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December 19, 2019

Cardinal O’Malley appoints rector and vice rector for St. John Seminary

REGIONAL
Staff report

(CNS photo/Gregory L. Tracy, The Pilot)

 

BOSTON – Following a unanimous vote by the Board of Trustees of St. John Seminary, Cardinal Seán P. O’Malley has appointed Father Stephen E. Salocks as rector and Father Thomas K. Macdonald as vice rector.

“I wish to express my gratitude for Father Salocks’ extraordinary service as interim rector since 2018 and Father Macdonald’s service as interim vice rector since September of this year,” said Cardinal O’Malley. “I join the entire Saint John Seminary community in looking forward to Father Salocks’ continued leadership and Father Macdonald’s collaboration in this most important ministry for the Archdiocese of Boston and the life of the church.”

Father Salocks said, “I am grateful for the trust that Cardinal Seán, the board and the archdiocese have placed in me. I look forward to continuing the work I began as interim rector of preparing good, solid, and holy priests for the church in New England and beyond in the 21st century.”

Father Macdonald said, “I am honored to serve the St. John’s Seminary community as vice rector. In this new capacity, I look forward to assisting Father Salocks as he guides the seminary to even greater excellence in the essential work of priestly formation.”

Father Salocks

Born in Troy, N.Y., in 1950, Father Salocks was ordained to the priesthood in June 1980 at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston. He earned a bachelor of science degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, master of divinity (M.Div.) from Saint John’s Seminary, and licentiate of sacred Scripture (S.S.L.) degree from the Pontifical Biblical Institute.

Father Salocks previously served at St. Michael Parish, Hudson, Mass., before continuing his studies in sacred Scripture at the Pontifical Biblical Institute of Rome. Since 1987 he has been on the faculty of St. John Seminary in Brighton, Mass. In August of 2018 he was appointed interim rector of the seminary. His appointment as rector takes effect immediately.

Father Macdonald

Born in Concord, Mass., in 1984, Father Macdonald was ordained to the priesthood in June 2013 at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston. His studies included attending the Pontifical North American College, Vatican City, and the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, where he earned a doctorate in sacred theology (S.T.D.) in June of 2019.

Following ordination, Father Macdonald served at St. Agnes Parish, Middleton, Mass.; St. Rose of Lima Parish, Topsfield, Mass.; St. Ann Parish, Dorchester, Mass.; and St. Brendan Parish, Dorchester. Since June 2019, Father Macdonald has been on the faculty of St. John Seminary. His appointment as vice rector takes effect immediately.

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