The gospels tell us that Jesus did a lot of sending, especially of his apostles and notably after he left them at his Ascension. The sending has continued to our own day and this special spring section on vocations has a focus on those new priests who will be ordained for service of the archdiocese at the cathedral on May 25, 2024.

Those 11 new priests will be much needed in our parishes.

Another thing that Jesus must have done, but about which we don't have lots of information, is that he formed or shaped the apostles and disciples. He invited them to follow him; he taught them by word and example to pray; and he initiated the sacramental life of the Church, which they and their successors would carry on after his resurrection.

Our bishop, Cardinal O'Malley, has been busy as he usually is. However, he has been especially busy with ordinations. In addition to the 11 new priests for Boston, he has already ordained a Capuchin priest in Spain; he ordained six new deacons for the archdiocese a couple weeks ago; he ordained our new Auxiliary Bishop Cristiano Borro Barbosa on Feb. 3 and Portland's new Bishop James Ruggieri on May 7; and is scheduled to ordain Burlington, Vermont's 11th bishop, Bishop-elect John J. McDermott on July 15, 2024. He is also scheduled to ordain permanent deacons for the archdiocese on Sept. 21, 2024, at our cathedral.

The May 10 issue of The Pilot covered the ordination of the new deacons; the Feb. 2 and Feb. 9 issues provided extensive coverage of the ordination of Bishop Cristiano Borro Barbosa. In last week's issue, we ran an article about Bishop James Ruggieri's ordination in Portland. In this issue, we introduce you to the new priests of 2024. There is also a snapshot with facts from the history of the Church in the United States, specifically a few bits and pieces about bishops.

Just as Jesus seemed to do a lot of the formation of his selected apostles and disciples behind the scenes, the same thing is true for the newly ordained, bishops, priests, and deacons of 2024.

For the priests and deacons, the greater part of their formation takes place in seminaries or in diaconate formation programs. However, even before they arrive for formation, they have already been shaped and formed by family, friends, and one hopes, by the word and example of other priests and deacons in parishes, schools, and campus ministries.

The seminary picks up and builds on this foundation during the years when formation is entrusted to seminaries by the bishops of those they will call to serve in their dioceses.

Even though the candidates may find themselves in assignments outside of the seminaries or classrooms -- in parishes, health care facilities, youth programs, etc. -- during their seminary years, most of it is unseen by the rest of us. But we trust that this unseen formation is being done just as Jesus was for his disciples and apostles.

The "formation" of bishops is almost the exact opposite. Most of their formation is quite public. Before a priest is ordained a bishop, he likely has a good number of years (at least 10, according to canon law) of priestly ministry under his belt. He's certainly been in a parish, either as a parochial vicar or a pastor. He may have advanced degrees in ecclesiastical or secular studies, or both. He may have served as a missionary. He may also have served in priestly assignments on a seminary faculty, in a chancery office, in campus ministry, or in service to the Church beyond his own diocese, either nationally or internationally.

Also, in this issue you will note the jubilarians of 2024. These priests are celebrating either their silver -- 25th anniversary -- or golden -- 50th anniversary of ordination. You may know some of them. One or another may have served in one of your parishes, or in some other assignment where you or a family member has "met the mercy of Christ" through him.

None of those mentioned in this special section would want me to neglect to ask you for your prayers for them, prayers especially in thanksgiving to God that they have answered his call and are ready to serve or have served for numbers of years whether bishop, priest, or deacon. Nor would they want me to forget to remind all our readers that they cannot carry out their sacred ministry without the cooperation and collaboration of all the members of the Church who are God's holy people because of Holy Baptism and the grace of the Holy Spirit in Confirmation.

Ad multos annos animasque!