Grant Recipient Milestones

Here you will find an archive of all the Milestones announcements for MEFV grant recipients. They are in reverse chronological order.

» On August 11, 2011 Sr. Mary Benedicta of the Cistercia Nuns of the Valley of Our Lady made her final profession of vows.

» On August 5, 2011 Br. Paul Mary of St. Joseph the Protector of the Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word made his first profession of vows. He is shown above just after this happy event with his mother.

» On July 28, 2011 fifteen postulants at the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia in Nashville, TN made their first profession of vows. Two of these sisters are MEFV grant recipients: Sr. Mara Rose and Sr. Agnes.

» On July 1, 2011 Sr. Rose Maria of the Passionist Nuns in Whitesville, KY made her first profession of vows.

» On February 27, 2011 Sr. Miriam Esther and Sr. Justina made their first profession of vows with the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles at their new monastery outside of Kansas City, MO.

» On July 27, 2010 both Catherine and Margaret received the habit of the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia (aka, the Nashvile Dominicans). Their names in religion are Sr. Mara Rose (left) and Sr. Agnes.

» On October 30, 2010 Br. Seraphim made his first profession of vows with the Franciscan Brothers of Peace in St. Paul, MN.

» On August 2, 2010 Michael received the habit of the Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word in Birmingham, AL. His name in religion is Br. Paul Mary of St. Joseph the Protector. An interview with Br. Paul Mary was featured in our fall newsletter which you can download here (pdf).

» On July 27th 2009, Sr. Kathleen was clothed with the Dominican habit and took the religious name Sr. Constance as she entered the novitiate of the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia in Nashville, TN. She received her St. Joseph grant in the Summer 2008 award period.

» On July 15 2010, Brad received the habit of the Carmelite Friars of the Province of St. Therese in Oklahoma City, OK. His name in religion is Br. Alberto de la Madre Dolorosa.

» In the summer of 2010 Juile received the habit of the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration at Our Lady of Angles Monastery together with three fellow conferees. Her name in religion is Sr. Maria Maris Stella of the Holy Spirit. She is pictured in the upper right of the photo. Clockwise from her are Sr. Chiara Marie of Jesus, True Light; Sr. Jeanette Marie of Divine Love; and Sr. Edith marie of Our Lady, Ark of the Covenant.

» On April 29th 2010, feast of St. Catherine of Siena, Meryana received the Dominican Habit and the religious name of Sister Mary Isabel of the Angels. Sr. Mary Isabel is at the Corpus Christi Monastery in Menlo Park, California.

Read Sr. Mary Isabel's vocation story.

» On February 4th 2010, Br. Charles DeLacey was clothed in the habit of Carmelites. He received the religious name of Br. John Pio of the Most Sacred Heart.

Read Br. John Pio's vocation story.

» On February 1st 2010, the following 16 grants were awarded.

Sadora entering the Dominican Sisters of St. Joseph in England
Debra entering the Little Sisters of the Poor in Latham, NY
Kayla entering the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity (SOLT)
Anne Marie entering the Community of St. John in Princeville, IL
Kara entering the Monastery of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel and St. Joseph in Brooklyn, NY
Marshall entering the Servi Jesu et Marie in Austria
Karen entering the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia in Nashville, TN
Br. Malachy Joseph, a novice with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal in Newark, NJ
Sr. M. Petra, a novice with the Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration in Mishawaka, IN
Jennifer entering the Sisters of Reparation to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus in Steubenville, OH
Stephanie entering the Servants of the Pierced Hearts of Jesus and Mary
Br. Kamil, a novice with the Canons Regular of St. John Cantius in Chicago, IL
Leonie entering the Servants of the Lord and the Virgin of Matara in Upper Marlboro, MD
Andrea entering the Carmelite Monastery of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Ada, MI
Sr. Han, a postulant with the Vietnamese Dominican Sisters in Houston, TX
Bradley entering the St. Therese Province of the Discalced Carmelite Friars in Oklahoma City, OK

» On December 8th 2009, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, the contemplative Dominican Nuns of Summit, NJ joyously recieved a new novice. Sr. Carri was clothed with the Dominican habit and took the religious name Sr. Mary Magadalene of the Immaculate Conception.

Read Sr. Mary Magadalene's vocation story.

The new grants awarded on August 1, 2009 prevented the delay of 8 vocations, including:

Margaret and Catherine, both entering the Congregation of Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia in Nashville, TN
Charles entering the Discalced Carmelite Friars in San Jose, CA
Michael entering the Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word in Irondale, AL
Paul entering Our Lady of the Annunciation of Clear Creek Monastery in Hulbert, OK
Michael entering the Western Dominican Province of the Most Holy Name of Jesus
Mery with the Corpus Christi Monastery of Dominican Nuns in Menlo Park, CA

» On June 26th 2009, Sr. Shannon donned the holy habit and the religious name Sr. Rose Marie of the Merciful Heart of Jesus as she entered the novitiate of the Passionist Nuns in Whitesville, KY. She received her St. Joseph grant in the Summer 2008 award period.

You can read an extended version of Sr. Rose Marie's vocation story on Whitesville Passonist's website.

