brotherhood – The Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy

From Prep School to Seminary: One Man’s Call to the Order

Josh LaPorte is a Postulant in Order. Here he answers questions about his childhood and vocation:

1) Tell us about your background? Where are you from? Where did you go to school?

I was born on July 18, 1989 in Suburban Detroit, in Sterling Heights, MI at Mt. Clemens General Hospital. I was adopted at birth. I grew up in the Sterling Heights area for the majority of my childhood until I was six years old when we moved to Rochester Hills, MI. We remained there for the rest of my life. We also have a vacation house in the north of Michigan.

My Father is a Certified Public Accountant working as a managing partner at an international firm called UHY advisors. He has been working there since college. My mother was and is still a homemaker. Prior to her being a homemaker, she was a practicing Psychologist.

I discovered my love for music when I was three and a half years old. It was then that I picked up my first violin and begin studies in music. I would find lots of success in that field of study, and pick up more instruments along the way, like percussion (drums, cymbals, etc.). I would study these privately until the age of 17.

I entered Montessori when I was five in September 1994 at Kensington Academy. I would make my first communion in April of 1998. I left Kensington Academy after completing the third grade in 1999. I would then continue studies at a private fine and liberal arts school in Auburn Hills, Michigan called Oakland Steiner where I would complete the rest of elementary and middle school. After that, I would be homeschooled for my freshman year of high school, and then complete the rest of my high school career at St. Mary’s Preparatory.

St Mary’s Prep School is strong Catholic Institution where I would begin discerning my vocation or exploring the possibilities of a vocation. We attended Mass in high school twice a week, and sometimes three times a week if it was a holy day of obligation. I would graduate there St Mary Preparatory School in May 2008. My crowning achievement was winning the Louis Armstrong Jazz Award.

After high school I started studies in philosophy at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Downtown Detroit. I remained there for 4 years until I finished discerning my call and entered the Mercedarian Friars.

2) When did you first start thinking about religious life and/or priesthood?

I started thinking of a vocation when I was a junior in High School during Mass.

The Shield was given to the Order by King James I 800 years ago.

3) How did you come to know about the Order of the BVM of Mercy? What drew you to this community?

I came to know about the Order of the BVM of Mercy and plenty of other orders through Vocation Placement Services on the internet. I was drawn to this community because of the way they live religious life and the Charism of order itself. The Mercedarians redeem those who are in captivity at risk of losing their faith.

4) Now that you are a postulant what is your favorite part of the Religious Life?

I enjoy as a postulant the community prayers, the common meal, and recreation time.

Solemnity of St Peter Nolasco

Mercedarian’s throughout the world celebrated today, May 6^th, as the Solemnity of our father and founder, St. Peter Nolasco.

VirgenMerced.Toluca.Mex — St Peter Nolasco having a vision of Our Lady of Mercy

St Peter is recognized as the founder of the Order on August 10, 1218. It was St Peter who was first inspired to begin collecting alms to ransom Christian captives in Muslim occupied areas of Spain. On January 17^th 1235, the Holy See recognized the action of the Holy Spirit in the founding of the Order. The charism of redemption that came through St Peter Nolasco is the specific gift of grace given to the Church. This is what the Church approved. It is what unites the Order and brings us together with one purpose to serve the Church.

In modern times, the some communities have left the original charism or spirit of their founder. The result is that they lose their identity and purpose. To leave the founders charism is to separate the institute from what was approved by the Church. The Holy See has asked communities repeatedly to return to the spirit of their founder. They are to adapt this spirit to the present circumstances of the world. Recently, Pope Benedict XVI spoke about this issue saying that today many “communities have chosen to return to the origins and live in a way more in keeping with the spirit of the founder. In almost all recent general chapters of religious institutes the recurring theme has been precisely that of rediscovering the original charism, to then incarnate it and renew it in the present.”

It is for this reason that the Mercedarian have a very special veneration for St. Peter Nolasco. We strive daily to imitate his redemptive love for Christians in danger of losing their faith. We have statues and images of St Peter in our chapels and throughout our friaries. We pray to him in common each day. On Saturdays, we sing an ancient hymn in St Peter’s honor; praying for his intercession and to imitate his profound love for the captives. The Order’s Constitution also asks each Mercedarian Friar to “study diligently his life and mission in the Church”.

On May the 6^th, the Order celebrates solemnly the feast of our founder. Here in the United States this means that we place a special emphasis on praying the Office and celebrating Mass with great solemnity. The Office is often times chanted and the Blessed Sacrament may be exposed. Mass is offered at our parishes with the Gloria being sung and the Creed recited. The main celebrant will preach setting forth the virtues and example of our beloved founder. The celebration continues throughout the day as Mercedarian friars, sisters, and the third order get together for a meal and to socialize.

It is in this way the we keep the memory of our founder strong in our minds. We know that his is still present with all the Mercedarian Saints praying and interceding for the work of the Order. For our part, we strive to continue the charism of St Peter Nolasco on into the third millennium of Christianity.

St Peter Nolasco, pray for us that we may always be faithful to your spirit of redeeming love for Christians in danger of losing their faith!

Br. Dominic Inducted into Honor Society

RADNOR, PA (April 28, 2009) — Mercedarian Student, Bro. Dominic Whetzel, O. de M. was among the 86 inductees of Cabrini College’s Alpha Delta First-Year Honor Society for the 2008-2009 academic year. The event was held in the atrium of Grace Hall and a light dinner was served. It was one of a series of honors events held by the college, in which Br. Dominic was also named to the Dean’s List for the Fall Semester of 2009 at the Honors Convocation held one week earlier.