In this week's post, Cardinal Seán blogs on:

 Ordaining transitional deacons
 St. Andrew's dinner at St. Sebastian's school
 Visiting the Saint James Society in Peru

 More

Multimedia Opening Mass of the National Prayer Vigil for Life Photogallery Mass with Boston pilgrims before 2010 March for Life Photogallery 2010 March for Life Photogallery

Three ordained as transitional deacons
BOSTON -- The three men who will be ordained to the priesthood in May took their last major step toward the altar this week.

Guy Sciacca, Daniel Moloney, and Gregory Vozzo were ordained to the diaconate for the Archdiocese of Boston by Cardinal Seán P. O’Malley on Saturday, Jan. 30 at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross.

‘The Light Is On For You’
BRAINTREE -- Recognizing the need for God’s grace and forgiveness in the lives of Catholics, the Archdiocese of Boston is launching The Light Is On For You, an initiative to make the Sacrament of Reconciliation more available this Lent.

Cardinal Seán O’Malley has announced that every Wednesday of Lent, from Feb. 24 to the Wednesday of Holy Week, March 31, every parish within the Archdiocese of Boston will be open from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. for penitents to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Central Region Bishop Robert Hennessey, who is spearheading the initiative, hopes that shrines and chapels run by religious orders will join in the effort.

Test phase of new financial relationship with parishes to begin
BRAINTREE -- A sufficient number of volunteer parishes have stepped forward to begin the test phase of a new model of the financial relationship between parishes and the archdiocese.

In late 2009, Cardinal Seán O’Malley called for 30 volunteer parishes to be part of the first phase of the new financial model’s rollout. This week, the Archdiocese of Boston announced it has 34 parishes who have volunteered to implement the plan during the next fiscal year, which runs from July 1, 2010 to June 30, 2011.

Lawrence, Methuen parochial schools merge to form new academy
Cristo Rey students get education in and out of classroom
Boston priest visits Haitians, urges strength in face of uncertainty
Obituary: Father William Anderson, second pastor at St. Camillus in Arlington
Obituary: Father Joseph Manning, former Air Force chaplain and Brockton pastor

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Cardinal Seán