The Diocese of Providence celebrated a Holy Hour for Vocations on Friday, June 4, at St. Joseph Parish in Newport. The event took place on the evening before the diocese welcomed its two newest priests: Father Daniel Mahoney (of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Wakefield) and Father Doan V. Nguyen (of St. Philip Parish in Greenville).
Auxiliary Bishop Robert C. Evans presided over the Mass and the homily was delivered by Father Brian Morris, Director of Vocations. In his homily, Father Morris emphasized the symbolic importance that the first Mass the new priests would celebrate would be on the Feast of Corpus Christi.
“You both already know how to say the words ‘This is my Body,’ and ‘This is my Blood,’” Father Morris said. “But tomorrow, on the Feast Day of the Eucharist itself, you’ll say those words and, for the first time, those words will have a very real effect. They are, as Saints Peter and Paul and every other martyred priest reminds us, words worth dying for.”
Roughly 100 members of the St. Joseph community (together with friends and family of the new priests) were in attendance for the Holy Hour, as were several seminarians from Our Lady of Providence Seminary. The diocese has asked all of the faithful to remember these future priests in their prayers, and to pray for guidance for all men discerning a vocation.
For more information about the Diocese of Providence Office of Vocations or to learn about upcoming events, please visit catholicpriest.com.
