It was both a long-awaited milestone and the beginning of a new journey as they gathered in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston for the first formation weekend in late January at St. Mary Seminary and Our Lady of Walsingham Church in Houston.

The group included the wives of the Catholic clergy-in-training, so there was a total of 76 participants.

More than 100 former Anglican priests have applied to become Catholic priests for the U.S. Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter. To date, 42 have been accepted into the program.

The application process for each candidate included a criminal background check, psychological evaluation and recommendations from the Catholic bishop where he lives and from his Anglican ecclesiastical authority, if possible.

Based in Houston, the ordinariate is similar to a diocese, but national in scope. It is the first U.S. ordinariate established by the Vatican earlier this year to facilitate and shepherd communities of former Anglicans wishing to join the Catholic faith while retaining elements of their Anglican heritage and traditions.

Our Lady of Walsingham serves as the principal church. St. Mary Seminary is housing the nine-month program of formation.

On Feb. 12, a Mass of Institution also officially inaugurated the ordinariate. At the same time, Father Jeffrey N. Steenson received the title of "monsignor" and officially became its head.

Seminarians currently enrolled at St. Mary's served as hosts during the opening day of the first formation weekend in January.

"I think the seminarians at St. Mary understand how significant this is and they have been incredible," Msgr. Steenson told the Texas Catholic Herald, newspaper of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. "They are so energized about this -- they know it is historical."

He credit the "extraordinary efforts and help" and "time and resources" of the archdiocese and Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo with bringing about "exactly what Pope Benedict hoped for -- the close relationship with the local diocese and the new ordinariate."

Topics covered during the first formation weekend included "The Life and Work of the Catholic Priest," "Pope Benedict's Vision of the Anglican Ordinariate," and a keynote address and conversation with Marcus Grodi of the "Journey Home" program on the Eternal Word Television Network.

More formation training comes in the spring, covering subjects such as "The Petrine Ministry and Catholic Ecclesiology," "Catechesis and the Stewardship of the Catholic Tradition" and "The Catholic Approach to Scripture."

There also will be sessions on marriage; baptism/initiation; anointing of the sick; and the sacrament of reconciliation and instruction on the culture of the Catholic Church -- from priestly manners to the ecclesial movements. Formation will conclude with individual theological assessments.

Several of those in formation lead Anglican-use Catholic communities throughout the country.

"This is something we have all been waiting for since 2009, and now in 2012, we are not just hearing about it but living it," Randy Sly of Potomac Falls, Va., said of formation. "It was just astounding to look around the room and realize that all of us have been brought together by the Lord for this very special time."

Seminarian Charles Hough III of Granbury, Texas, echoed that sentiment.

"I'd been an Episcopal priest for over 30 years and many of us started together, ended in the Episcopal Church together and are now starting again together, moving into the fullness of the church," he said. "It is an incredible time for us. We have worked so hard and this is the culmination of a long journey, but it is the beginning of a new era for all of us to be in union with the see of Peter."

Sly and his wife, Sandy, have been Catholics since 2006. Sandy Sly recognized the "novelty" of meeting the other wives of seminarians but said their bond was certainly profound.

"It has been wonderful to meet other wives who are also on this journey, just to see that they are pouring their lives out for the Lord, like our husbands are," she said. "We want to be the best support for our husbands and for whatever we can do in ministry. We are just taking it one day at a time."

Mark Lewis, a former Anglican priest, was "overwhelmed" and visibly moved as he looked around a room filled with others who have shared the long trek with him. Lewis is administrator of St. Luke's Catholic Ordinariate Community in Bladensburg, Md. The community was received into the Catholic Church last October.

Lewis said a feeling of comfort and excitement came over him during vespers in the chapel at St. Mary Seminary.

"I was reflecting (on) when I was in seminary and how we would do the same type of liturgy," he said, "and I was thinking 'I am home. I am really home.'"

Local CCHD grant applications for up to $15,000 are available to 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations that demonstrate grass-roots efforts to break the cycle of poverty by empowering the poor within the 19-county Diocese of Toledo.

CCHD is the domestic anti-poverty program of the U.S. Catholic bishops and is funded by an annual national collection in parishes. Applicants do not need to be affiliated with the Catholic Church, but programs must be in compliance with Catholic moral and social teachings.

Local grant applications are due March 21. To obtain an application or for more information, contact Germaine Kirk, Catholic Charities social ministry program coordinator, at gkirk@toledodiocese.org or 419-244-6711, ext. 431.

The ruling requires most health insurance plans to cover preventive services for women that include abortion-inducing drugs, sterilization and contraception. Exemptions to this requirement are very narrow, so almost all employers will be forced to include these controversial services in their health insurance plans.

The congregational leaders of the Sisters of Notre Dame, the Sisters of St. Francis of Tiffin, the Sisters of St. Francis of Sylvania, and the Ursuline Sisters all agree that this is unconscionable for Catholics. The congregational leaders and their members are working together to pressure their senators and representatives to pass legislation that will change this requirement.

“We are adding our voices to those of other church leaders who have spoken out strongly against this ruling,” says Sister Delores Gatliff, provincial superior of the Sisters of Notre Dame.

