NOTRE DAME, Ind. – With joy and thanksgiving, the Congregation of Holy Cross celebrated the Final Profession of Vows of two men at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 27, 2016, at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart at the University of Notre Dame.
Rev. Thomas J. O’Hara, C.S.C., provincial superior of the Congregation of Holy Cross, U.S. Province of Priests and Brothers, presided at the Mass and received the vows of Mr. Michael Patrick Palmer, C.S.C., and Mr. Ryan Joseph Pietrocarlo, C.S.C.
Mr. Michael Palmer and Mr. Ryan Pietrocarlo professed the vows of chastity, poverty and obedience according to the Constitutions of the Congregation of Holy Cross. For the past several years, they have been in a period of temporary vows, which they renewed annually. On Aug. 27, they committed their lives and work to the communal life and ministry of Holy Cross.
They wereordained to the Order of Deacon at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 28, 2016, in the Moreau Seminary Chapel by the Most Rev. Arthur J. Colgan, Bishop of the Diocese of Chosica, Lima, Peru.
Michael Palmer is the fourth of seven sons of Warren and Victoria Palmer of Berkley, Mich. He graduated with a B.A. in philosophy from the University of Notre Dame in 2011, where he also earned a M.Div. in 2016. Michael entered the Congregation of Holy Cross in 2007 as an Old Collegian. He made his First Profession of Vows on July 28, 2012.
During his formation, Michael served at St. Adalbert Parish, South Bend, Ind. (2010-2011); as hospital chaplain and volunteer at Catholic Charities, Colorado Springs, Colo. (2011-2012); as a Novice in Residence at St. Ignatius Martyr Parish, Austin, Texas (2012); as volunteer at the LOGAN Center, South Bend, Ind. (2012-2013); as an RCIA team member at Christ the King Catholic Church, South Bend, Ind. (2013-2014); and as assistant hall director and Campus Ministry team member at University of Portland during his Pastoral Year (2014-2015). In 2015, he entered chaplain training at the U.S. Army Chaplain School in Fort Jackson, S.C., followed by preparing couples for marriage at Christ the King Catholic Church in South Bend, Ind. from 2015 to 2016.
Michael will serve his diaconate year at Christ the King Catholic Church, South Bend, Ind., and following in a long Holy Cross tradition, he is currently training to become a military chaplain while serving as a First Lieutenant in the Army Reserves.
Ryan Pietrocarlo is the eldest of two children of Joe and Karen Pietrocarlo of East Rochester, N.Y.
He graduated with a B.S. in biochemistry from the University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Ind., in 2011, and earned his M.Div. from the University in 2016. He entered Holy Cross in August 2007 as an Old Collegian. He made his First Profession of Vows on July 28, 2012.
During his formation, Ryan served in at Andre House, Phoenix, Ariz. (2007-2012); Holy Redeemer Catholic Church, Portland, Ore. (2012-2014); and La Luz Parish, Monterrey, Mexico (July 2014-June 2015).
Ryan will serve as a deacon at St. Adalbert/St. Casimir Parishes in South Bend, Ind.
Visit the U.S. Provincephoto and video galleryto see past Final Vows and Ordinations.
More about Holy Cross
The Congregation of Holy Cross was founded in 1837 by Rev. Basil Moreau, C.S.C. and has served the Catholic Church for more than 175 years. Today there are approximately 1,200 Holy Cross religious working to educate both the hearts and minds of believers of Jesus Christ in 16 countries and on five continents.
The United States Province of Priests and Brothers is a community made up of approximately 500 priests, brothers, and seminarians and is headquartered in Notre Dame, Ind. The United States Province fulfills Blessed Moreau’s vision in its education, parish and mission settings around the world.
Education
The priests and brothers are educators in the faith at the Province’s four colleges and universities: the University of Notre Dame (Notre Dame, Ind., 1842), University of Portland (Portland, Ore., 1901), King’s College (Wilkes-Barre, Pa, 1946.), and Stonehill College (Easton, Mass., 1948).
Parish
There are 13 parishes in the United States, from Vermont to Texas to Oregon to Florida, as well as 10 abroad.
Mission
The Province’s ministries/apostolates includes Andre House (Phoenix), which serves the homeless and working poor, and Saint Andre Bessette Catholic Church (Portland, Ore.), a parish which also provides a soup kitchen and other services to the marginalized. Ave Maria Press in Notre Dame, Ind., is one of the oldest Catholic publishing houses. Holy Cross Family Ministries in North Easton, Mass., encompassing Family Theater Productions, Family Rosary and Father Peyton Family Institute, promotes the power of the Rosary and the spiritual well-being of the family. Holy Cross Retreat House, also in North Easton, is a retreat facility run by Holy Cross religious and lay staff.
The Province’s international mission work reaches into Districts of Chile, East Africa (Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania), and Peru, as well as the region of Mexico. Globally, the U.S. Province’s Holy Cross Mission Center supports the international mission work of the worldwide efforts of the Congregation of Holy Cross, spanning 16 countries on five continents. But it also directly supports those international locations for which the U.S. Province has direct jurisdiction, and those countries with which the U.S. Province has a special relationship.
To learn more about Holy Cross, visit www.holycrossusa.org.
To learn more about discerning a call to religious life in Holy Cross, please visit www.holycrossvocations.org.
