SPIRITOFST.FRANCIS | FOLLOWERS OF ST. FRANCIS
By Janice Lane Palko
ou can think about a vocation, keeping it all in your schools. “During that time, I had the opportunity to interact head,” says Father Emanuel Vasconcelos, OFM Conv. with priests and seminarians, and I was invited to a Come “I remember watching videos about what it’s like to be a and See Retreat at St. John Seminary in Boston,” Father priest—and that’s fine—but there comes a moment when you Manny recalls. “This was a diocesan formation seminary, have to step out and experience what it may be like to live a and I kept sensing that I was being called to a community. I vocation.” Father Manny, as he is more commonly known, felt a natural connection to the Franciscan friars. I thought currently serves as associate pastor at St. Anne I needed to be in community with others, Parish in Columbus, Georgia. to have others to keep me accountable, and Though he ministers in Georgia now, to have somewhat of a family life.” He also Father Manny’s spiritual journey began in the credits St. Anthony for drawing him to the Azores, the islands in the Atlantic off the coast Franciscans: “He is my patron and is most of Portugal, where his parents were born. In commonly known as St. Anthony of Padua, but 1971, his parents immigrated to New Bedford, he is actually Portuguese—from Lisbon.” Massachusetts, bringing with them their He approached the Franciscans who served deep Catholic faith, which they shared with at his parish in Chicopee, Massachusetts, and their children. Father Manny was born in the the vocational director extended an invitaFather Emanuel United States. tion for him to come and explore. “It felt like a “I have two older sisters, and once I was first date,” Father Manny remembers. “I got all Vasconcelos, OFM Conv born and even before I was baptized, my parents took me to dressed up and went there, and it was wonderful. I felt so at Mass since they were both lectors,” says Father Manny. “My ease. I could be honest and be myself. There was no pressure, mom did the first reading, and then my dad handed me off and I came away very energized.” He became a Franciscan to my mom so that he could do the second reading.” postulant in August 2010 and began attending Washington He attended Providence College in Rhode Island, which Theological Union in Washington, DC. His novitiate was was founded by in Mishawaka, Dominican friIndiana, and he ars. While there professed his first he began to think vows in July 2012. about becomHe graduated ing a priest. “I with a master of have always had divinity degree a desire to serve from Catholic and have found University of joy serving in America in May the Church,” says 2018 and was Father Manny. ordained a priest “I had helped in June 2018 in out with retreats Buffalo, New York. and had been “My family around diocwas very supesan priests and portive; they saw Franciscans, but my calling before Father Emanuel “Manny” Vasconcelos, OFM Conv, marks a young parishioner’s forehead with ashes. I wasn’t exactly I did,” says Father sure where I Manny, who would fit best. It was during my time at Providence and points out that, like him, his parents also had to grow into his interacting with others that I was able to grow, understand, vocation. “One day when I was home, I told my mom, ‘I’m and own my faith.” going to be a Franciscan,’” he recalls. “She exclaimed, ‘What? While at Providence College, Father Manny got involved You’re going to Africa?’ I told her I could go to Africa, but in a program called PACT—Providence Alliance for Catholic that wasn’t my plan. In the Azores, the only Franciscans she Teachers—that allows participants to pursue a master’s knew of were the missionaries who visited their parish from in education and teach in Catholic elementary and high Angola or Mozambique.
12 • September 2021 | StAnthonyMessenger.org
PHOTOS COURTESY OF FATHER EMANUEL VASCONCELOS, OFM CONV
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Growing into the Call to Religious Life
