WESTON, Mass. – On Feb. 22, prior to his leaving for the papal conclave at the Vatican, Cardinal Seán O’Malley, archbishop of Boston, was the principal celebrant for the Rite of Admission to Candidacy at Blessed John XXIII National Seminary in Weston. 

During the Mass, 14 seminarians, including Springfield Diocese seminarian Francis Lawlor (at right in photo above, with Cardinal O'Malley and Father Gary Dailey, vocaitons director for the Springfield Dicoese), took this important step as public candidates for the diaconate and the priesthood. The special Mass was held in the newly rededicated Alumni Chapel at the seminary.

“The Rite of Candidacy is an important step in the formative progression of our seminarians and we are pleased that Cardinal O’Malley was able to be the principal celebrant,” said Father William B. Palardy, rector of Blessed John XXIII Seminary. “The Rite of Candidacy allows each seminarian to take on more thoughtfully and prayerfully the likeness of Christ as he prepares for priestly ordination.”

At Blessed John XXIII, seminarians receive conferral of ministries during each year of their priestly formation: acolyte in first theology, reader in second and candidacy in third theology, in preparation for their ordination to the transitional diaconate and the priesthood, which typically takes place in their home dioceses or religious communities. 

“Having Cardinal O’Malley celebrate this special Mass was a great honor,” said Lawlor.

In addition to Lawlor, there were five men received into candidacy for the Archdiocese of Boston: Jeffrey Archer, Peter DeFazio, Kevin Hickey, Mark Storey and Laurence Tocci. The other eight recipients were Edward Clifford, Diocese of Portland, Maine; John Fewel, Diocese of St. Thomas, Va.; Kenneth Gill, Archdiocese of Washington, D.C.; Carlos Gomez, Archdiocese of Atlanta; Javier Heredia, Diocese of Charleston, S.C.; Lawrence Love, Diocese of Tyler, Texas; and Gregory Piatt and Joseph Tuskiewicz, both of the Archdiocese of Detroit.

Cardinal O’Malley joined the new candidates for a festive dinner at the seminary, along with their guests, fellow seminarians, faculty and staff.

(Editor’s note: An excerpt of the cardinal’s homily during the special Mass may be viewed at the seminary website at www.blessedjohnxxiii.edu.)