The Dialog

Dialog reporter

Students take advantage of opportunity to interact with those who have discerned their vocation

DOVER — Sixth-graders who have just gotten off a bus after a drive of an up to an hour sometimes need a few minutes to regain their energy. But even that little bit of time wasn’t necessary at the Diocese of Wilmington’s annual Vocations Awareness Day, held Nov. 8 at Holy Cross Parish in Dover.

Nearly 600 students from Catholic schools throughout the diocese got a dose of Father Richard Jasper, who delivered an energetic keynote address, before dispersing in smaller groups for other activities. Father Jasper, the newest priest of the diocese, told the crowd that they were called to do something special for God. Read more »

A special collection to benefit the Diocesan Priests’ Retirement Fund will be held in parishes in the Diocese of Wilmington the weekend of May 21 and 22. The annual collection began in 2015 to supplement the fund due to growing priest pension needs.

“Currently, about 30 percent of our diocesan priests are retired; with many more either approaching retirement age, or working well past the age of retirement,” said Bishop Malooly. “It is our obligation to assure that these men, who have dedicated their lives to care for the spiritual needs of the people of our diocese, are taken care of in their golden years. I ask our people to be generous, and to pray for our aged priests, and pray for increased vocations to the priesthood.”

Since its inception, the special collection has added over $160,000 to the Diocesan Priests’ Retirement fund.

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Meet four retired priests of the Diocese of Wilmington: 

http://www.cdow.org/help-the-retired-priests-of-the-diocese-of-wilmington-on-may-21st/

Special to The Dialog

Ordained and ready to help: Permanent deacons have been serving in parish ministries for 37 years

Much has changed since Hal Jopp was among the first 20 men ordained in 1980 as permanent deacons for the Diocese of Wilmington.

“I’m not sure that people were sure what to do with us,” Jopp said of his ordination class. “I don’t think we considered ourselves presiders.” Rather, that first class knew they would assist at the altar and preach. Beyond that, no one seemed to know what they would do.” Read more »

Dialog reporter

Father James J. Greenfield, provincial of the Wilmington-Philadelphia Province of the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales since 2008, has been elected the fourth president of DeSales University in Center Valley, Pa., effective next Jan. 1, the university announced March 16.

Father Greenfield, 55, a member of the university’s board of trustees for nearly 15 years, will be the first alumnus of DeSales to become its president. He graduated from what was then called Allentown College of St. Francis de Sales in 1984 with a degree in politics. He succeeds Oblate Father Bernard F. O’Connor, who has served since 1999. Read more »

Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — In its ministry to young people, and especially in vocations promotion work, church workers must step out of the sacristy and take seriously the questions and concerns of the young, Pope Francis said.

Young people are searching for meaning, and the best response is to go out to where they are, stop and listen to them and then call them to follow Jesus, the pope said Oct. 21. Read more »

Bishop Malooly and Father Norman P. Carroll, director of the Office of Priestly and Religious Vocations and pastor of St. Elizabeth Church, met with the five current seminarians for the Diocese of Wilmington at St. E’s rectory July 21 for dinner. Read more »

ASTON, Pa. — Several women religious who served in the Diocese of Wilmington were among 17 jubilarians who marked 50, 70, 75 and 80 years of religious life on June 12 with the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia. During a liturgy at Our Lady of Angels Convent, the sisters – with 1,065 years of combined service – renewed their vows of poverty, celibacy and obedience. Read more »

Bishop Malooly was the main celebrant of a 5 p.m. Mass to honor religious jubilarians on April 12 at the Church of the Holy Child in Wilmington.

The following religious are celebrating jubilees this year in the Diocese of Wilmington.

Read more »

Dialog reporter

BEAR – A group of approximately 25 girls from three Catholic high schools met March 1 at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Bear to hear about vocations from six women comprised of two religious sisters, three married women and one single woman.

After Mass with Father Roger DiBuo, pastor of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, the girls heard from Franciscan Sister Ann David Strohminger, the diocesan delegate for religious. She shared her vocation story and encouraged the girls to visit religious communities or volunteer with them if they had an interest in religious life. She told them there should be no rush. Read more »

OSSINING, N.Y. — Two Wilmington natives are celebrating significant anniversaries with the Maryknoll Sisters in 2016. Read more »