A New Home: Little Flower Parish

I mentioned earlier this spring that I had been looking for a parish to reside in during my graduate studies in Washington D.C.  During my visit to campus in April I visited several parishes and spoke to several priest friends about parishes with a history of housing student-priests.

Since that time I've been pleased to accept an invitation from Monsignor Peter Vaghi to reside at Little Flower Parish in Bethesda, Maryland.  I met Monsignor Vaghi last fall when he attended a football weekend at Notre Dame. He was hosted by Ave Maria Press, the Congregation's publishing house, for which he has written two books and is contracted to write two more. 

He was also accompanied by Mr. Don Longano, a parishioner of Little Flower Parish, an ND alum, uncle to Old Collegian John Whittaker, and as of Saturday, a permanent deacon of the Archdiocese of Washington D.C. With wonderful "family" connections like this, I figured I couldn't go wrong at Little Flower Parish.

I was also thrilled to know that I would be the fifth priest living in the rectory and that there is a convent full of I.H.M sisters who work in Little Flower School! It will be a great to have priests and religious to share community and ministry with while I am in studies.

This past week I packed a rental car with all my things and drove from Notre Dame to Bethesda. With help from John Whittaker, who was visiting Bethesda for his uncle's ordination to the diaconate, I settled all my boxes into my new room on Wednesday. John and I also spent an afternoon touring CUA's campus and visiting with his family.

I simply could not have been more warmly welcomed by Monsignor Vaghi and the other priests of Little Flower Parish and I am very grateful to them. Though I left for New York after only forty-eight hours, my arrival in Bethesda has made me all the more excited for my final move in August.