DIOCESE OF ROCKVILLE CENTRE OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 5 May 2015 CATHOLIC PRIESTS AND SEMINARIANS WILL BIKE 1400 MILES TO PROMOTE VOCATIONS TO CATHOLIC PRIESTHOOD Priests from Diocese of Rockville Centre, Brooklyn and seminarians from Archdiocese of New York; Diocese of Rockville Centre and Diocese of Brooklyn. Riders will pass through 15 Dioceses/Archdioceses Priest/U.S. Handball Olympian tries his hand at long distance biking New Biking4vocations.org site created ROCKVILLE CENTRE, N.Y. May 5, 2015 As a way of raising awareness in From left, Seminarian Steven Diaz, Rev. Marc Swartvagher, Seminarian Dominik Wegiel, Rev. Joseph Fitzgerald and Seminarian Stephen Rooney vocations to priesthood and religious life, two Catholic priests and three seminarians will embark later this month on a 29- day,1400-mile journey from Saint Augustine, Florida to Rockville Centre, Long Island, New York.
Reverend Joseph Fitzgerald, Director of Vocations, Diocese of Rockville Centre, who was also a member of the 1996 U.S. Olympic Handball Team will be riding with Father Marc Swartvagher, academic dean for Cathedral Seminary House of Formation, Douglaston, and with three seminarians (men studying to become Catholic priests) Stephen Rooney from the Diocese of Rockville Centre, Dominik Wegiel from the Diocese of Brooklyn and studying to become a priest in the Diocese of Rockville Centre and Steven Diaz from the Archdiocese of New York. Passing through 11 states, 10 dioceses and 5 archdioceses, the biking pilgrimage will begin on May 17 in Saint Augustine, Florida and conclude on June 14 at the Cathedral of Saint Agnes in Rockville Centre, New York. The objective of this biking pilgrimage is to give glory to God by encouraging priestly vocations and inviting the local Church to respond to Jesus missionary call to make disciples of all nations. (Matthew 28 19-20) said Reverend Fitzgerald. Biking4Vocations.org Those wishing to find out more and to follow the bikers on their journey can visit www.biking4vocations.org. This website has been created to enable those interested to follow the bikers on their journey. On this website, there will be daily updates and gps tracking of the pilgrims. The website will also contain up-to-date information on events in each diocese welcoming the pilgrims. Those wishing to make a donation may do so. All proceeds will go to support the pilgrimage and the vocations offices of the Diocese of Rockville Centre, the Diocese of Brooklyn and the Archdiocese of New York. Many people are asking why we are biking up the East Coast when we could just drive, said Reverend Swartvagher. We believe there is something unique about the physical and sacrificial element of biking to our pilgrimage. Our mission is one with physical, emotional and spiritual dimensions. We feel strongly about our task to promote vocations, and we truly intend to give our all, including physically to this journey.
The Biking4Vocations team will cover a range of 13 to 85 miles each day depending on conditions. In addition to the physical component, there is a spiritual component as well. Priests and seminarians have a commitment to pray the Liturgy of the Hours five times a day. The team will make periodic stops en-route in order to pray this important prayer of the Church. As Catholics, the Eucharist is at the heart of our spiritual lives. The team will ensure the celebration of the Mass is at the center of its daily routine. Many of the dioceses along the route of pilgrimage are planning special events to welcome the bikers. Check biking4vocations.org for details. Biking Pilgrimage Kick-off at Sts. Cyril and Methodius, Deer Park on May 15 Prior to travelling to Saint Augustine for the beginning of their pilgrimage, the bikers will be sent forth during the monthly Diocese of Rockville Centre Holy Hour for Vocations on May 15 at 7:00 p.m. at the Parish of Saints Cyril and Methodius in Deer Park, NY (125 Half Hollow Road, Deer Park, NY 11729). During this Holy Hour, Most Reverend Robert Brennan, Auxiliary Bishop, Diocese of Rockville Centre will bless the bikers as they begin the nearly one month long journey. A concert featuring Christian musician