Dear Friends:
Grace and peace to you in the joy of this Easter Time! I hope that this letter finds you well and in good health. We pray for this in your life.
Each year, we come to you for assistance with our ministry and service of our parishes and institutions. We are so grateful for how you have supported us over the years, but especially recently with our International Religious Appeal. YOU HAVE BROUGHT men from around the international Blessed Sacrament family to serve in our parishes as pastors and parochial vicars, as hospital chaplains. You support them and the mission of the Province of Saint Ann. THANK YOU!
Now serving with us in 2026:
- Fr Fred Bugembe, SSS (Uganda), as parochial vicar, at Église Saint Jean Baptiste, New York, NY[1]
- Fr Christian Christopher, SSS (Sri Lanka), as hospital chaplain, at Houston Medical Center, TX
- Fr Louis Demba-Ndione, SSS (Senegal), as parochial vicar, at Saint Paschal Baylon, Highland Heights, OH
- Fr Joselito Hitosis, SSS (Philippines), as parochial vicar, at Saint Vincent de Paul, Holiday, FL
- Fr Dominic Long Nguyen, SSS (Vietnam), as pastor, at Saint Vincent de Paul, Holiday, FL
- Fr Joseph Kiet (JK) Nguyen, SSS (Vietnam), as hospital chaplain, Hillcrest – Cleveland Clinic Hospital, and living with us as our local superior, Highland Heights, OH
- Fr Anthony Trang Pham, SSS (Vietnam) as hospital chaplain, Houston Medical Complex, TX
- Fr Rosario Pushparaj, SSS (India), as pastor, Saint Paschal Baylon, Highland Heights, OH
- Fr Jaime Reyes, SSS (Colombia), as parochial vicar, Corpus Christi Church, Houston, TX
- Fr Paul Gnanasekar, SSS (Fr Sekar – India), as pastor and novice director, Corpus Christi Church, Houston, TX
- Fr Arul Tharcius Dhairiam, SSS (India) as pastor, Downtown Saint Joseph Church, San Antonio, TX
- Fr Martin Hien Tran, SSS (Vietnam) as parochial vicar, Saint Paschal Baylon, Highland Heights, OH
How can you help? The “extension of visa” season, and processing is expensive and we apply for men to continue serving in the United States with Homeland Security, thus completing their visa process for a full 5 years.
We hope to bring another priest or two from Uganda to replace our international religious who have been here: the next generation, serving for 2 – 5 years at a time. Your financial support funds the USA government fees, their regular basic everyday needs (occasionally a new computer is necessary, mobile phone, insurance for their health care and other living expenses), while being in our country. They come here very simply with one suitcase and a carry-on bag. YOU HELP TO MAKE THEM FEEL AT HOME!
We recall that French-Canadian international priests and brothers first came to New York City and the parish of Église Saint Jean Baptiste. They brought to life our founder, Saint Peter Julian Eymard’s vision: the love of God in the mystery of the Eucharist in all its realities, from the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament to inspiring Masses. PLEASE SPONSOR A RELIGIOUS for the next year! Help them thrive in bringing the love of God, found in the Eucharist, to others in our beloved country.
Please know that our Blessed Sacrament Community religious – at Saint Ann Shrine in the Oratory of the Blessed Sacrament and our retirement centers of Bethany Center and Regina Health Center in Richfield, Ohio, constantly keep you in prayer. Let us continue to pray for each other and vocations for other men to join in a vocation as a Blessed Sacrament brother, deacon or priest! Thanks again for your loving care of us – and our international religious!
In Christ our Eucharist,
Very Reverend John Thomas J. Lane, SSS
Provincial Superior
P.S. Folks are always curious about the amounts for these visas: $4,150 for an R1 application and $2,500 for an extension. The government fee for each application will be added at $550.00;
$ 7,650.00 per individual for 5 years.
