the gray robes: spring 2014
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soc i e t yof our l ady of t he mostholyt r i n i t y S PR I NG 2014
The
Gray Robes
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2 The Gray Robes Spring 2014
THE G I F T OF JOY
As I sit to compose this letter one word resounds in my head: JOY. God has
blessed us in our House of Formation with that sustained spirit. Since our last
communication during Advent, the brothers and I have had many moments of
rejoicing together. The rst and often greatest is the liturgy together. Gathering
in our beautiful intimate chapel is a consistent source of strength and happi-ness for us. The sounds of mens voices in a unison of praise carries with it an
uplifting and fortifying power; God Himself becomes present among us.
We had a chance as a group to spend two days together at a lake house just
before Christmas day. The rst snowfall hit the area turning it into a sight of
beauty, and giving us the chance to test our tobogganing skills. Those two days
together of fellowship and prayer, rest and relaxation, chats and laughter were
a real renewal in communion. The Christmas Season brought joys of its own in
the celebration of the mystery of Christs birth, a visit to a parishioners house
to join their Christmas Eve traditions, and a time to zip home during the Octave
to be with our loved ones.Returning to Detroit renewed, we turned our gaze towards another happy
event on the horizon: the priestly ordination of four of our brothers! We were
all able to make a fun trip down to Corpus Christi, Texas to be present at their
ordinations and rst Masses. The grace of the sacrament itself, combined with
time to enjoy longstanding Christ-centered friendships, brought us back to De-
troit strengthened and encouraged.
With two diaconate ordinations and two more priestly ordinations on the hori-
zon in April and May respectively, we nd that suddenly things are happening.
Although seemingly long, ordination and the shift from formation to apostolate
come with the suddenness of surprise, anticipation and excitement.The secret of the joy of these men, I believe, is their generous spirit: they live
for God, love one another in word and deed, give themselves in service to Gods
people and nd happiness in that. In a word, they are becoming men for others.
This is their inner font of joya joy too for me to witness and live at their side.
BACK L TO R: DCN. JEREMY, BR. KYLE, DCN. MICHAEL, FR. MARK, DCN. BEAU, DCN.
TRISTAN, BR. RYAN, FRONT L TO R: BR. JULIO, BR. NICK, BR. NICHOLAS, BR. JOHN, BR.
RICHARD, BR. TIMOTHY, BR. DANNY
GR AY ROBESF ORMAT I ON PROGRA M
Supporting SOLT Brothers ofthe American Region
FR. MARK WENDLING, RECTOR
I N FORMAT ION FOR BROTH-E RHOOD AND P R I E S T HOOD
New Priests in MissionFr. Al, The PhilippinesFr. Juan, MexicoFr. Michael Mary, MontanaFr. Patrick, Michigan
Theology IV
Dcn. Beau, Idaho
Dcn. Michael, TexasDcn. Tristan, Cayman Islands
Theology IIIDcn. Jeremy, Kansas
Philosophy IIBr. Richard, EnglandBr. Timothy, Canada
College IIBr. Julio, Belize
College IBr. Nicholas, Texas
Language StudiesBr. Frisquet, Haiti
I N FOR MAT ION FORBROT HE RHOOD
Year IVBr. Peter Mire, Ireland
Year IIIBr. John, CaliforniaBr. Kyle, Minnesota
Year IIBr. Ryan, Texas
Year IBr. Danny, MississippiBr. Nick, Missouri
CONTACT SOLT
SOLT House of Formation1721 Junction St.
Detroit, MI 48209313.842.3450
Rector/Vocations DirectorFr. Mark Wendling, SOLT361.767.9567
SOLT Development OfceSr. Mary Mediatrix of All Grace, SOLTPO Box 4116Corpus Christi, TX 78469361.289.9095 Ext. [email protected]
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Spring 2014 The Gray Robes 3
Brother Danny:The advice Dcn. Beau gave me was a
game-changer. He pointed out that we could take it to
the next level by bringing Christ to the people instead
of just bringing them food. A whole new dimension of
the program was added. Instead of just fullling the
corporal works of mercy, it has become a sharing in
their situations, even in their sufferings, and nding
fulllment by bringing them joy.
The food program also feeds me. Ive been enriched by
becoming a brother to the poor and not just an ad-
ministrator to the poor. God sends me not to go out
there and get it done. Jesus is saying, Brother Danny,
bring meto them. I get to do it in Spanish too. For the
rst time in my life, I am nally able to help people by
speaking Spanish. That is a huge blessing!
Our friendship is another huge blessing at the foodpantry. Serving together with a shared goal on a little
food team brings me great joy. I have become bona
de friends with the staff and volunteers. We all look
forward to bringing a smile to people.BR. NICK(LEFT) AND BR. DANNY PREPARE SACKS OF FOOD.
Brother Nick:Before we start in the morning I think of the Beatitudes, in particular, Blessed are those who hungerand thirst. After our neighbors leave, I feel blessed by having been with them, and I know how much they ap-
preciate having something to eat.
It lls my spirit to help people in Detroit. It is nourishing to me, just to have the chance to feed people. I think about
Christ dining with sinners. Hes not looking at what a person does for a living or how dirty someones clothes
arehe sees a brother or a sister. This is where Im fed the most: through Jesus I discover new brothers and sisters.
I nd them in the people I work with and the people who come to the food pantry. Sometimes people share their
struggles and sufferings with me, giving me things that I can pray for and letting me build relationships that bring
me closer to Christ.
THE BROTHERS GREET V ISITORS AT THE FOOD PANTRY. BR. NICKPREPARES EMPTY FOOD BOXES FOR RECYCLING.
