Four Saint Mary seminarians admitted to candidacy for priesthood

After petitioning Bishop Edward Malesic, four men who are in their first year of theological study and priestly formation at Saint Mary Seminary and Graduate School of Theology, were admitted as candidates for holy orders.

“This is like being engaged to the Church,” Bishop Malesic told the men during a liturgy on Sept. 11 in Mary, Mother of the Good Shepherd Chapel at the Center for Pastoral Leadership in Wickliffe. He told the men that during this “engagement period” they will continue to discern and study for their potential vocation as priests in the Diocese of Cleveland or the Diocese of Youngstown.

The newly admitted candidates from the Diocese of Clevland are:

• Andrew Miguel Bendahan, son of Raul and the late Therese Bendahan, St. Luke Parish, Lakewood
• William Ignatius Myers, son of Tim and Pam Myers, St. Peter Parish, North Ridgeville
• Stephen Francis Vavro, son of Lawrence and Mary Vavro, St. Francis de Sales Parish, Parma

The candidate from the Diocese of Youngstown is Steven Joseph Vasko, son of Joseph and Doralene Vasko, St. Catherine of Siena Parish, Boardman.

Auxiliary Bishop Michael Woost, Father Andy Turner, president/rector of Borromeo and Saint Mary seminaries, and seminary faculty members were among the concelebrants for the Mass.

During the liturgy, they publicly announced their desire to bind themselves to the service of God and his holy people and to complete their human, spiritual, intellectual and pastoral preparation.

Men who are preparing for potential ordination to the diaconate and then the priesthood complete four steps of formation: propaedeutic, discipleship, configuration and vocational synthesis. The newly accepted candidates are in the configuration phase of their formation.

The bishop said prayers will continue for the candidates “as they are formed into the men God is calling them to be.”

Click here for more information on discerning a priestly vocation.