Past events on this journey from most recent.
What was year one like as a deacon? Find out here - First Year Reflection
Sunday July 21, 2019
"A Family that Prays Together Stays Together" but what about a family that serves together?
"A Family that Prays Together Stays Together" but what about a family that serves together?
On July 21, 2019 my son Adam came out of retirement to help his sister Faith become an altar server. She had been asking to do this for a while and Allison and I prayed about it and decided to go ahead! Our pastor Fr. Rich was very much in favor of this. Why was this such a big deal for Faith, a 13 year old to altar server? Faith is deaf so this presented a few logistics to work out. My wife Allison stood in the door to the sacristy to interpret for Faith and during the gospel, where our altar servers hold candles on each side of the ambo, my wife went to the front of the Church so Faith wouldn't miss out on that part of the Mass.
It went off without a hitch and she was beaming to be able to play such a special role in the Mass! She's looking forward to her next time! http://www.anchornews.org/news/november-2019/11-15-19-3.html?fbclid=IwAR0_jT7BUqoW8JzSjukPi9BntBR9qTMBd-fq_cPmG4jjeyN8Ibe_-HOaB3g |
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Courses / Textbooks through 4 years of study
Year 1 2015-2016 Fall Introduction to Theology Prayer and Spirituality Spring Revelation and Christology Ecclesiology Year 2 2016-2017 Fall Old Testament Reading the Old Testament Sacramental Theology Sacramental Theology, Means of Grace, Ways of Life Roman Missal The Rites Spring Old Testament II The Scripture Source Book for Catholics Moral Theology An Introduction to Moral Theology |
Year 3 2017-2018 Fall Synoptic Gospels Introduction to the Synoptic Gospels Church History The Catholic Church Through the Ages Spring Letters of Paul/John Paul: A Very Short Introduction Patristic Theology St. Clement of Rome \ St. Justin Martyr \ St. Irenaeus \ St. Cyprian (Treatise 1, Treatise 3) \ Origen (1st Principles IV) \St. Athanasius \ St. Gregory of Nyssa \ St. John Chrysostom \ St. Augustine \ Pope St. Leo the Great (Sermons 21-28) \ St. John Damascene Year 4 2018-2019 Fall Marriage and Family Canon Law Spring Pastoral Theology Revelation Homiletics/Liturgy |
Ordination to the Permanent Diaconate - May 18 2019
Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption - Fall River MA
Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption - Fall River MA
On Saturday, May 18, 2019 my eight "brother" acolytes and I were ordained to the permanent diaconate in the Fall River diocese. The ceremony was beautiful and very moving and I am extremely humbled by this calling! A video of the ceremony can be found here: VIDEO and the story in the Anchor, the newspaper of the Fall River diocese can be seen here: STORY
The outpouring of support, love and gifts to assist in my new ministry have been overwhelming. The weekend was a complete blur and I'm still processing all of the incredible moments of it. A have many to thank, my family, our teachers, my mentor, my brother deacons (new and old), my friends and of course my newly assigned fellow parishioners of Holy Family Parish in East Taunton. ‘Believe what you read. Teach what you believe. Practice what you teach.’ |
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Diaconate Candidate Retreat - March 3 - March 8, 2019
Sacred Hearts Retreat Center, Wareham MA
Sacred Hearts Retreat Center, Wareham MA
THE PREREQUISITES FOR ORDINATION Can. 1033 A person is promoted licitly to orders only if he has received the sacrament of confirmation. Can. 1034 §1. A person aspiring to the diaconate or presbyterate is not to be ordained unless he has first been enrolled among the candidates through the liturgical rite of admission by the authority mentioned in cann. ⇒ 1016 and ⇒ 1019; his petition is previously to have been written in his own hand, signed, and accepted in writing by the same authority. §2. A person who has been received into a clerical institute through vows is not bound to obtain this admission. Can. 1035 §1. Before anyone is promoted to the permanent or transitional diaconate, he is required to have received the ministries of lector and acolyte and to have exercised them for a suitable period of time. §2. There is to be an interval of at least six months between the conferral of the ministry of acolyte and the diaconate. Can. 1036 In order to be promoted to the order of diaconate or of presbyterate, the candidate is to present to his bishop or competent major superior a declaration written in his own hand and signed in which he attests that he will receive the sacred order of his own accord and freely and will devote himself perpetually to the ecclesiastical ministry and at the same time asks to be admitted to the order to be received. Can. 1037 An unmarried candidate for the permanent diaconate and a candidate for the presbyterate are not to be admitted to the order of diaconate unless they have assumed the obligation of celibacy in the prescribed rite publicly before God and the Church or have made perpetual vows in a religious institute. Can. 1038 A deacon who refuses to be promoted to the presbyterate cannot be prohibited from the exercise of the order received unless he is prevented by a canonical impediment or another grave cause to be evaluated in the judgment of the diocesan bishop or competent major superior. Can. 1039 All candidates for any order are to make a spiritual retreat for at least five days in a place and manner determined by the ordinary. Before the bishop proceeds to ordination, he must be certain that the candidates properly made this retreat. |
On March 3 thru March 8, 2019 the 9 Matt, Tony, Paul, Rich, Keith, Dave, George, Gary and myself, under the wisdom and guidance of Fr. Bob and Deacon Frank, participated in our five day retreat at the Sacred Hearts retreat center in Wareham. It was a very meditative retreat in which we all pondered our upcoming ordination a lot. We also grew closer to each other sharing stories and laughs. I wouldn't have wanted to spend this time with another group of guys.
