December 7, 2016

Local seminarian among nine installed as acolytes at St. John’s Seminary

REGIONAL
By Rebecca Drake

(IObserve photo/courtesy of Father Gary Dailey)

SPRINGFIELD – Three Rivers resident Michael Kokoszka was among nine seminarians installed as acolytes by Springfield Bishop Mitchell T. Rozanski during a Dec. 4 liturgy at St. John’s Seminary in Brighton, Mass.

“Being installed as an acolyte gives a young man, on his journey toward priesthood, an ability to work more closely at the altar as well as administering to the sick and aged by bringing them the Eucharist to their home,” said Father Gary M. Dailey, director of vocations for the Diocese of Springfield.

Bishop Rozanski told iObserve that presiding at the acolyte installation was a special experience for him.

“On Sunday, December 4, I was privileged to celebrate the installation of acolytes at St. John Seminary in Brighton. One of the seminarians receiving this office was our own Michael Kokoszka,” said Bishop Rozanski. “It was a beautiful way to celebrate the Second Sunday of Advent and to see the dedication of the young men who had received the Office of Acolyte as an important step on their way to the priesthood.”

Kokoszka, the son of Joseph and Denise (Carrigan) Kokoszka, is one of three siblings. He graduated from Westfield State University with a degree in mathematics and is currently a third-year theology student at St. John’s Seminary. He is preparing for ordination to the transitional diaconate on May 27, 2017.

The other seminarians installed as acolytes were Matthew Gill of the Diocese of Fall River, Mass.; Joseph Kim, Michael Rora and Corey Rouse of the Archdiocese of Boston; David Madejski and Joshua Wilbur of the Archdiocese of Hartford, Conn.; Tung Tuan Nguyen and Son Van Trinh of the Diocese of Thanh Hoa, Vietnam.