Brother Matthew Professes First Vows in Houston
We congratulate Brother Matthew Vlastelica SSS for completing his first stage of formation in religious life, completing his novitiate, and professing the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience in the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament (SSS) on Sunday, August 2, 2026, at the 9:00 AM Eucharist at Corpus Christi Catholic Church, Houston, Texas. This day is special to the congregation: it is the solemnity of our founder, Saint Peter Julian Eymard. For the last two years, Brother Matthew has been under the tutelage of Father Paul Raj Gnanasekar SSS (also known as “Father Sekar” on loan to us from the Province of India), the Novice Director. The profession of vows culminates the two years of the novitiate. Brother Matthew joined the SSS through our parish in New York City, Église Saint Jean Baptiste, and this religious community.
Photos: Our local SSS Community in Houston, with Father Tom Smithson visiting (far left) from San Antonio. Others, left to right, Fathers Christian Christopher, Sekar, Lane, Jaime Reyes, and Anthony Pham to the far right, surrounding Brother Matthew.; Aggregation of the Blessed Sacrament Reception for Eymard Days and farewell to Brother Matthew.
Father Anthony Completes CPE
Father Anthony Pham, SSS, on loan for the Province of the Martyrs in Vietnam, just completed his summer unit of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) to be certified to work in the Catholic Chaplain Hospitals ofthe Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, Texas. Father Anthony, having studied for a Master of Theology degree that brought him to the USA a few years back, began serving briefly at Downtown Saint Joseph Catholic Church in San Antonio, Texas, last September 2025. Then, with the need for some personnel moves within the USA SSS Province, Father Anthony came to Houston in May 2026 to take this important three-month class and prepare for hospital chaplaincy.
Photo: Father Anthony is to the right of Father Jaime Ario Rodriguez Reyes SSS – SSS Colombia who serves on the staff of Corpus Christi, with both of them sharing a joy-filled breakfast.
Sister Dianne Bergant CSA Celebrates 90 Years
Agnesian Sister Dianne Bergant has been a longtime friend of the SSS, giving retreats and talks at some of our SSS events, contributing to Emmanuel Magazine, and teaching generations of our SSS seminarians at CTU. On August 1, 2026, CTU, with the support of several religious congregations and individual donors, including the SSS, honored her by establishing a new scholarship fund for her 90th birthday.
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-Please Pray for Our Provincial Chapter this Week
