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Contents Sou ☆ % 00 ® Diocese of Savannah ☆ ☆ hern (>oss Mocese of Savannah News 1-3 Commentary. 4-5 Vocations 6-7 Faith Alive! 8-9 Notices 10-11 Last But Not Least 12 Vol. 80, No. 2 $.50 PER ISSUE Thursday, January 13, 2000 Sixteen candidates study for diocesan priesthood By Father Brett A. Brannen Macon ixteen men are currently in for mation programs in preparation for priestly ministry in the Diocese of Savannah, the most in many years if not ever. Here are their stories, begin ning with the most senior candidate. Class of 2000 The Rev. Mr. Timothy Donahue (Fourth Theology): Deacon Tim is from Hinesville and graduated from Georgia Southern University with a Master’s Degree in History. He is 37 years old. He worked as the Manager of Wendy’s in Statesboro for several years before entering the seminary. Deacon Tim is now in his final year of studies at Saint Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore, Maryland. He was ordained a transitional deacon last spring and is scheduled to be ordained a priest on June 10 at Saint James Church in Savannah. Class of 2001 Richard Hart (Third Theology): A prayer on the eve of the new year Left: Thomas S. Barton, editorial page editor of the SAVANNAH MORNING News, speaks at Celebrate 2000 Interfaith Prayer Service at the Savannah Civic Center on December 31,1999. Right: Savannah Mayor Floyd Adams and Bishop J. Kevin Boland converse at the occasion. Deacon Timothy Donahue is scheduled to be ordained a priest this year. Rich is originally from California and is 55 years old. He worked as an engineer for Shell Oil Company for 12 years out in California. In 1978 he moved to Augusta and joined the Alleluia Community. In 1979 he con verted to the Catholic faith at the Church of the Most Holy Trinity. He taught school and served as the Dean of Boys at the Alleluia Community School. Rich also ran a special pro gram called the Alleluia Brotherhood from 1980 until 1997, when he began his seminary studies. This program was a tremendous influence on many young men who are in the seminary now. After bringing a group of men to a vocation retreat in 1996, Rich realized that he himself was being called to be a priest. At the age of 52, he had thought he was too old. He is now in his third year of theology at Pope John XXIII Seminary in Weston, Massachusetts, and is sched uled to be ordained a transitional dea con on May 20 at Saint Joseph Church, Macon. Adam Kasela (Third Theology): Adam is originally from Makow Podhalanski, Poland and is 28 years old. After high school he joined the seminary of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, and two years later, transferred to the Oblates of Saint Joseph. He undertook studies in phi losophy at the major seminary of Slask Opole in Nysa, as an Oblate, from 1992-1994. He came to the United States in 1995 where he began to study English at Saint Cyril and Methodius Seminary in Orchard Lake, Michigan. Soon after, he joined the Diocese of Savannah. Adam has five priests in his family, two uncles and three cousins. Two of his priest- uncles are missionaries in Zaire and Canada. He also has a great-aunt who is a nun. Adam is currently in his third year of theology at Saint Charles Seminary in Philadelphia. He is scheduled to be ordained a transi tional deacon on May 20 in Macon. Jacek Szuster (Third Theology): Jacek is originally from Niemodlin, Poland and is 28 years old. He com pleted studies in philosophy and one (Continued on page 6)