Supporting Seminarians
As the strong right arm of the church, the Knights of Columbus are committed to providing moral, financial and spiritual support to our future priests and religious at all stages of their formation. Our Council 5618 Knights are keeping the faith alive by supporting our seminarians and postulants. Currently, the Council supports 3 Seminarians financially, morally and spiritually.
Our Council's Financially Supported Seminarians and Their 2022 Updates
We asked the 3 Seminarians we support financially for updates on themselves. Their stories have been provided below.
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E. Matthew Rios
First off, I would like to thank Emilio Regala from your Council 5618 for his correspondence. It means so much to know everyone continues to pray for and support my vocation. This summer has been an absolute blessing for me. I spent most of the time working with an apostolate known as Jesus Youth. They are based in India, originating within the Syro-Malabar rite, and have groups all over the globe. There is a group of them right here in Delray. The people here really love the Lord and their community. I experienced a taste of that communal love during my first couple of weeks; it is like being part of a family. For me, the experience thus far has been healing, especially as I take time to address my own wounds and weaknesses. The environment is safe and healthy, which is something I needed. For this upcoming year, I will be away from studies proper. In fact, I will be doing my pastoral work with the Jesus Youth in Delray. Specifically, I am working with a house of formation known as the School of Nazareth, which is designed to help form college-age, young adults into better Christians and more holistic persons. I will be caring for them and facilitating formation. In a sense, I am becoming a "big brother" to the young adults. The work itself isn't glamourous. In fact, it is profoundly ordinary — the same kinds of duties one would undertake when caring for a home. That is the point; we are trying to build and live in Nazareth, the home of the Holy Family. This is a wonderful time for me to grow in a healthy sense of family and belonging, which is something helpful for one who is learning to be a father to so many in the Church. I ask that you continue to pray for me, as I enter more deeply into this next phase of formation. There are many unknowns. Still, I know who is taking care of me, so there is little to worry about. Pray also for the young adults here in formation. There are twenty of them: Thomas, Freddy, Saul, Henry, Isaac, Joel, Christo, Josh, Alvin, Kevin, Luke, John-Paul, Surya, Melissa, Abigail, Maria, Angel, Ammu, Rachel, and Anne; as well as the staff caring for them: Tony, Monica, Simi, Sunil, Sihndu, Geoff, Divya, Shon, Jaime, Anita, Michelle, Nitya, Georgee, and Fr. Thomas Pulikal. We hope this year will be a blessed and meaningful year for everyone involved; this is a sort of new beginning for the program too. It is always a pleasure to hear from you and to share my experience. I will continue to keep your Council in my prayers. Peace, Love, Joy, E. Matthew Rios Please pray for Matthew and help support his education by making donation a today. |
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Joshua Theisen
I spent the past summer at Blessed Trinity parish in Ocala. I had the opportunity to work weekly in the parish's soup kitchen, at their ministry named Brother's Keeper, assisting with interviews for people seeking some financial assistance with their utility bills, as well as serving at masses. The community was outstanding and very supportive as I encountered my first summer assignment as a seminarian. Additionally, I had the fantastic chance to serve as a seminarian at the Orlando Steubenville conference. I encountered Jesus in such a strong way, and was able to serve mass for Bishop Joseph Espaillat from the Archdiocese of New York. He is currently the youngest bishop in the United States at 45 and has been ordained a bishop for less than a year. His love for Jesus, the youth, and everyone involved in the conference, as well as apostolic zeal, ignited my heart and helped give me greater confidence in the joy-filled life that can come from the priesthood. As far as this upcoming year goes, I am thrilled to be back in class and continuing on my journey towards the priesthood. While this year is set to be much more rigorous than the first year, I am confident that I can succeed with the grace of the Lord. I am most looking forward to digging into the Second Vatican Council this semester, as well as strengthening my relationship with God. I had a phenomenal first year in formation at the seminary, and, though this year will be challenging, I am ready to meet this challenge head on with God's grace. All of Council 5618 are in my prayers. Yours in Christ, Joshua Theisen Please pray for Joshua and help support his education by making a donation today. |
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Nicholas Couture