Audrey Assad will follow the Holy Hour. The Biking 4 Vocations Team: Reverend Joseph Fitzgerald Reverend Joseph Fitzgerald was ordained on June 9th, 2007 and his first parish was the parish of Saint Kilian in Farmingdale, NY. Father Joe then spent four years as the Chaplain at Holy Trinity Diocesan High School and Hofstra University and is currently the Vocations Director of the Diocese of Rockville Centre assisting men discerning the call to priesthood and journeying with them as they draw closer to ordination. Father Joe was selected to the 1996 Olympic Team and represented the United States in Atlanta, Georgia, where the team placed 9 th overall, and then spent a short time playing professionally overseas in Gothenburg, Sweden. Reverend Marc Swartvagher Reverend Marc Swartvagher is a priest for the Brooklyn Diocese and teaches Philosophy to the college seminarians at Cathedral Seminary House of Formation. As a native of
Queens, New York, he has a love of the city and urban apostolate that defines his ministry. In the eighteen years since his ordination, Father Marc has had the opportunity to work with many young men as they discern the action of God in their lives. Father Marc is glad to be part of this pilgrimage and prays it will inspire many young people to prayerfully consider how God may be inviting them to deeper discipleship in the Church. Seminarian: Stephen Rooney Stephen Rooney is a college seminarian studying for the Diocese of Rockville Centre. He attends Saint John s University and lives at the Cathedral Seminary House of Formation in Queens, New York. He grew up on Long Island and his home parish is the Parish of Saint Joseph in Garden City. In the summer of 2015, I will be biking up the East Coast in order to help individuals hear their call from God, said Rooney. As Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI once said, The world offers you a life of comfort. But you were not made for comfort, you were made for greatness. Seminarian Dominik Wegiel Dominik Wegiel is 22 years old and currently a seminarian studying for the Diocese of Rockville Centre. He grew up in Maspeth, Queens and his home parish is Holy Cross. He entered the seminary after graduating from Stony Brook University with a degree in Applied Math and Economics. I m going on this Biking 4 Vocations pilgrimage because Christ calls us to be fishers of men, and I am inspired to follow that call by biking up the East Coast to set the hearts of young men and women on fire to find their vocations, some to the priesthood and religious life, said Wegiel. Christ called me, so I have a duty to do the same for others. Seminarian Steven Diaz
Steven Diaz is a seminarian for the Archdiocese of New York studying at Cathedral Seminary House of Formation, in Douglaston, NY. He was born and raised on the Upper West Side of Manhattan and graduated from Washington Irving High School in 2007. Learning about the real presence of the Body of Christ in the Eucharist, along with the grace that comes from the mercy of God through Jesus Christ (in the Sacrament of Reconciliation), is what inspires me to be Jesus priest someday, said Diaz. Tentative Route of Biking4Vocations Pilgrimage (subject to change) Date Day City Miles May 16-May Saturday Leave NY NY 17 Sunday Arrive at St. Augustine 18 Monday to Ponte Vedre FL 26 19 Tuesday to Yulee FL 54 20 Wednesday to Brunswick GA 83 21 Thursday to Savannah GA 78 22 Friday to Walterboro SC 52 23 Saturday to Charleston SC 64 24 Sunday rest Charleston SC 0 25 Monday to Georgetown SC 35 26 Tuesday to Myrtle Beach SC 30 27 Wednesday to Shallotte NC 63 28 Thursday to Wilmington NC 66 29 Friday to Clinton NC 35 30 Saturday to Fayetteville NC 59 31 Sunday to Raleigh NC 46 June 1-Jun Monday to Henderson NC 37 2 Tuesday to South Hill VA 81 3 Wednesday to Richmond VA 55 4 Thursday to Fredericksburg VA 54 5 Friday to Washington DC 38 6 Saturday to Baltimore MD 49 7 Sunday to Rising Sun MD 30 8 Monday to Wilmington DE 27 9 Tuesday to Philadelphia PA 31 10 Wednesday to Trenton NJ 54 11 Thursday to Newark NJ 10 12 Friday to NYC NY 2 13 Saturday to Brooklyn NY 20 14 Sunday to Rockville Centre NY 18
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