“We cannot comply with this requirement,” adds Sister Bernarda Breidenbach, president of the Toledo Ursulines. “This goes against our beliefs in the sacredness of all life.”

Sister Jacquelyn Doepker, community minister of the Tiffin Franciscan Sisters, says, “We want to make it clear that we support the expansion of health care for the poor, and we applaud efforts at asking insurance to include some preventive services for women, but the ruling goes too far in including such services as abortion-inducing drugs, sterilization and contraception.”

Sister Diana Lynn Eckel, congregational minister of the Sylvania Franciscans, adds, “Our Sylvania Franciscan Health System is directly affected by this ruling as are all of us who provide health insurance to our employees. We are asking the U.S. government to respect our right to practice our religious beliefs and not make demands on us that violate our conscience.”

This marks the 16th year that part of a weekend Mass celebration has been designated to highlight, celebrate and thank the men and women in consecrated life and to pray for an increase of vocations.

Forms of consecrated life include monastic life, the order of virgins, hermits and institutes completely devoted to contemplation, apostolic religious life, secular institutes and societies of apostolic life.

For more information on the diverse forms of consecrated life, visit www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/vocations/consecrated-life/world-day-for-consecrated-life.cfm.

“I had needed a little assistance with a light bill, and I was so grateful for the help and assistance that I received, so I decided, how can I give back?” she recalls. “And so this place took me in.”

From left, Vincentians Richard and Pat Flick and Cindy Freed pack boxes to be given out at the Holy Trinity Food Pantry sponsored by the St. Vincent de Paul Society conferences of Lima. (Photo courtesy of Mike Briley)

Ms. Davis became an associate member of the Society and was put in charge of monitoring donations of furniture, clothing, appliances and other household goods, which are stored in two garages on parish property and given away free of charge to clients in need.

Now after three years of volunteering with the conference at Little Flower, Ms. Davis is preparing to be received into the church as a new Catholic this Easter.

“I was looking for a faith, a religion and a way to live. And I found it here,” she says. “I’m just happy to be here, and I’m grateful for the people that I know.”

Ms. Davis understands the importance of the mission of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, a Catholic lay organization that offers person-to-person service to those who are needy and suffering in the tradition of its founder, Blessed Frédéric Ozanam, and patron, St. Vincent de Paul.

Little Flower is just one of the 59 parish-based St. Vincent de Paul conferences operating in the Diocese of Toledo.

In addition to distributing food, clothing, furniture and other household goods, most provide direct financial assistance to assist clients with various needs including utility bills, rent, transportation expenses and prescription drugs. If they cannot meet a need directly, members often work to connect clients with other community services and agencies.

Vincentian volunteers operate food pantries throughout the diocese as well as thrift stores in Fayette, Lima, North Baltimore and Tiffin.

In Lima, a thrift store and food pantry are sponsored by the four parish conferences and operated entirely by volunteers. Anyone who comes to the pantry is eligible to receive food, according to Mike Briley, a member of Lima St. Charles who serves as president of the St. Vincent de Paul Society’s southwest district.

“We don’t turn anyone away,” says Mr. Briley. “I look at it like this: Christ said, what you do for the least of my brothers, you do for me. And we need to help some of these people out there that really don’t have anything.”

He notes that few other area organizations offer direct assistance with utility bills or rent, or provide motel rooms or bus tickets for people who are stranded.

“Any way that we can possibly help, we do,” says Mr. Briley, who explains the ministry of the Society is supported by the Catholic parishes of Lima, thrift store proceeds and donations from other community organizations.

In Mansfield, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul works closely with other community agencies including the local Catholic Charities office. Vincentian volunteers collect food donated by parishioners for the Catholic Charities pantry in Mansfield, and organize a parish giving tree that provides hundreds of Christmas gifts to people in need in the community each year.

Laurie Jordan, president of the Mansfield conference, says the Society is sometimes contacted by other social service entities that have run out of options for their clients.

“We assist those in need spiritually and financially and often in unique ways from other community agencies,” explains Ms. Jordan. “Our group has knowledge of community resources that allows us not only to be more effective linking up our clients with other entities of support, but also to be good stewards in the use of our funding.”

Referrals are also an important service provided by the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Fostoria St. Wendelin, which assisted 1,149 clients in 2011.

Carol Lininger, conference president, explains that since the city straddles three counties, the Vincentian volunteers have to be especially well-versed in knowing the services that are available to residents.

Members interview clients twice a week at their office, which is housed in the former St. Vincent de Paul thrift store building. Though the conference had to close its store more than a year ago, it still has donations of furniture, appliances and other household items available in a nearby trailer to give to clients in need.

“Our purpose is to help people with basic needs at their time of need,” says Ms. Lininger.

Amy Aschemeier, a member of Rossford All Saints who serves as communications liaison for the Toledo Society of St. Vincent de Paul, says the spirituality of the organization is what sets it apart from others that offer similar services.

“It’s not just the spirituality that we bring to the clients; it’s also the spirituality that we bring to each other,” says Ms. Aschemeier.

“To be a Vincentian, it’s an honor and it’s a ministry,” adds Ms. Aschemeier, who says members of the Society see “the true face of Jesus” in the poor.

“Some people just help them and that’s it,” she explains. “But we follow through, we call people up, we pray with them.”