Night of the Living

Cardinal Sean celebrating Mass on the Night of the Living

On all Hallows Eve over 200 gathered at St. Leonard's Church in the north end for the Night of the Living. This night. although given a special title for Halloween, is part of a monthly ongoing event sponsored by the Vocation Office, the Office for the New Evangelization of Youth and Young Adults, and the Campus Ministry Office. This past gathering featured Mass with Cardinal Sean, a holy hour with the opportunity to go to Confession, Street Evangelization and a Social at the Nazzaro Community Center. As the Cardinal said, "it was the place to be on Halloween." Thanks in a special way have to go to Denise Fortin and Lauren Hardegen for pulling the night together. Check out a few more pictures...

Young Adults came in great numbers

Night of the Living was a Night for Christ

The Music Group

Young Adults gathering at the Nazarro Center

Cardinal Sean with Carlos and Natalie (Happy Engagement to them!)

More festivity with the Young Adults

See you next month!!! (Nov. 13th)

Boston Seminarians gather with Cardinal

Seminarians gathering at the Pastoral Center

Except for our two men in Rome and 1 in Mexico, all of the Boston Seminarians gathered with Cardinal Sean O'Malley for a Holy Hour, Dinner and talk last Friday night. The event was sponsored by the Archdiocesan Vocation Office. Fr. Daniel Hennesey, Fr. Mike Harrington and Fr. Jonathon Gaspar were also in attendance. We gathered at the Pastoral Center in Braintree. Cardinal Sean gave a talk on Seminary life and discernment and shared his thoughts about his recent trip to Ars, France for the International Priest Retreat as well as the recent Celibacy Conference that took place at St. John's Seminary in Brighton. The Vocation Office will sponsor five other similar gatherings this year between the Cardinal and the Seminarians. Four of those will take place at the Cardinal's residence at the Cathedral rectory where seminarians, twelve at a time, will have the opportunity to share in a more intimate setting of dinner and discussion with the Cardinal.

Seminarians fighting for dinner

Seminarians with Cardinal Sean eating in the Pastoral Center dining area

Another shot!

Father Dan...the host

Cardinal Sean sharing his thoughts

Greeting some seminarians at the end

Cardinal and Gerald Souza (First Theology)

Vocation Office at Catechetical Congress '09

Sr. Bridget and Sr. Maria Elizabeth (Daughters of St. Paul) at the Catechetical Congress

Last Saturday, the Archdiocese of Boston held its Catechetical Congress in at The Lantana in Randolph. About 500 gathered for this annual event. The Vocation Office had an exhibit table and Fr. Mike gave a workshop on Vocations and the Parish.

Katie Dardis (Respect Life Education) and Lauren Hardegen (Young Adult Coordinator) at the Congress.

Yhope prayer for Marie as she leaves for Religious Life in Spain

Maria Thekaekara, Kateri Thekaekara, Marie Lucci. Matt Lucci, Agnes

On October 16, the yHope community gathered for prayer and we prayed in a special way for Marie Lucci as she prepared to leave the US for Religious Life in Spain. Many were gathered for prayer but only a few were there for the pictures at the end. We are keeping Marie in prayer as she follows the call of the Lord.

Maria, Kateri, Marie, Matt, Agnes, Fr. Mike (in back)

Marie and Matt (Twins)

St. Andrew Dinner

Brother Rene, Vice Principal of Central Catholic High School

The Vocation Office last week had its Fall St. Andrew Dinner at Central Catholic High School in Lawrence. The event was well attended with over 65 High School Boys along with some of their Priests, Teachers and Youth Ministers. The St. Andrew Dinner continues to be a great opportunity for high school boys to get a glimpse of God's call to the Priesthood. Every High School Catholic boy should have the privilege. Cardinal Sean highlighted the event and three seminarians Carlos Suarez, Jeffrey Roche and Felipe Gonzalez offered witness presentations. The next St. Andrew Dinner will take place on Wednesday, January 27, 2010 at St. Sebastian High School in Needham.
Take a look at a few of our pictures from the event...

Cardinal Sean and Some of the Young Men who attended



Cardinal Sean and some young men from the Korean Catholic Community

Cardinal Sean and our three seminarian witnesses: Jeffrey Roche, Felipe Gonzalez and Carlos Suarez

Fr. Mike Harrington was m.c. for the event

Transitional Diaconate Ordination at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross

5 new men ordained for service in the Archdiocese of Boston. The Cathedral of the Holy Cross Cross was buzzing with joy on the morning of January 31 as these men Israel Rodriquez, Huy Nguyen, Sean Maher, David Gunter and Frank Camp made their ordination promises before Cardinal Sean.



Shawn Carey pictured above is their classmate. Shawn was ordained a few months earlier in California. He is a deaf seminarian and has been preparing at St. Patrick Seminary in Menlo Park, California which has a program for the deaf. Shawn was able to come home and Diaconate for the Ordination Mass. He will be ordained a priest with his classmates in May.

Getting their walking orders from Cardinal Sean

Laying down their lives at the service of Christ and His Church

Sean Maher

David Gunter

Frank Camp

Huy Nguyen

Israel Rodriquez

The New Deacons were supported at the Mass by their soon to be brother priests.

looking forward to next year's Pilgrimage for Life!!!

Pilgrims from Boston

The Pilgrimage for Life was hosted this year by the Vocation Office and the Office for the New Evangelization of Youth and Young Adults. We left with 3 busloads of high school students from Boston on Wrednesday Jan. 21 to travel to Washington D.C. arriving at our hotel around 10 p.m. On thursday morning we had Mass with Cardinal Sean at a local parish and then headed to the March. It was great to see so many young people marching for the dignity of human life. After the March we had pizza at a local parish followed by a holy hour. After a good night's rest, we had a tour of D.C. monuments and the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception before heading home.

Father Dan Hennessey and Kathy Reda at the March for Life

So many young people at the March!!!

Linda Russo who works for the Archdiocese. Taking Washington in the palm of her hand.

Students from Presentation Academy in Methuen taking some time to sight see

Fr. Ed Riley, pastor of St. Joseph's in Holbrook and Fr. Mike of the Vocation Office

Spending some time in our Largest Catholic church in the United States

The Pilgrimage of Life was a great time for all involved. It was meaningful to have young people stand up for this cause.