get that far. Yeshua was asked by a rich disciple, "Master what must I do to get into Heaven" Yeshua told him, "Sell what you have and follow me". Now, 99.9% of Ministers will tell you you must "sell Everything" yet that's not what Yeshua said. Peter had a house, fishing business and wife and children yet didn't sell everything, in fact Jesus stayed at Peter's House, Lazarus house, (Matthew) Levi's house. Scripture has people "Blessed" with material wealth for following YHWH's commands yet almost every one became corrupted and "Did evil in the sight of YHWH". I once became wealthy money wise from my company Artemis Entertainment, Inc. in California. My company and even my name in credits in a few cheap SYFY channel movies under the production crew. I hobnobbed with a few rich stuck up crowds and trust me they smell "new money" like sharks smelling blood. I can understand how he felt, surrounded by wealth and lonely as hell. But all those expensive things are for showing off to empress the shallow people. If YHWH led him to give it all up and be a priest more power to him. My riches were stolen by the government that is hell bent I never have a cent to my name to survive. As Yeshua proved, "No good deed goes unpunished." "What God giveth, Satan taketh away".
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Patricia Ann Gross
But, he did exactly what Jesus told the rich man what HE needed to do to gain eternal life. He sold all he had and gave the proceeds to charity. Jesus does not call us the same way. If he did, we'd all be pastors and then who would do all of the rest of the jobs required to maintain society? The disciples had families which needed shelter, so they were not required to give that up. Although scripture doesn't say, I trust that the families had a support system that took care of them while the disciples were following Jesus, as they still had their homes when Jesus was in the area.
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Charmaine Hodges
God's calling is the greatest of all drop everything u have or what u doing and answer, you been chosen for a reason which cannot be questioned but to follow
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
God’s ‘call’ is an auditory halluciation.
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Patricia Ann Gross
Says one who has aparently never heard either.
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
Your ‘aparently’ (sic) would be correct so far as my never having heard god’s call would be correct. Of course if your ‘god’ existed, and ‘it’ wanted me to hear its call then it should be have been capable of making me hear such. The fact that I have never heard such means your god is impotent on such or it must be okay with my disbelief.
However, auditory hallucinations is something I have experienced. But mine were not a result of a form of socially acceptable insanity.
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Patricia Ann Gross
Dr. Z,
Just because you have not heard God calling you does not negate the fact that others have.
If you have heard anti-social or unacceptably insane auditory hallucinations, I hope and pray you got appropriate mental health treatments that work well for you.
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
Stick to the topic. No, I have not heard ‘god calling’. As such ‘it’ either does not wish for me to hear, is impotent when it comes to doing so, or simply does not exist.
People believed the rapture was coming recently. How did that work out? People believed they can dance with rattlesnakes and end up dead. People belief weird stuff. You…case in point.
All sorts of compounds cause hallucinations. I came of age in the 60s or 70s. Hallucinations, both visual and auditory, were common.
Aparently(sic) it did not impact my ability to spell or pay attention to a spellchecker.
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Patricia Ann Gross
Who's not sticking to the topic? Discussion of "God's calling" is appropriate to the topic of a billionaire giving up everything to live out his faith.
I'm not sure which offends you more, me having a faith that is different than yours (if you even have one) or leaving a "p" out of a word. (BTW, the spell checker I use doesn't work in the ULC's text boxes for some reason). There are treatments for those "compounds" you mention as well if they still bother you.
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
So far as this conversation that I am having with you goes the topic is limited to your initial comment to me, that being: “ Says one who has aparently(sic) never heard either.”
And, for the third(??) time now, please respond to the question I asked you. If I haven’t heard this call you speak of is this due to Gawd being OK with me not having heard his call and is therefore OK with my ensuing disbelief, or is Gawd unable, in other words impotent, in this regard?
Personally, I view religious people that claim to have heard Gawd’s call as being delusional. Delusional sheep that outgrew Santa, the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy but still cling to a sky-dwelling Mr. Magic so as to not disappoint mommy and daddy.
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Patricia Ann Gross
Dr Z,
Sorry, but I didn't see the comment as a question, only as you throwing insults about how you hadn't heard a voice say, "Dr. Z, This is God, now do what I say," so that must mean God does not exist, or is totally impotent to "make you" hear.
The options/answers to the question aren't binary or that simple, and to be perfectly honest, you have not been the topic of any conversation I have had with God, so I could not begin to tell you what God thinks about your inability to hear a call or if one ever existed. A third option is that God knows you are so obstinate in disbelief, and is waiting for a point in time when your mind might be opened to the notion that something greater than us humans exists in the universe. God gave us free will, because a faith and love that is coerced is as impotent and meaningless as you claim God to be. God gave us the power to think and choose for ourselves.
God also speaks in different ways to different people depending on their capacity to listen and receive the message. For some it is through their conscience or moral compass. For others it is in visions that occur as auditory, sensual, or visual. Even others have occurrances that are more dramatic, and rare. I am well aware of how mystical occurrences are always looked at with skepticism because the way the human ego works for some it is "if it didn't work for me, it never worked for anyone." It is very similar to the "if I don't like it, then nobody in this world likes it" attitude and thought. It is part of the narcissistic delusion. The other reason for skepticism is there are a large number of "scammers" that want to make a quick buck off talking to our departed loved ones, so anything that resembles "spirituality" has to be fake or delusional.
You can believe what you want. You can also not believe whatever you want, but that doesn't give you the power to tell me that what I believe is any more delusional than your disbelief. Likewise, you saying it does not make it true. If you really wanted an answer to the question you should not have couched it inside insults to both God (impotent) and me (delusional).
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
When threads reach the spaghetti stage I stop.
I’ll end as I began…….
God’s ‘call’ is an auditory halluciation.
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
https://youtu.be/1kSgkYk6swo?si=OwDij9AY6EmtX9di
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Patricia Ann Gross
Thank you, Dr Z. That was entertaining.
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Sir Lionheart
Did you have a particular God in mind? I’m asking because mankind has created hundreds of gods throughout the eons of time. Would yours, by any chance, be the one that in your opinion is the only real god, like everyone else thinks theirs is?
🦁❤️
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Dr Dennis Chevalier, MDiv, PhD, DDvin, ULC honorary DD
you are kidding right?
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Joseph Grieco
Not everyone has the cynicism that you and I often show.
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Dr Dennis Chevalier, MDiv, PhD, DDvin, ULC honorary DD
You misunderstand my comment Joseph, its not the forfeit of money for God, I do that all the time and undertook several vows like a vow of poverty. No, its the willingness to open ones self to public backlash as if "look at me, how holy and good I am".
There is something more going on here. I guess "my cynicism" triggered my 40yrs of being a cop that something is not right here.
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Nicholas J Page
Well it seems like. Money doesn't buy you happiness and now he's given it all away he's happier now then ever before and will be ordained later this month Good for you and I hope you find eternal happiness in your new role as a priest Gid Bless and enjoy life 😊
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Geoffrey C. Olive
Eejit!
I hope he finds his bliss. I’m not sure I would be so certain that the bliss would remain for the entirety of life. Especially when there are times we all question our choices and our faith alongside our wins and our failures. But if it brings him to happiness, why not? Regardless, so long as he keeps his vows the church will care for him for the remainder of his existence on this plane.