Monday, September 24, 2012

God Is Blessing Us!

God Is Blessing Us!

Last year the house of formation in Orange, N.J., was full--with candidates for Salesian life, including those at the prenovitiate stage, young professed SDBs in their immediate postnovitiate stage, and a couple of men studying theology at Immaculate Conception Seminary (on the campus of Seton Hall University) with the aim of priestly ordination.

We also have four men in practical training, the stage between postnovitiate formation and theological studies (for men seeking the priesthood), or between postnovitiate formation and perpetual vows (for men who will remain brothers). These four have been in New Rochelle (Salesian HS), Ramsey (Don Bosco Prep), and Haverstraw (DB Retreat Center and the Marian Shrine).

And then there are the novices. Our province sends them to Rosemead, Calif., where they make their novitiate together with men from the San Francisco Province.

This year God continues to bless us.  The five prenovices have moved to Holy Rosary Parish in Port Chester, N.Y., making for a little breathing room in Orange.  But that community is still a very large one with candidates, young professed, and students of theology, plus their staff of formators.

Following the jubilee Mass at Haverstraw on Sept. 23, all the men in formation except the novices--and Deacon James Zettel, who's in Jerusalem--posed for the picture posted here.

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