New Members join the Aggregation of the Blessed Sacrament
by Greg Dufour, Province Aggregation Council Chair and Local Leader, Houston, Texas
This summer, the Associates of the Blessed Sacrament returned to the original name penned by our founder, Saint Peter Julian Eymard, the third branch of his “society,” the Aggregation of the Blessed Sacrament.
Recently, new members joined the Aggregation: On November 14, 2025, Tom Canare, who completed his formation online with others and is from the Philadelphia area, attended the Northeast Ohio Aggregation Retreat Day to complete his promise ceremony in person, receiving the emblem and signing the official promise formula.
At Corpus Christi Parish in Houston, Texas, the community welcomed new Aggregates (Associates) with their Formator Father Christian Christopher SSS. On Sunday, November 23, 2025, five new Aggregates made their initial Promise Commitment, joined by current Aggregates who renewed their Promise.
Our new Aggregates (from left to right in the photo) are formator Jim Ziegler, Aggregates Carmela Nelson, Vivian Hageney, Father Christian Christopher SSS, Remigius Arokiasamy, Venus Arevalo, Jude Herbolario, and formator Greg Dufour.
Father General Addresses the Members of the USA Aggregation
From the notes of Very Reverend Philip Benzy Romician SSS, and edited by John Thomas Lane SSS
The quarterly national meeting of the Province of Saint Ann Aggregation met on Saturday, November 29, from 10 – 11:30 am EST, with members joining from Maine to Texas, and from Florida to Ohio. Father General, Philip Benzy Romician SSS addressed the group from his headquarters office in Rome, Italy, during his six hours ahead of and nighttime there. Father General gave an overview of his canonical visit to the USA in August and September 2025. It was a first for a Superior General from Rome to come and visit as many of the Aggregation as possible throughout the country.
New SSS Parochial Vicar Arrives from Uganda in East Africa
On December 3, 2025, the parish community of Église Saint Jean Baptiste in New York City (Manhattan) welcomed Father Fred Bugembe SSS. Father Fred is the latest international religious to serve for the next four years in the United States as parochial vicar of our mother-parish in the Province of Saint Ann.
