BETHEL PARK, PA 

Fr. Christopher Promis, C.S.Sp. and Fr. Edward Vilkauskas, C.S.Sp. celebrated their fiftieth anniversary of religious profession on August 22, 2015 with a special celebration of the Eucharist in the Immaculate Heart of Mary Chapel followed by a festive lunch with the Pittsburgh Spiritan community at the Spiritan Center in Bethel Park, PA.
 

Fr. Chris Promis, CSSp with the new 2015 novitiate class at Tisserant House in Trinidad.

On Sunday, they gathered at the Spiritan Center with the classmates from their novitiate class to share stories and celebrate how God has worked in their lives since that day on August 22, 1965 when they completed their novitiate experience.  Their classmates are now spread throughout U.S. and Canada and were enthusiastic about the possibility of gathering to remember the day of their profession.  Three members of the class have passed away, and one or two could not be contacted.  Now after serving in various professions and often grandparents they have never forgotten their novitiate experience and want to share it this weekend.  They came together for the weekend from Northern Ontario, Canada and Toronto to Ohio, Virginia, Connecticut and different areas of Pennsylvania to renew their Spiritan experience of many years ago. Classmates in Karachi, Pakistan, Colorado and Florida were not able to make it but look forward to renewing their association and staying in touch.

Fr. Ed Vilkauskas, CSSp with new members of the faith.

Fr. Vilkauskas served many years in parish ministry across the United States including Our Lady of Lourdes in Monroe, North Carolina and Old Saint Mary’s Church in Detroit in addition to being Director of Evangelization for the Diocese of Charlotte.  He is currently serving as chaplain to the Sisters of Christian Charity at Holy Family Convent in Danville, PA.  Fr. Promis worked for 20 years in Tanzania where he served in formation and leadership posts in East Africa and was provincial of the US East Province from 1994-2000.  He is currently assigned as novice master in Trinidad where he is accompanying young candidates preparing to take the same commitment he made fifty years ago.

Eleven members of the 1965 Profession class at their reunion which took place on August 23, 2015 at the Spiritan Center in Bethel Park, PA


1965 Profession classmates relaxing and catching up on the past 50 years in the Community Room at the Spiritan Center.