Father Gregory Galvin, Director of Priestly Vocations

Happy Advent to all. We are a few weeks away from the Christmas season and time to transition into 2020! It seems like just a few weeks ago our seminarians were all heading back to seminary for their continued formation and academic work. They will shortly be arriving home for the holidays; either down in Colombia or spread across Eastern Connecticut.

Our annual Advent Gift Card drive for seminarians is going on across the diocese. An early thank you to all who have picked up a name of a seminarian from your parish and plan to send in a gift card on their behalf. It really does assist them, and they greatly appreciate your thoughtfulness and kindness.

Recently, both Dharen and Normand received candidacy at Mount St. Mary Seminary. This means that they have publicly acknowledged that they freely have asked and expressed their willingness to go forward to both ordination to diaconate and ultimately Holy Priesthood. Normand joins now with Larry, who is studying at Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary in Weston, Massachusetts, as they both anticipate a letter of call to receive ordination to transitional diaconate. Usually Bishop Cote will send out his letter of call later in early spring. If both Normand and Larry receive such a letter, the date chosen for their diaconate ordination is presently scheduled for May 28, 2020. It is an exciting time for them and for Deacon Mike who also awaits a call letter for Priestly Ordination. His date would be June 27, 2020.

At the end of the month I ask for your prayers as I travel once again to the FOCUS National SLS convention. New Year’s week we will be in Phoenix, Arizona. I am not sure how many UCONN students will be attending, but please pray that our work at UCONN will continue to bring many priestly and religious vocations to the Church here in Eastern Connecticut and throughout the whole Church.

On December 19th, please join us as we pray for an increase of priestly and consecrated religious vocations at our Monthly Holy Hour with Bishop Cote. This month it is at Sacred Heart Church in Taftville. If you know someone in your circle who you think would make a great priest for the Church, please pray for them and if given an opportunity, personally encourage them to think and pray about it. The seasons of Advent and Christmas are both wonderful times of grace, when our Lord can place certain things in young people’s hearts and they “hear the call.”

May Christmas be a season of true joy, peace and grace for each of you, your loved ones and for the family of God. May we be blessed this coming new year with many more vocations to the priesthood and consecrated religious life for the Diocese of Norwich.