This weekend we welcome Fr. Javier Julio to St. Mary's Parish as he begins his first assignment as a priest. Fr. Julio was ordained at St. Paul's Cathedral on June 23, 2018 by Bishop McManus. After celebrating a Mass of Thanksgiving at St. John's in Clinton (his "home parish" in the Diocese) and St. Gabriel, the Archangel in Upton (his Deacon assignment for the past six months), Fr. Javier returned to his native Colombia to celebrate a Mass of Thanksgiving with family and parishioners at his home parish. While in Colombia Fr. Javier had to travel to the U.S. Embassy in Bogota to finalize his immigration status and change his student visa to a Religious Worker (R-1) visa.
Fr. Javier was one of three newly ordained priests for the Diocese of Worcester. As he begins his priestly ministry at St. Mary's let us welcome him warmly and pray that God will bless him with continued joy and enthusiasm. A newly ordained priest's first assignment is a very significant and memorable experience, and we are blessed at St. Mary's to be able to share in the first years of his priesthood.