BROTHER S TO THE POOR EXPER I ENCE S F RO M TH E
H O LY R EDE EMER FO O D PANTRY
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4 The Gray Robes Spring 2014
TOP: BP. MULVEY CONSECR ATES FR. MICHAEL MARYS HANDS
WITH CHRISM OIL .
MIDDLE: THE MEN TO BE ORDAINED RISE FOR THE GOSPEL
PROCESSION AT THEIR MASS OF ORDINATION.
BOTTOM: BP. MULVEY TEACHES AND EXHORTS THE MEN IN
PREPARATION FOR THEIR PRIESTLY MINISTRY.
FOUR MEN BECOME
WOR K ER S
FOR THE
V IN EYAR D
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Spring 2014 The Gray Robes 5
Father Al Abainza, Father Juan Villagomez, Father Patrick Prajzner, and Father
Michael Mary Wight are ordained to the Sacred Priesthood on Friday,
January 24, 2014 in Corpus Christi Cathedral by Bishop Mulvey.
Watching these men, my brothers, be ordained to the priesthood was
like watching a close friend get married. The thought of not receiving
their guidance and fraternal care each day, as I did in Detroit for two
years, unsettled me a bit. But witnessing them fulll the deepest longing
in their hearts brings me great joy. On January 24thmy older brothers
denitively became my spiritual fathers. They were given to you and thewhole world for its salvation. Christ has made them his priests. Rejoice
with me! ~ Deacon Jeremy
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: WITH HIS SIS-
TERS IN THE BACKGROUND, SR. AURORA
AND DOLORES VILLAGOMEZ, DCN. JUAN
JOYFULLY AWAITS HIS ORDINATION TO
THE PRIESTHOOD.
FR. MICHAEL MARYMINISTERS THE BODY
OF CHRIST TO HIS MOTHER.
FR. ALELEVATES THE BLOOD OF CHRIST
AT HIS MASS OF THANKSGIVING IN ST.
JOSEPHS CHURCH.
NEWLY ORDAINED FR. MICHAEL MARY
(CENTER), WITH DCN. TRISTANAND DCN.
MICHAEL, PREPARES TO RECEIVE GIFTS OF
BREAD AND WINE TO BE CONSECRATED
AT HIS MASS OF THANKSGIV ING.
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6 The Gray Robes Spring 2014
Brother Timothyconcluded his Philosophy studies at
Sacred Heart Major Seminary by writing a capstone the-
sis that examines community life from the vantage points
of modern philosophy, theology and the Gospel.
In the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity, we
emphasize the importance of our relationships with one an-
other. Community life is a signicant part of our formation
as religious brothers.
In modern philosophy, true community has sometimes been
seen as an impossible ideal. It is thought that community
will always be a constant battle of wills. The philosopher,
Jean Paul Sartre, said that living with other people in com-
munity is nothing short of hell.
As Christians we hold a different view. All of us began in
community, born into a family with people we did not
choose, and we might not have chosen if given the chance.
Likewise with community in religious life, we do not choose
the people with whom we will live. God chose them for us.
Our tasks are to discover why God chose these people for
us and to grow in love as we come to discover them as gifts.
Anyone who has tried living in community knows these
tasks can be very difcult. Entering community, we bring
with us our gifts and strengths, but also our weaknesses
and wounds. Often we are not aware of our own weak-
nesses and wounds until communal living reveals them to
us. We want to hide our shortcomings, afraid to let people
see our true selves. The temptation is to ee community
and to live in isolation where we wont have to face our
weaknesses. But when we persevere in community life, we
gradually break through our defense mechanisms and our
fears. When we learn to become vulnerable and see that
we are loved and accepted even in our weakness and bro-
kenness, then authentic relationships can take place and
community becomes a place of liberation, growth, and joy.
~ Brother Timothy
Learn how to encounter others with the right attitude, which is to accept and
esteem them as companions along the way, without interior resistance. Better
yet, it means learning to nd Jesus in the faces of others, in their voices, in their
pleas. And learning to suffer in the embrace of the crucied Jesus whenever we
are unjustly attacked or meet with ingratitude, never tiring of our decision to
live in fraternity. ~ Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium
FAC ING OUR W EAK NESSES , F IND ING OUR JOY
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ABOVE: DCN. JEREMY IS ORDAINED
BY BISHOP MONFORTON FROM
THE DIOCESE OF STEUBENVILLE,
OHIO.
THE ENTIRE CHURCH PRAYS FOR
THE ORDINATION CANDIDATES AS
THEY LIE PROSTRATE.
ON BEHALF OF THE NEW DEACONS,
DCN. BEAU SAYS, THANK YOU.
LEFT: BR. JULIOPRAYS WITH DCN.
JER EMYS FATHER.
DCN. JEREMY SHARES THE JOY OF
ORDINATION WITH GERALDINA
AND HIS MOTHER.
SOLT MEMBERSPRIESTS, SISTERS,
BROTHERS AND LAITYGATHER
TO PRAY AND CELEBR ATE THE
ORDINATIONS.
Brother Beauand Brother Jeremywere
ordained to the Diaconate alongside
seminarians from the Archdiocese of Detroit.
DIACONATE OR D INAT IONSS AC R ED H E A RT M A J OR S EM I N ARY A PR I L 1 2 , 20 14
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SOCIETY OF OUR LADY OF THE MOST HOLY TRINITY
Gray Robes Formation Program
PO Box 4116 Corpus Christi, TX 78469
Non-Pro
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PAIDRobstown,
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The
Gray Robessoc i e t yof our l ady of t h e mos tholyt r i n i t y S P R I NG 2014