The ranks of the professed in the Congregation of Holy Cross swelled Saturday morning when six novices completed their Novitiate and professed First Vows at Sacred Heart Parish in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Five of the newly professed are members of the United States Province of Priests and Brothers: Matthew Hovde, C.S.C., Joshua Leeuw, C.S.C., Michael Palmer, C.S.C., Ryan Pietrocarlo, C.S.C., and Dennis Strach II, C.S.C. They were joined by Marc Valentin, C.S.C., who is a member of the Vicariate of France yet attended the Holy Cross Novitiate in Cascade, Colo.
Presiding at the Mass and receiving the men's vows was Fr. Thomas J. O'Hara, C.S.C., Provincial Superior of the United States Province. Having just been elected Provincial this June, Saturday marked the first time that Fr. O'Hara had received vows in his new office. At the end of Mass, he spoke of how moving an experience it was for him and how these young men are a sign of hope not just for Holy Cross, but our Church and our world.
Assisting Fr. O'Hara at the Mass was the staff of the Novitiate: Fr. Kevin Russeau, C.S.C., Novice Master; Fr. Donald Dilg, C.S.C., Assistant Novice Master; and Br. James Blaszak, C.S.C., Procurator. Several other Holy Cross religious and priests were also in attendance for this joyous and grace-filled occasion, including members of the Office of Vocations and Formation Teams. They were also joined by many family members of the newly professed, including Marc's family who came all the way from France.
While the Universal Church prepares to celebrate the Year of Faith, it could be said that the United States Province of Holy Cross inaugurated today its own “Year of Old College”. Four of the five newly professed began their formation in Holy Cross at Old College Undergraduate Seminary. Then at the end of August, two of the three Holy Cross seminarians who will profess Final Vows and be ordained deacons also began their formation at Old College. In fact, counting the newly professed, 10 out of the 17 temporarily professed seminarians in the United States Province came to Holy Cross through Old College — either directly from high school or transferring in as college students.
Join us in praying for the newly professed so that the good work the Lord has begun in them maybe be brought to completion.
Learn more about the religious vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, especially in terms of how we live them out in Holy Cross according to our Constitutions. Also explore seminary formation in Holy Cross, and hear from our seminarians what life in the seminary is like.
