Please remember our Seminarians and all those discerning religious vocations in your prayers:

Deacon Josh Cochrac
Scott Swinerton
Sean Neville
Jeremy Gaugler
and
Michelle Blevins, Postulant, SND
Mike Mucic, Aspirant to the Diaconate

Our Holy Father, Pope Francis
Bishop Nelson Perez

Rev. Wally Hyclak
Rev. Ryan Cubera
Deacon Richard A. Mueller
Sr. Jane Reisinger, SND

Bishop Roger W. Gries OSB
Rev. Paul Shelton SJ
Rev. Timothy J. O’Connor
Rev. Stephen P. Moran
Rev. Joseph J. Fortuna
Rev. Robert J. Kropac
Rev. Timothy W. Gareau
Rev. David D. Liberatore
Rev. James J. Marsick
Rev. James Kelly OFM
Rev. Michael J. Lanning
Rev. Andrew B. Turner
Right Rev. Abbot
Christopher Schwartz OSB

On May 16, I, along with my eight classmates, graduated from Borromeo Seminary.  The weeks leading up to the commencement ceremony were full of due dates, spilled coffee, and laughter amongst the hallways.  Towards the end of my time at Borromeo, I was led to reflect on what the Lord had given me during my time there.  He has given me brothers, He has taught me how to seek Himself who is the Truth, He has given me memories that I will forever cherish, and He has given me hope and peace for all that will come to pass in my life. 

Through prayerful discernment, discussion with my superiors and with trusted friends and mentors, I have decided to discontinue in the seminary formation program.  I feel great peace in moving in this direction where I believe the Lord is calling me.  With that said, I am truly grateful to all of you, the parishioners of St. Mary of the Falls.  Thank you for the many ways that you have supported me through the past few years: by your kind words of affirmation and encouragement, your friendship, and most importantly, your prayers.  I am so blessed to be part of such a vibrant parish as together we all strive to seek, know, and to love the living Christ. 

In my time of discernment and in this coming transition, I have found the words of St. Teresa of Avila to be most comforting:

Let nothing disturb you,
Let nothing frighten you,
All things are passing away:
God never changes.
Patience obtains all things.
Whoever has God lacks nothing;
God alone suffices.

Again, thank you all for your support.  I am looking forward to remaining active in the parish, and I look forward to spending time journeying with you.  Please, continue to keep me and my classmates in your prayers as we head into this next stage of life’s discernment. 

In Jesus,
Eddie Miller

Josh Cochrac will be entering his fourth year at St. Mary’s seminary and in the spring of 2019 will be ordained a transitional deacon. Josh will have two more years of academics before he is ordained in May of 2020. Josh spent last academic year on internship at St. Ambrose parish in Brunswick, where he assisted in various ministries, taught at the day school, assisted with RCIA and PSR, as well as helped develop a new young adult ministry. Josh was also made a candidate for Holy Orders last year. This upcoming year Josh will be studying Canon Law, Holy Orders, Marriage, and Scripture. During the summer Josh is living at St. Ambrose, assisting with the FEST.
 

Scott Swinerton will be entering his second year at St. Mary’s seminary. During the last academic year he was instituted as an Acolyte, which means that he can purify vessels after communion, distribute communion throughout the diocese, as well as expose the Blessed Sacrament. This is just one of many steps that a seminarian takes on his way toward priesthood. Scott was also made a candidate for Holy Orders. This upcoming academic year he will be taking classes on Baptism and Confirmation, the Trinity, Scripture, and Christology. During the summer Scott is working in the parish office, assisting in the day-to-day life of the parish as well as helping with many different ministries. 
 
 

I have been a member of St. Mary of the Falls my entire life and it is truly a home to me.  I went through grade school at St. Mary and it helped me to form a good faith foundation.  St. Mary of the Falls prepared me well for St. Ignatius High School and now Borromeo Seminary.  At a very young age, I developed a deeper relationship with and understanding of God through my Catholic education, but I didn’t begin thinking about Priesthood until my freshman year.  I became very involved in our parish’s Life Teen program and began to take my faith more seriously.  I’m blessed to have many other seminarians at St. Mary because it was through them that the idea of seminary came to my prayer.  These men served as great role models for me and made me think, “maybe I’m called to this as well.”  With much prayer throughout high school I decided that the next step in my discernment process is to enter the seminary.  After two years of formation at Borromeo Seminary, I was accepted into the Basselin Scholars program through Theological College at The Catholic University of America.  I am in my first of three years studying philosophy through the Basselin program.  Although I miss my diocesan brothers a lot, I trust that this is where God wants me to serve him.

Fr. Wally is happy to announce that Jeremy Gaugler has been accepted into Borromeo Seminary starting in the fall.  Jeremy lives in Olmsted Township, with his three sisters, Megan, Mackenzie, and Caitlyn and his parents Kim and Chris.  He graduated St. Mary of the Falls Grade School and then from St. Ignatius High School in May of this year.  Jeremy has been very involved in Life Teen throughout his years in high school.  He has also been an altar server and lector at the 6PM Mass.  He is very excited to begin his time in the seminary and is looking forward to the friendships he will make and growing in faith and love of the Lord.  Please pray for Jeremy as he begins his formation in the seminary.

About 9 years ago, I started volunteering for the RCIA program at my parish.  Though I attended Catholic schools from kindergarten through 12^th grade, I quickly realized that there was so much about my faith I still didn’t know or understand.  Thus began my deep desire to know everything. In addition to reading a lot of books and participating in Catholic study programs, I also started attending young adult retreats hosted by the Sisters of Notre Dame.  Within each of those Sisters I couldn’t help but notice a sense of joy, trust, peace, and hope in our good God.  In 2012, I started to wonder if God could be calling me to religious life, but I continually pushed the thought aside.  In 2016, after four years of saying “No!” I realized that this desire wasn’t going away.  I started formally discerning with the Sisters of Notre Dame in August of 2016.  For half of 2017, I experienced what it is like to live in two different Notre Dame Convents.  Living with these 13 amazing women confirmed my desire to move forward.  I  officially became a Postulant in December of 2017.  In January of 2018, I will be moving to Covington Kentucky to work with our national Postulant director.  There I will attend theology classes at Xavier University, meet regularly with other young women who are in formation with other religious communities, spend some time in active ministry, and concentrate greatly on building a life of deep prayer and union with God.  Please pray for me, that I may be open to whatever God asks of me.  Know that I will keep my St Mary of the Falls family in my prayers.  God Bless!

In September 2018, I will enter the Aspirancy year for the Diaconate Formation Program of the Diocese of Cleveland.  After serving 4 years in the Navy, 25 years in air traffic control and raising 2 children, I retired.  This was partially due to a feeling that God was calling me.  In the first year of retirement I spent a lot of time in prayer listening for and to His voice.  That year led my wife, Carolyn, and me to St. Mary of the Falls Church.  The next two years found us participating in TMIY, Knights of Columbus, KAIROS Prison Ministry, EDGE, Homebound Communion, and Choir.  The call still continued and was drawing me towards a vocation to the diaconate.  I was hesitant about such a seemingly large decision.  I felt great joy and relief when I talked to Fr. Wally and opened up my heart to the possibility of ordained life.  Please pray for my wife, Carolyn, and me as we begin this new chapter of our lives together.