On Saturday, 2 August, the United States Province of Priests and Brothers celebrated the First Vows of the five novices from its novitiate in the mountains of Cascade, Colorado. Per the long-standing tradition, the Mass of First Profession was held at the neighboring Sacred Heart Parish in Colorado Springs, which the Province administers.

Fr. Peter Jarret, C.S.C., Vicar Provincial of the United States Province of Priests and Brothers, presided at the Mass and received the Vows of Mr. Nicholas Rocha, C.S.C., Mr. Nathaniel Bald, C.S.C., Br. Clay Jaskowski, C.S.C., Mr. Joshua Shutter, C.S.C., and Mr. James Welch, C.S.C.

Fr. Jeff Cooper, C.S.C., Novice Master, preached the homily, and the two Assistant Novice Masters, Fr. Joe Pedersen, C.S.C., and Br. Pablo Quan, C.S.C., assisted in various moments of the liturgy.

Watch the First Vows Mass

In addition to family members and friends of the novices, a number of people from the parish and the ministries where the novices served joined in the Mass and the reception that followed.

The four newly professed seminarians and the newly professed brother are already back at Moreau Seminary and Scholasticate at the University of Notre Dame in Notre Dame, Indiana, where they are participating in the orientation program for the new formation year.

The Holy Cross Novitiate in Cascade is also filled with life again, as six postulants—four from the U.S. Province and two from the Mother Province in France—arrived on Tuesday, 12 August, to begin their novitiate year. The staff will formally receive them into the novitiate on Friday, 15 August.