Home Our Diocese No ordinations, but diocese to hold Mass for vocations

No ordinations, but diocese to hold Mass for vocations

1904
Pass the Word
Bishop Malooly joins priests and seminarians in hosting young men at "Pass the Word" at St. Mary's Seminary in Baltimore on Feb. 27, 2018. This year's program will focus on priestly life in parishes instead.

The Diocese of Wilmington has no priestly ordinations this year, but the Vocations Office will be holding a Mass for Vocations to promote and pray for more men to consider whether they are being called. The Mass is scheduled for May 26 at 11 a.m. at the Cathedral of St. Peter in Wilmington.
“It’s the same time the ordination would be,” said Father Norman Carroll, the director of the Office of Vocations.

Bishop Malooly joins priests and seminarians in hosting young men at “Pass the Word” at St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore on Feb. 27, 2018.

“We’re going to have a blessing of young people who are considering a vocation,” Father Carroll said.
The Mass, he added, was Bishop Malooly’s idea. Priests and religious will be available at St. Peter’s to answer any questions and to provide contact information to anyone who expresses interest.
Father Carroll said the vocations office has been reaching out to the men who have attended the Come and Seek gatherings, which have been held up and down the diocese. At Come and Seek, men are able to meet informally with a priest. He also has contacted local schools to let them know of the Mass. The diocesan Vocations Guild, which supports men studying for the priesthood, will be holding an event afterward.
In addition, the diocesan seminarians will be done their studies for the year and will be in attendance.
Despite the lack of an ordination this year and the general downward trend in the number of men studying for the priesthood, the future is promising, Father Carroll said.
“While we don’t have an ordination, we look pretty good for the future. We have six guys right now” and possibly four more who could join their ranks, he said.