Aquinas Academy Alumni Religious Vocations

Seminarians

Please pray for all who are discerning their Religious Vocation, especially the following seminarians who are Aquinas Academy high school alumni:

Ben, HS ’15, is in his second year of the college program. Ben worked as a pilot for Red Wing Aviation as a first officer and was an operator of small jet aircraft prior to entering Saint Paul Seminary. Hear his vocation story.

John, HS ’13, joined the Norbertine community at St. Michael’s Abbey in Orange, CA at the end of August 2020. He became a novice in December 2020 and makes 1st vows in around 2 years, God willing.

Priests

Please pray for all of our priests, especially Aquinas Academy Middle School Alumni, Fr. Daniel Waruszewski and his brother, Fr. Stephen Mary Waruszewski, HS '09:

Rev. Daniel R. Waruszewski
Diocese of Pittsburgh

Fr. Daniel Waruszewski, MS ’01, was Ordained to the Priesthood on June 24, 2017. During his first year as a priest, Fr. Dan served as parochial vicar of Immaculate Conception Parish in Washington and part-time chaplain to Washington & Jefferson College. On October 15, 2018, Fr. Dan began his new assignment as parochial vicar of the parishes within the Butler/Center/Lyndora/Meridian grouping, namely: St. Andrew Parish, St. Fidelis of Sigmaringen Parish, St. Michael the Archangel Parish, St. Paul Parish, and St. Peter Parish. Fr. Dan is enthusiastic about working within the new parish group to revive its ministry to youth and young adults. Read about Fr. Dan’s journey to the priesthood: “Father Waruszewski ready to begin life of ministry” (www.PittsburghCatholic.org, July 08, 2017).

Rev. Stephen Mary Waruszewski
Franciscan Friars, T.O.R.

Fr. Stephen Mary (né Thomas) Waruszewski, T.O.R., HS ’09, was Ordained to the Priesthood on July 11, 2020. Visit franciscanfriarsloretto.org for a video of his Ordination Mass and photos of his first Mass. Fr. Stephen Mary is assigned as a campus minister at Saint Francis University, serving the sacramental and spiritual needs of the students at the university. He works with 2 other priests in the campus ministry department and his main role outside of sacraments is coordinating and running programs which help to deepen faith and prayer. Fr. Stephen Mary also makes and sells Paracord BROsaries on Etsy.

Suggested Prayers

Prayer for Vocations

Please pray for an increase in vocations to the Religious life:

Lord Jesus, as you once called the first disciples to make them fishers of men, let your sweet invitation continue to resound: Come, follow Me!

Give young men and women the grace of responding quickly to Your voice, Support our bishops, priests and consecrated people in their apostolic labor.

Grant perseverance to our seminarians and to all those who are carrying out the ideal of a life totally consecrated to Your service.

Awaken in our community a missionary eagerness. Lord, send workers to your harvest and do not allow humanity to be lost for the lack of pastors, missionaries and people dedicated to the cause of the Gospel.

Mary, Mother of the Church, model of every vocation, help us to say Yes to the Lord who calls us to cooperate in the divine plan of salvation.

— Pope Saint John Paul II

A Prayer for Priests

Please pray for our priests:

Keep them, I pray Thee, dearest Lord,
   Keep them, for they are Thine —
Thy priests whose lives burn out before
   Thy consecrated shrine.
Keep them, for they are in the world,
   Though from the world apart;
When earthly pleasures tempt, allure, —
   Shelter them in Thy heart.
Keep them, and comfort them in hours
   Of loneliness and pain,
When all their life of sacrifice
   For souls seems but in vain.
Keep them, and O remember, Lord,
   They have no one but Thee,
Yet they have only human hearts,
   With human frailty.
Keep them as spotless as the Host,
   That daily they caress;
Their every thought and word and deed,
   Deign, dearest Lord, to bless.

Imprimatur: ✝D. Card Dougherty, Arch. of Philadelphia

Our Father Hail Mary Mary, Queen of the Clergy, pray for them.

Pieta Prayer Booklet. Miraculous Lady of Roses (MLOR), 2003, p. 67. Used with permission from Miraculous Lady of Roses (MLOR), telephone: (269)731-4490.

Read about other Aquinas Academy Alumni in the Spotlight