On Saturday (June 7) I traveled to New York where I presided over three presbyteral and two diaconal ordinations of Capuchin friars. All of the ordinations were done in the same Mass.

A number of Boston people went down because these friars have worked in parishes in our archdiocese. Father Paul Soper and Father Matt Williams came, as well as a number of parishioners from St. Katharine Drexel Parish in Roxbury, Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta Parish in Dorchester, Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Jamaica Plain and St. Mary Parish in Dedham.

One of the seminarians who was ordained a deacon, Brother Marvin Bearis, is from Guam. People from Guam are called “Chamorros,” and as part of their custom, his parents brought a wreath that they put on my neck afterwards.

The next day, we had about 70 confirmations of Brazilians at St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Somerville which is a parish run by the Scalabrinian fathers. As you may recall, two weeks ago I had another Brazilian confirmation at St. Tarcisius Parish in Framingham, which is also a Scalabrinian parish. The celebration at St. Anthony’s was very beautiful and animated. The pastor, Father Moacir Balen and Sister Elisete are doing a wonderful job at that parish.

Candidacy Mass

On Monday, we had the Mass of candidacy for seminarian Eric Bennett. Eric will be going to the North American College in Rome to study theology in the fall. Before seminarians leave to study abroad, they usually receive candidacy.

We had a celebration at the Cathedral’s chapel with his family and some of his fellow seminarians as well as faculty from St. John’s Seminary in Brighton.

Good friends being honored

This past Tuesday the City of Somerville honored Marshall and Barbara Sloane and their family at the dedication of the new Sloane Family Field House at Trum Field. Because of my travels I was unable to attend, but I wanted to tell you a little about it and share some of the photos with you.

The event was attended by many people who the Sloanes hold important in their lives, including Dr. John Silber, President Emeritus of Boston University, and was a tribute to Marshall and Barbara’s commitment to the local community.

In his remarks, Marshall shared that as a young boy growing up in Somerville he often played ball at Trum field, and how pleased he is that the current generation and those following will have the opportunity to continue that tradition with the help of the new field house.

Our communities are blessed by the Sloanes’ generosity and goodness, I am privileged to know them as good friends.

Also in this week’s blog:

> Dinner for senior priests organized by the Order of Malta

> Speaking at a theological symposium on the Eucharist in Quebec