Listening to the call of the Lord Jesus Christ, His Eminence Metropolitan Youssef entered the monastic life in 1986 at the El-Souryan Monastery. He was ordained into the priesthood in 1988. Then in 1989, he came to the United States under the auspices of His Holiness Pope Shenouda III, the 117th Pope of the Holy See of St. Mark. He was appointed resident priest to serve the Coptic congregation of St. Mary Church in Dallas/Fort Worth.

In 1992, His Eminence was ordained as General Bishop and in 1993, His Eminence was appointed to oversee the Southern Coptic Diocese. In 1995, His Eminence was enthroned as the first Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. Then in 2022, His Eminence was elevated to Metropolitan by His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, the 118th Pope of the Holy See of St. Mark.