Father Gregory Galvin, Director of Priestly Vocations

In memory and honor of Monsignor Thomas R. Bride, who went home to his heavenly reward on June 26, please offer one Hail Mary, one Our Father and one Glory Be, in thanksgiving for his dedication to the priesthood and especially for serving as former Director of Vocations for 34 years. Thank you.

Monsignor Bride was instrumental in assisting many of the men who are serving as priests in our diocese. He was my vocation director as well as a very good friend. He loved the Church and he loved Christ in the Eucharist to his very final days in this world. May his soul and the souls of all priests who have served our diocese over the years and been called home by our heavenly Father, rest in the peace of Christ. When Christ comes in all His glory, may they all, along with all God’s children share fully in the resurrection, Amen.

We continue to see joyful developments in the vocations office. Reverend Mr. Michael Bovino was ordained a transitional deacon in May and will finish his formation this coming year at Mount St. Mary Seminary. Ruben Dario Garcia Sanchez will also attend Mount St. Mary Seminary in Emmitsburg, being accepted after finishing two years of English language preparation at UCONN.

We expanded our program in the vocations office this year to be more pro-active by including the parents of seminarians in their sons’ journey with the diocese. This is an opportunity to help seminarians’ families have a better chance to see the brotherhood of future priests in action, and to see that as families they are not alone as their sons hear this unique call from God. This has been very successful.

We hosted a special dinner for parents with Bishop Cote earlier this spring. This was followed by a June gathering, organized by the seminarians, which included their parents and the pastors of their summer assignments. The seminarians gathered again, for a supper to welcome Father Castiblanco’s parents, who arrived June 21 for their son’s priestly ordination on June 29.

On July 3, the Feast of St. Thomas the Apostle, I had the pleasure of being the celebrant for the daily TV Mass produced by the Office of Radio and Television and broadcast on several stations throughout the state. The homilist for the Mass was Reverend Mr. Michael Bovino. He did a wonderful job.

In case you missed it in the June issue, we welcome Mark Johnson, who will be heading to Mount St. Mary to begin his journey as a seminarian for the diocese. Mark graduated from UCONN in May and will begin philosophy studies this fall. Please keep him in your prayers.

Thank you to all those who attend the Monthly Holy Hour with Bishop Cote. Vocations are increasing. This year, with the addition of both Ruben Sanchez and Mark Johnson, we now have 10 seminarians.

This coming year we are looking forward to the possible transitional diaconate ordinations of two men, Normand Laflamme and Larry Barile, in May 2020 and the priestly ordination of Reverend Mr. Michael Bovino in June 2020. Thanks again for all your prayers.