Introducing our newest Seminarian! Greetings in Christ! My name is Nicholas Couture and I am a second-year college seminarian for the Diocese of Bridgeport and I am currently studying at Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia. I am from Shelton, Connecticut and my home parish is St. Joseph Church in Shelton. I have very fond memories serving at my home parish and when I was a young boy, I remember people asking me if I wanted to be a priest. I thought they were crazy. Even as a young boy I wanted to get married and have children, yet I can remember pretending to serve mass in my room so even then the Lord was working. By the time I entered high school I had abandoned my faith and it led me to become really unhappy with my life. It wasn’t until my junior year that I began to become interested in the Eucharist, after remembering my sophomore year New Testament teacher going over Eucharistic miracles. Soon after, I attended a retreat at Saint Rose of Lima and my life was changed! I had an incredible experience with the Blessed Sacrament that changed my life. By middle of senior year, I decided to enter seminary formation. Though I have only been in seminary for a little over a year, it has been filled with both blessings and challenges that have had an immense impact on my life, in such a short time. As I have mentioned, I am in my second year of college seminary. The courses I am currently taking are Latin, logic, biology, communications, humanities, and contemporary moral issues. The college seminary at Saint Charles is obviously not a normal college experience, and this is visible in our daily schedule or our Horarium. We start the day with Morning Prayer, fifteen minutes of meditation and then Mass. In the afternoon we finish off our day of work with Evening prayer. In between these times there are other obligatory events depending on the day, for example we do a rosary every Tuesday before Evening Prayer. The communal prayers that we say at these obligatory times has become one of my favorite parts of seminary. It has been such a blessing because we pray antiphonally, or back and forth. So, while one side recites a stanza of the psalms the other side of the chapel is silent. This mode of prayer mimics the call and response that we have in our day-to-day spiritual lives. God calls out to us and we respond to Him in different ways at different times of the day. The fraternity at Saint Charles has been an integral part of my formation last year and I expect it to be the same this year. I recall how as a young boy; I always wanted a brother; well now God has provided me with so many! I say that it’s been an integral part mainly because we push each other to be better, not better than one another, but a better form of ourselves every day. My time in seminary formation has been short, but in this short time I can see how much God has acted in my life and I am so excited for the future! God Bless, Nicholas Couture Please pray for Nicholas and help support his education by making donation a today. |
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Success! Our Seminarians Become Priests!!
Father Zachary Gray - Ordination to the Priesthood May 28, 2022
Congratulations Father Zackary Gray! Bishop John Noonan proudly blessed and welcomed Father Zackary Gray to the Diocese of Orlando as a newly ordained priest. Let us pray and celebrate Fr. Gray as he serves God's people in our parishes! Amen!
Congratulations Father Zackary Gray! Bishop John Noonan proudly blessed and welcomed Father Zackary Gray to the Diocese of Orlando as a newly ordained priest. Let us pray and celebrate Fr. Gray as he serves God's people in our parishes! Amen!
Father Robert Marquez - Ordination to the Priesthood May 29, 2021
On May 29, 2021, Robert Marquez was ordained a priest and was assigned a Parochial Vicar at St. James Cathedral in Orlando Florida. Praise be to God!
On May 29, 2021, Robert Marquez was ordained a priest and was assigned a Parochial Vicar at St. James Cathedral in Orlando Florida. Praise be to God!
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Donate with a Text Message:
Text 1-888-444-8774 using the keyword ‘vocations’.
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Donate by Check:
Send your check to: Knights of Columbus Bishop Thomas J. Grady Council 5618 P.O. Box 150517 Altamonte Springs, FL 32715-0517 Please add "Vocations" in the memo field of your check. |
St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary
St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary
Boynton Beach, FL 33436
Since its founding in 1963 St. Vincent has granted degrees to nearly 500 priests who have gone on to serve parishes throughout Florida, Georgia, Puerto Rico, and elsewhere. The only bilingual multicultural theologate in the southeastern U.S., St. Vincent is also a free standing, graduate professional school of theology committed to providing continuing education for clergy, religious and laypersons of all denominations. The seminary is owned by the seven dioceses of the Roman Catholic Church in Florida.