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Minor order of Acolyte - June 19, 2017
On June 19, 2017 my 8 brothers and I received the installation of Acolyte. Fortunately this year I managed to kneel and stand without any major, or even minor incidents!
We also had Deacon Alan (who looks remarkably like my Uncle Bobby) there to assist us if needed. I have to wonder, was he there because of the incident last year? Oh well. It was a hot night at Holy Name, Sacred Heart Church in New Bedford but my sweat gave me something to offer up as I pondered this next, and final level toward the diaconate. Still, however, my prayer is "Lord God, in your infinite wisdom, I humbly ask you to grant me assignment to a lovely Church with air conditioning! Amen!". Click here for the article from the Anchor, the Fall River Diocesan newspaper. Luke 9:13-17 He said to them, “Give them some food yourselves.” They replied, “Five loaves and two fish are all we have, unless we ourselves go and buy food for all these people.” Now the men there numbered about five thousand. Then he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of [about] fifty.” They did so and made them all sit down. Then taking* the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing over them, broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. They all ate and were satisfied. And when the leftover fragments were picked up, they filled twelve wicker baskets. |
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Minor order of Reader - June 7, 2017
On June 7th, 2017 my 8 brothers and I received the minor order of Reader on our journey towards the diaconate. It was a beautiful ceremony, beautiful until I got hung up in my alb like a tuna in a fish net!
We had to kneel in front of the Bishop to "receive the word" and put our hands onto a bible he held out for us. Once finished when I went to stand I realized a bit too late that I was stepping on my alb with my right foot and nearly fell into his lap. When I switched feet I was then stepping on it with my left foot! "I need a moment" I said to him. He just smiled as I recovered. I needed humility I guess! It was indeed granted to me at that moment! 2 Timothy 4:1-5 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingly power: proclaim the word; be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient; convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching. For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine but, following their own desires and insatiable curiosity, will accumulate teachers and will stop listening to the truth and will be diverted to myths. But you, be self-possessed in all circumstances; put up with hardship; perform the work of an evangelist; fulfill your ministry. |
The Blessing of the Albs - April 30, 2017
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On a hot and humid April 30, 2017 we met for a day to learn more about the ministry of lector we were about to receive in June of that same year.
At the end of the very informative day we celebrated Mass and one of our family members presented us with our albs. My daughter Faith gave me mine while Allison interpreted for her. It was hot, I was sweaty but it was a blessed day regardless! 3) The alb is the long white garment worn by the sacred ministers, which recalls the new and immaculate clothing that every Christian has received through baptism. The alb is, therefore, a symbol of the sanctifying grace received in the first sacrament and is also considered to be a symbol of the purity of heart that is necessary to enter into the joy of the eternal vision of God in heaven (cf. Matthew 5:8). This is expressed in the prayer the priest says when he dons the alb. The prayer is a reference to Revelation 7:14: "Dealba me, Domine, et munda cor meum; ut, in sanguine Agni dealbatus, gaudiis perfruar sempiternis" (Make me white, O Lord, and cleanse my heart; that being made white in the Blood of the Lamb I may deserve an eternal reward). |
Mass of Candidacy - June 8, 2016
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On June 8th, 2016, the Most Reverend Edgar M. da Cunha celebrated the Mass of Candidacy for all of us. It was an incredibly moving ceremony and I was honored to be a part of it. This is the last picture of us as aspirants.
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Aspirancy Retreat - April 1-3 2016
We had our first retreat together in April of 2016. It was an excellent God filled experience. A lot of excellent talks and plenty of time for personal reflection during the weekend.
Doing the rosary at LaSalette at the rosary pond in the drizzle at night was a great experience!
Couldn't ask for a better weekend with a great group of guys!
Doing the rosary at LaSalette at the rosary pond in the drizzle at night was a great experience!
Couldn't ask for a better weekend with a great group of guys!