» On the feast of St. Joseph, March 19th 2009, Carri Prewitt joined the Dominican nuns in Summit, NJ as a postulant. She received her St. Joseph grant in the Winter 2009 award period.

Above: Sr. Carri in the center in her blue postulant's habit. Also pictured (left to right): Sr. Diana Marie, Sr. Maria Teresa (another MEFV grant recipient), Sr. Maria Joseph, and Sr. Mary Amata.

Read Sr. Carri's vocation story.

On February 1st, 2009 we announced that the MEFV has awarded six new St. Joseph debt relief grants and one new St. John Vianney grant. These grants prevent the delay of the following vocations:

Edward of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest with US headquarters in Chicago, IL
Karen with the Dominican Sisters of the Immaculate of Justice, IL
Roxanne entering the Sistes of Our Lady of Mercy (St. Faustina's order)
Myriam entering the Carmelite Monastery of St. Joseph and St. Teresa in Covington, LA
Jliie with the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration at the Our Lady of Angles Monastery in Hanceville, AL
Carri entering the Dominican Nuns of Summit, NJ
Melani entering the Sisters of Our Lady Immaculate in Ontario, Canada

» On the Feast of the Ephiphany, January 6th, 2009 Sr. Matille became Sr. Justina and Sr. Lorraine became Sr. Miriam Esther as they were clothed with the holy habit of St. Benedict and began their two-year novitiate at the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles.

Below: Sr. Justina with Bishop Finn of Kansas City, St. Joseph

Below: Sr. Miriam Esther For more photos of the wonderful clothing ceremony and Mass at Old St. Patrick Oratory in Kansas City, see blog entries one, two, and three over at Kansas Catholic.

Both of Sr. Justina's and Sr. Miriam Esther's vocation stories are available on our Vocation Story page.

» On the Feast of All Saints, November 1st, 2008 Sr. Lauren became Sr. Maria Teresa of the Sacred Heart as she received the habit of a Dominican nun at the Dominican Monastery of Our Lady of the Rosary in Summit, New Jersey. We posted Sr. Maria Teresa's vocation story when she first entered the convent. You can find it here.

» On September 20th 2008, Sr. Jennifer Raimo made her first profession of vows with the Sisters of St. John the Baptist. The ceremony was at the parish church near their convent in Bonx, New York. We've added her vocation story to our site.

» On September 8th 2008, the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Friar Anthony Serviam Maria made his first profession of vows with the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate. The ceremony was held at the Friars' novitiate house in Griswold, Connecticut.

Fra. Anthony is pictured below with Fra. Terrence (also an MEFV grant recipient) who recently entered the novitiate.

Left: Fra. Terrence Right: Fra. Anthony

» On August 15th 2008, the Solemnity of the Assumption of Our Lady, Brs. Kevin Mann and Robert Brajkovich made their first profession of vows with the Canons Regular of St. John Cantius in Chicago.

We've added their vocation stories to our site:
Br. Robert Brajkovich
Br. Kevin Mann

» On August 10th 2008, Br. Joshua Quick made his first profession of vows with the Order of Preachers. Br. Joshua is a member of the Dominican Province of St. Albert the Great which is headquartered in Chicago and covers the US mid-west. We've added his vocation story to our site:

The two MEFV grant recipients at the Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist.
Left: Sr. Francis Mary Right: Sr. Karol Joseph

» On August 6th 2008, the Feast of the Transfiguration, Sr. Karol Joseph made her first profession of vows with the Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist in Ann Arbor.

» On August 1, 2008 we announced the awarding of our first ever St. John Vianney grant for men who are entering formation to serve as parish priests. This grant was awarded to Daniel who will enter the Fraternal Society of St. Peter this September.

We also announced the following St. Joseph grants for men and women entering religious life to:

Michael who has begun formation with the Legionaries of Christ in Cheshire, CT.
Sarah and Kathleen who will be entering the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia (aka, Nashville Dominicans) this Saturday.
Sr. Mary Micaela, RSM who is a novice with the Religious Sisters of Mercy of Alma, MI.
Shannon who will enter the Passionist Nuns of St. Joseph Monastery in Whitesville, KY.
Elizabeth who enters the Community of St. John in Princeville, IL on August 26th.

» On Wednesday, June 11th, 2008 Lorraine entered the Priory of Our Lady of Ephesus, the mother house of the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles. Lorraine received an MEFV grant in our Winter 2008 award period.

Read Sr. Lorraine's vocation story.

» On Saturday, May 3rd, 2008 Matille preceded Lorraine into the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles. She also received an MEFV grant in our Winter 2008 award period. You can find out more about this new, yet tradtional, monastic community at their website.

» Br. Jason of the Holy Spirit, OCD took his first profession of vows on February 2nd, 2008. Br. Jason received a grant in September 2006. Read Br. Jason's vocation story.

» Br. Richard of the Western Province of Carmelites is now Br. Richard of Bl. Teresa of Calcutta. He was clothed in the Carmelite habit on February 1st, 2008. Br. Richard received a grant in October 2007.

You can view pictures of the ceremonies of Br. Richard's clothing and Br. Jason's vows at the Carmelite's website.

» Lauren received word of her grant on January 18th, 2008. Ten days later, she entered the Dominican Monastery of Our Lady of the Rosary. Read Sr. Lauren's vocation story.