Pre-Novice Tony Davies
Last Friday, the Viatorian Community in the United States welcomed two men into religious formation: Pre-Novice Anthony Davies and Pre-Novice Salvador “Sal” Solis.
A group of professed Viatorians gathered at the Province Center, where Fr. John Eustice, CSV, Director of Pre-Novitiate, led a simple prayer service. The group enjoyed an evening cookout on the community balcony together to celebrate these men.
Tony Davies is 26 years old and comes from nearby Park Ridge, Illinois, where he attended Notre Dame College Prep, a Catholic high school for boys. Tony connected to the Viatorians through online searches and our online contact form, having some familiarity from growing up in the area near Arlington Heights.
Pre-Novice Sal Solis
Sal Solis is 42 years old and had been living in Joliet, Illinois. There, he worked with some of the Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Our Lady of Guadalupe, the same community of women who have collaborated with Viatorians in many ways over the years, including their ongoing work at our Province Center. The sisters connected him to the Viatorians.
Over the last few months, Tony and Sal have spent time with Br. Peter Lamick, CSV, who is concluding his time as Director of Vocation Ministry. Together, they visited community homes, went out on service trips, and made ministry visits to our parishes and schools. After each of them completed their application for formation, Br. Peter presented them both to congregation leadership earlier this summer, and both men were accepted to begin.
As pre-novices, Tony and Sal now begin a one-year residential formation and discernment period. Fr. John will coordinate ministry experience, spiritual formation, and community life to provide the men with an authentic sense of Viatorian religious life. They’ll also take some graduate courses in theology. A central question for pre-novitiate is discernment regarding the novitiate, the intensive formation year to study poverty, chastity, and obedience and prepare for potentially professing first vows as a Viatorian brother.
The pre-novices will live at the Province Center this year, sharing in community life with housemates Br. Rob Robertson, CSV and Fr. Jhobany Orduz, CSV, who both work at neighboring Saint Viator High School. They’re also under the same roof as our retirement community and the provincial apartments, where Fr. Mark Francis, CSV and Fr. John live, so they can easily join these men for prayer, meals, and fellowship, too.
Please join us in congratulating Tony and Sal and praying for their faithful discernment this year.
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Thanks to Br. Marc’s profession later that weekend, the group included our international visitors, too! Left to right in bottom photo: Fr. Mark Francis, CSV, Provincial; Br. Marc Innocent Prophete, CSV of Haiti; Br. Jean-Marc St. Jacques, CSV, Provincial of Canada; Br. Michael Gosch, CSV; Fr. Nestor Fils-Aimé, CSV, Superior General; Pre-Novice Tony Davies; Fr. John Eustice, CSV; Fr. Daniel Hall, CSV; Fr. Jhobany Orduz, CSV; Br. Rob Robertson, CSV; bottom-center: Pre-Novice Sal Solis. (Br. Peter Lamick, CSV was taking the photos.)