Mary, Mother of Jesus,
     Throw your mantle of purity
over our priests. 
     Protect them, guide them,
and keep them in your heart. 

Be a Mother to them, 
     Especially in times of discouragement and loneliness. 
     Love them and keep them belonging completely to Jesus. 
     Like Jesus, they, too,
are your sons,
so keep their hearts pure
and virginal. 

 Keep their minds filled with Jesus,
and put Jesus always on their lips, 
     So that He is the one they offer to sinners and to all they meet. 

Mary, Mother of Jesus,
be their Mother, Loving them and bringing them joy. 
     Take special care of sick
and dying priests, and
the ones most tempted. 
     Remember how they spent their
youth and old age,  
Their entire lives serving
and giving all to Jesus. 

Mary, bless them
and keep a special place
for them in your heart. 
     Give them a piece of your heart,
so beautiful and pure and immaculate, 
     So full of love and humility,
so that they, too, 
     Can grow in the likeness of Christ. 

Dear Mary, make them humble like you, and holy like Jesus.
Amen.

by St. Teresa of Calcutta
 

On December 9, 2018, the deacon candidates for the diocese of Great Falls-Billings were installed as Acolytes by Bishop Michael Warfel at St. Patrick’s Co-Cathedral in Billings. This is the final formal step before being ordained as Permanent Deacons for the diocese. The six candidates and their wives have undergone an intensive program of prayer, study, and discernment in preparation to take on the role of diakonia—a Greek word meaning “service” from which we get the word “deacon.”  

     Rev. Garrett Nelson       

      Director of Vocations               
      Diocese Great Falls-Blgs.
      gnelson@diocesegfb.org
      Office: 406.727.6683 ext. 117
      Cell Ph: 406.852.3301


     


RESOURCES

John Pankratz, Jr., Seminarian

John Pankratz, Jr. is from St. Pius X parish in Billings. 
He is continuing his studies at the Pontifical North American College in Rome.  With God's grace, John will be ordained a priest in 2021.





 

Jacob Wilkins, Aspirant 

Jacob is an aspirant and will enroll in St. Gregory the Great Seminary this Fall.  He is a member of Corpus Christi Parish in Great Falls.

                                                                                                                 
 
Joseph Greer, Aspirant 

Joseph Greer is from Sacred Heart Parish in Miles City.  He is beginning a preparatory year of study and prayer before entrance into formal seminary training.  Joseph will be taking classes at Miles Community College while undergoing a rigorous schedule of prayer and study of the Catechism.  If God wills it, he will be ordained in 2027.



 

St. John Vianney,
Pray for our Seminarians!