What a life! And it is mine, as a Priest of Jesus Christ!

For the past 20 years August 2 has become sort of another "thanksgiving" day in the family. Not in the sense of watching Stoughton destroy* Canton in a football game and then having a nice turkey dinner at home, but more so in the sense of recognizing the blessings given to our family.   August 2 is also the beginning of my conversion story.  I first posted what follows on Aug. 2, 2013 when I first arrived to Italy and was doing Italian studies in Siena, but the sentiments and feelings remain the same: (2013) August 2, 1998 will forever stick out in my mind as the day of my conversion...it was the first time I can recall really praying, and confident that my prayer was heard. So without further delay...let's take a trip back to the summer before 8th grade! August 2, 1998 was a typical summer day. My family went down to Rhode Island for the Pawtucket Red Sox game with the free tickets we got at the end of the school year. After a long day, the family slowly retired ...

WOW! Today is my ONE YEAR anniversary as a Priest of Jesus Christ. That went by FAST! (It is also the great Solemnity of Pentecost, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostle's and the birthday of the Church!) Over the past year, I have had many, many, many blessings in my life as a priest, and if I had been blogging all along, you would have known about them. It suffices to say that the joy of being a priest is greater than anything I would have or could have imagined. It is, of course, not without its own struggles and challenges, but I trust that I have been called to this ministry by God, and that He is the One who will sustain me in being a faithful priest to Him, and for His people. This post serves as a little update as to "what's next" in my life.  As you know, in the fall of 2012 while in my second year of seminary for the Archdiocese of Boston, I was asked to complete the remaining four years of theology studies for the priesthood at the North Am...

I apologize for the lack of update since February. A lot has happened between then and now that I would love to blog about, but for now just a quick update: Second semester FLEW by. My classes were very  interesting, I know the topic of my  tesina  (thesis) as well as my director, have the outline and selected bibliography so I should be in good shape come October and the start of the next academic year. And grade wise, last semester was my best semester since SENIOR year at SHS!! Maybe it had something to do with the fact that... I AM NOW A PRIEST OF JESUS CHRIST!!!!          Holy Orders really does come with a special grace! More on that later... During Easter break I was blessed to travel with Catholic Relief Services to Senegal, Guinea Bissau and The Gambia to see the work CRS does on behalf of the American Catholic Church around the world. I've already written an article for the Archdiocesan newspaper, The Pilot,  so I will ...

Well---I'm now about a week into the new semester---my last semester  of seminary formation, so I figured a quick update is needed. I can't believe we're under 3 months from Priestly Ordination!! In August 2011 this day seemed so far off, and now it's right around the corner! (Last night after vesting for Evening Prayer I realized I won't ever wear the Ordinary Green Deacon Stole/Dalmatic again, because ordination is in the Easter season...and with Lent beginning on Wednesday, days of Green are numbered---and I'm not on the liturgical schedule until after Ash Wednesday!) Though in 2011 this day seemed so far away, the past almost 6 years of priestly formation have really flown by. There have been many challenges and struggles in seminary/community life, but they are far outweighed by the blessings, great memories and life long brotherhoods created. Although I'm looking forward with joy, some natural nervousness, and gratitude, I'm going to do my best...

Merry Christmas to all!! After or 4 weeks of Advent preparation (which btw, this was one of the longest Advent Seasons we could have, since Christmas fell on a Sunday we got 4 full weeks of Advent before the Christmas season began with Vigil Mass on Christmas eve) our Christmas celebrations have begun! I haven't blogged since early October, so I feel like now that I have "downtime" on Christmas break I should write a little update. Being a deacon is such a great gift! In Rome, I've had several opportunities to carry out my diaconal ministry---presiding over Morning/Evening Prayer during the  Liturgy of the Hours, a couple times with the entire seminary community, each Tuesday with a group from my hallway during our "Grace sharing" nights and a couple times during Eucharistic Holy Hours with religious sisters in Rome. I've also preached a couple times at the NAC (my one time as a deacon in the main chapel at a community Liturgy, as well as a couple ...

​Praised be Jesus Christ!!! Nine days ago, the Feast of the Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, 29 of my classmates at NAC and I received the Sacrament of Holy Orders when His Eminence Seán Patrick Cardinal O'Malley (Archdiocese of Boston) ordained us deacons at the Altar of the Chair in St. Peter's Basilica. The entire week leading up to the ordination was just awesome. It was a blessing to have many family and friends in town for the occasion in addition to being supported by many back home through their prayers, and having Masses offered for me and my classmates. The night before the ordination the NAC Community hosts an in-house prayer vigil for the ordinadi. We process in to "Adoramus te Domine" ahead of one of the faculty priests and one of our already ordained classmates. The Blessed Sacrament is exposed and then we have a reading, responsorial psalm, Gospel, homily by the faculty member chosen by our class to preach to us words of wisdom on the nig...