Our Holy Father Pope Francis has called on the Church community to foster and nurture vocations to the priesthood, diaconate, and religious life. He noted that vocations grow within the Church, and stated, “Candidates gratefully contemplate the mediation of the community as an essential element for their future. They learn to know and to love their brothers and sisters who pursue paths different from their own, and these bonds strengthen in everyone the communion which they share.”
At Saint Brigid, we strive as a community to assist seminarians as they discern a vocation to the priesthood and as they continue their training and formation. This summer we are blessed to have two seminarians with us who are studying for the Archdiocese of Atlanta. We recently introduced seminarian Mark Piendel to our faith community. Mark has been assigned to Saint Brigid to gain experience in parish ministry.
Today we introduce seminarian Anthony Carosone who is in residence at Saint Brigid. Anthony is a seminarian at Saint Vincent de Paul Seminary in Florida. He has been assigned to participate in the Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) program at Emory Johns Creek Hospital. The program provides a valuable opportunity for students to grow in their knowledge and understanding of how to effectively minister to those who are ill, injured, or suffering in some way. It also allows an opportunity to assess the needs of the patients, as well as the needs of families and loved ones. Anthony is also participating in liturgies and ministries at Saint Brigid as time permits. He will be with us until late July, and then return to his seminary studies in August.
As we assist Anthony, we are encouraged to reflect on the following “Prayer for Seminarians” provided by St. John Seminary, in Boston:
O Lord Jesus Christ, great High Priest,
lead our seminarians in Your unerring footsteps
so that they may become priests who are models of purity,
possessors of wisdom and heroes of sacrifice.
Teach them generosity and detachment from world goods;
but above all, teach them to know You and to love You,
the One and Only Eternal High Priest.
Amen.
As we reflect on this prayer, we are encouraged to pray for Anthony and all seminarians as they continue on their journey of faith.
Learn more at Anthony Carosone | Atlanta Vocations (calledbychrist.com)