Boynton Beach, FL 33436
Since its founding in 1963 St. Vincent has granted degrees to nearly 500 priests who have gone on to serve parishes throughout Florida, Georgia, Puerto Rico, and elsewhere. The only bilingual multicultural theologate in the southeastern U.S., St. Vincent is also a free standing, graduate professional school of theology committed to providing continuing education for clergy, religious and laypersons of all denominations. The seminary is owned by the seven dioceses of the Roman Catholic Church in Florida.
St. Charles Borromeo Seminary
Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary
Wynnewood, PA 19096
Founded in 1832 by Reverend Francis Patrick Kenrick, third Bishop of Philadelphia, Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary is the oldest Catholic institution of higher learning in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary’s mission is to form priests to be shepherds after the heart of Jesus Christ, and permanent deacons, religious and lay men and women for various forms of ministry, service, and discipleship.
Wynnewood, PA 19096
Founded in 1832 by Reverend Francis Patrick Kenrick, third Bishop of Philadelphia, Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary is the oldest Catholic institution of higher learning in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary’s mission is to form priests to be shepherds after the heart of Jesus Christ, and permanent deacons, religious and lay men and women for various forms of ministry, service, and discipleship.
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Two Seminarians Sharing the Same Bond Nicholas Couture, the grandson of Gary Couture, a brother Knight of our Council, is attending seminary at St. Charles Borromeo seminary in Philadelphia, PA. Our beloved Monsignor Ed Thompson, as well as his brother, Bishop David, graduated from this seminary in 1950. |
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Monsignor Ed Thompson
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A VOCATION Message from our Faith Director, Les Philip
My Brother Knights,
As Knights of Columbus, we pray for our priests and religious, to help them to extend their ministry to the entire world where so many people wait for the light and truth of God's word and the warmth of his love.
Our Church is in great need of new seminarians, to step up and become priests and to continue your work in the years to come. Please bless and guide those whom you have called to serve you in this special way. Guide those seminarians with the wisdom to discern their vocations and with the courage to make a lifetime commitment to do your will. As Knights of Columbus, help us to be instruments for them, to grant them financial and spiritual resources they need to complete their studies and training so that they might work on behalf of your people. We ask you to bless all those currently in training for religious life, the seminarians that we support, help them to use their years of study to realize their vocations and to grow in holiness. Guide them to know how they can best express the message and love of Christ in their work. And for us Knights to pray for them.
Amen.
Vivat Jesus!
Les Philip,
Faith Director
As Knights of Columbus, we pray for our priests and religious, to help them to extend their ministry to the entire world where so many people wait for the light and truth of God's word and the warmth of his love.
Our Church is in great need of new seminarians, to step up and become priests and to continue your work in the years to come. Please bless and guide those whom you have called to serve you in this special way. Guide those seminarians with the wisdom to discern their vocations and with the courage to make a lifetime commitment to do your will. As Knights of Columbus, help us to be instruments for them, to grant them financial and spiritual resources they need to complete their studies and training so that they might work on behalf of your people. We ask you to bless all those currently in training for religious life, the seminarians that we support, help them to use their years of study to realize their vocations and to grow in holiness. Guide them to know how they can best express the message and love of Christ in their work. And for us Knights to pray for them.
Amen.
Vivat Jesus!
Les Philip,
Faith Director
Vocation Prayer
Please pray for vocations.
God our Father,
we thank you for
calling men and women to serve in your
Son’s Kingdom as priests, deacons, and
consecrated persons.
Send your Holy Spirit to help others to respond
generously and courageously to your call.
May our community of faith support vocations of
sacrificial love in our youth and young adults.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives
and reigns with you in the unity of
the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.
Amen.
God our Father,
we thank you for
calling men and women to serve in your
Son’s Kingdom as priests, deacons, and
consecrated persons.
Send your Holy Spirit to help others to respond
generously and courageously to your call.
May our community of faith support vocations of
sacrificial love in our youth and young adults.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives
and reigns with you in the unity of
the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.
Amen.