“Become fire!” We are looking for men who are not half-hearted but whole-hearted, willing to lay down their lives for others…. We need men who actually believe that sainthood is possible… We need men burning with ardent and gentle zeal …. We need men who understand that a vocation to priesthood begins at the burning bush, before the majesty of God himself.” Are you that man?
L-R. Rev. Boniface Hicks, OSB, Director of Spiritual Formation; Very Rev. Edward Mazich, OSB, Rector; Mr. Kevin P. McCullouch, Diocese of Ogdensburg; Bishop Terry R. LaValley, Bishop of Ogdensburg; Mr. Tyler M. Fitzgerald, Diocese of Ogdensburg; Rev. Christopher C. Carrara, Diocese of Ogdensburg Vocations Director; and Rev. John-Mary Tompkins, OSB, Vice Rector and Director of Human Formation.
Seminarians and Grand
Knight Robert Heckman
The Seminarians each received a $1,000 gift from the
Knights of Columbus Grand Knight Robert Heckman. The gift comes from
“Pennies from Heaven” donations to help support the Seminarians formation
and education. The Seminarians are left to right: Dennis
Ombongi, Kevin McCullouch, Tuan (Joseph) Vuong, Venes Laine, Grand Knight
Bob Heckman, Tyler Fitzgerald, Deacon Lukas Gruber, Douglas Schirmer,
Michael Lennox. Absent: Carter Pierce
Seminarian Christmas
Gathering
Left
to right: Tuan (Joseph) Vuong, Dennis Ombongi, Father Matthew
Conger, Assistant Vocation Director, Deacon Lukas Gruber, Sister Mary
Eamon Lyng, SSJ, Vocation Coordinator, Kevin McCullouch, Bishop Terry R.
LaValley, Tyler Fitzgerald, Michael Lennox, Douglas Schirmer, Venes Laine,
Father Christopher Carrara, Vocation Director. Absent: Carter Pierce
Left to right: Very Reverend Steven P. Beseau, Rector/President of the Josephinum, Dennis Ombongi, Most Reverend Earl K. Fernandes, Bishop of Columbus and Vice-Chancellor of the Josephinum.
Seminarian Dennis Ombongi is attending the Pontifical College Josephinum,
Columbus, Ohio, He is enrolled in the list of candidates who will one day
share in the Rite of Holy Orders.
The Rite of Candidacy is the moment at
which Dennis declares publicly his desire to be bound in Holy Orders for the
service of God and mankind. It is a self-offering of Dennis; a manifestation
of his will to serve.
About
the Rite of Candidacy
In
an official sense, through the Rite, the Church numbers and enrolls each man
among the candidates for the diaconate and priesthood. When calling men for
ordination, a bishop chooses from among those enrolled as candidates.
During
the Mass, each man was called forward by name; in response he rose and answered
“present.” This act is the moment at which he declares publicly his desire to
be bound in Holy Orders for the service of God and mankind. It is a
self-offering of the candidate, a manifestation of his will. Candidacy also is
a reception of that offering by the Church, and a new commitment by the
candidate to care for his vocation.
Left to right: Very Reverend Steven P. Beseau, Rector/President of the Pontifical College Josephinum, Most Reverend Frederick Campbell, Bishop Emeritus of Columbus, Ohio and Venes Laine.
Left to Right: Michael Lennox, Bishop Manuel A. Cruz, Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Newark and Msgr. Andrew R. Baker, S.T.D. Rector
Michael Lennox received the Rite of Candidacy on
November 17, 2023 in the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception, Mount St. Mary’s
Seminary, Emmitsburg, Maryland.
Tyler Fitzgerald received the Rite of Candidacy on November
25, 2023 at St. John the Baptist Church, Madrid. The celebrant was Bishop
Terry R. LaValley.
Left to Right: Sarah Fitzgerald, Leo Fitzgerald, Bishop Terry R. LaValley, Michelle Fitzgerald
Guided by our overall diocesan goal to nurture and develop holy and well-formed priests, great care is taken to ensure a careful and thorough assessment and application process for all potential seminarian candidates. These assessment and application processes generally encompass the following:
This can start as simply as asking a priest at your parish to give you some tips for developing your prayer life. As you grow closer to God, you may sense a call to offer more of yourself to Him, "Who did you create me to be Lord?" Sometimes a conversation can become an invitation, to pursue more deeply, attend a discernment event, bring it up with a priest, a trusted friend, or the vocations director. If you begin to feel a sense that God is calling you to be a priest, bring that up with a priest you know, or contact the Vocations Director directly to speak with him.
Once your discernment has reached the point of feeling a call to continue exploring your vocation in the context of seminary, ask the Vocations Director for an application to seminary. He will help you discern if this is the right moment for that, and give you guidance along that path.
Part of receiving the application is a formal interview between the Director of the Office of Vocations and the potential candidate in which the following topics are discussed:
Acceptance into the diocesan priesthood formation program requires that a candidate demonstrate emotional maturity, academic ability, personal stability and consistent growth in the practice of the faith. If, after the formal interview, the director believes the individual possesses suitable psychological, intellectual and spiritual attributes, the candidate is then invited to begin the formal application process. The general components of the application encompass the following:
After the candidate submits all the information and necessary paperwork as outlined above, the Director of the Office of Vocations, determines if the process should continue. If his decision is favorable, the Director of the Office of Vocations then recommends the candidate to the Bishop who always meets candidates personally. Once the Bishop approves, an interview is scheduled with the Seminary Admissions Advisory Committee. If the committee's vote is positive, the Bishop makes the decision, and discusses with the Director of the Office of Vocations a possible seminary placement. Once accepted by the diocese, the applicant then must complete the application process for the individual seminary he has been assigned to attend.
Individual circumstances may adjust or vary the sequence of events outlined above. Applications may be submitted at any time of year. The general necessary time frame to compile and complete all required application material is between 2-3 months. Applicants normally receive word of acceptance or non-acceptance within two months of submitting a completed application, but generally no later than the first week of July.
