Rite of Candidacy Reflection | Mr. Lucas daCosta

Bishop Salvatore Matano, Bishop of Rochester, celebrated a Mass of candidacy for nine seminarians representing five dioceses on Sunday, May 1, 2022.

“May God who has begun this good work in you bring it to fulfillment.”

Discernment is a crucial part of seminary formation; it’s vital to the Christian life in general but particularly for those who feel called to the altar to pray and ask God what he is calling them to do. While discernment is a crucial part of the Christian life and the life of a seminarian, it is not the end goal. At a certain point, you must make a choice that comes through commitment, which comes about through discernment, in a seminarian’s case, a choice to commit himself to the priesthood. I would consider this to be much like the process of dating. Once you are engaged, you are rather committed, and apart from a significant change or obstacle, the expectation would be that marriage takes place. After five years of being in seminary formation, this step is quite important for me; standing before the bishop and pledging my commitment to follow through with formation till the end (God willing) is daunting and exciting. It forces you to re-commit yourself, take a step back, look at what you are doing here at the seminary and give your “fiat,” your yes to God anew. While, I am still three years away from the priesthood, receiving candidacy has filled me with a new sense of excitement and shows me the reality that every day that passes, I am closer to ministering to the people of God in the Diocese of Fall River. Closer to the day where I will lay in front of the altar where I seek to serve and commit my life to the service of the Lord and his people, and that I should do everything in my power to sanctify, form, and ready myself to be able to worthily and faithfully take on such a gift and responsibility.

By: Mr. Lucas daCosta
Diocese of Fall River