Piarist Vocations

05/26/2026

The Major Superiors of the Piarist Fathers celebrate Pentecost.

05/20/2026

Happy 5th Anniversary of Ordination Fr. Victor

"Here I am (front center) in 2011, alongside some wonderful people. I began my first stage of formation with the Piarist Fathers at the Southeast Pastoral Institute (SEPI), founded by the beloved +Fr. Mario Vizcaíno, Sch.P. in Miami, Florida. Since my ordination to the priesthood in 2021, I have served in various locations within our Order and Province. I have been in the Province of Mexico 🇲🇽, at our foundation in Guatemala 🇬🇹, and in our mission in Cuba 🇨🇺, and now I am serving at our parish in Manhattan, New York 🗽🇺🇸I continue to entrust myself to your prayers" Sincerely, Rev. Victor Carreras, Sch.P.

05/19/2026

Queen of the Pious Schools - May is the month of Mary

05/08/2026

We have many Piarists in the Philippines

05/08/2026

On May 8, all Piarists celebrate the feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God of the Pious Schools. In the context of this feast, the Order wants to celebrate its consecration to Mary.
Known by everyone is the presence of Mary in the charismatic and spiritual itinerary of Calasanz. Already as a child, he is imbued - especially by her mother - in devotion and filial love for Mary. This filial relationship with Mary will accompany him always. From Mary, Calasanz receives the intuition of the ministry and of consecration.
According to witnesses during the process of beatification, it was on a visit to the Madonna dei Monti that he decided that his life would be tied to the education of children and youth while reading the psalm ”To you the power has been entrusted, you will be the help for the orphan.” Before his death, when this “work of the Virgin” was destroyed, the same Madonna dei Monti went to comfort him and give him encouragement about the future of the Pious Schools. Calasanz dedicated to Mary both his person and the work of the Pious Schools.
“Saint Joseph Calasanz’s life and apostolate were consecrated through an intimate and filial devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, to whom he offered himself as a perpetual slave; wishing the same from all his children, he established that the profession to the Order would be done, not only to God, but also to the Virgin Mary, Mother of God. In addition, to make it appear more clearly that she was the Mother and Teacher of all, with deep theological sense, he gave to the Order of the Pious Schools the name of the Most Holy Mother of God. He called her the mother of his Work, and to her maternal care he entrusted both the Christian instruction of the children and the restoration of the destroyed Order” (DD, 170, 349).
“And in particular I can say that when he was looking at the image of the Virgin, he fixed the eyes with so much affection, that he didn’t move ever and seemed engrossed in it, and he used to say that he was undeservedly a slave of the Virgin, and this I can say for certain, having observed his behavior with mere attention, and having asked the same Father Joseph how is called the congregation that he founded?” He replied in the Spanish language “it is called the Poor of the Mother of God, of which I am an unworthy slave” (Declaration on Calasanctian spirituality, Rome,1969, note 33).
The choice of May aligns with the broader Catholic tradition of Marian devotions in May, a month historically dedicated to honoring Mary as the "Queen of May." These devotions, which began in Italy in the 17th and 18th centuries, include prayers, hymns, and acts of consecration to Mary, emphasizing her role as intercessor and guide. Celebrating the feast in May reinforces the spiritual connection between the Order’s educational mission and Marian devotion.

05/07/2026

OUR LADY, QUEEN OF THE PIOUS SCHOOLS - May 8
The Piarist order founder was strongly attached to the Virgin Mary, which can be seen in choosing his own priest name (Giuseppe del Madre di Dio), his prayers, letters and his visions that were written in his biographies. After his death, the icon “Queen of the Pious Schools” (Regina Scholarum Piarum) at the San Pantaleo Church became the main object of Marian Devotion of the Piarists as of the end of the 17th century. It was placed on the high altar of the church in 1688. In 1694, the prebend of Saint Peter’s Basilica coroneted the icon, of which countless paintings and engraved copies were made. Piarists’ respect towards the Queen of the Pious Schools icon was undiminished during the centuries. In 1907, Pope Pius X approved of introducing the invocation “Queen of the Pious Schools” into the litany of Loreto. The original icon can be seen at the San Pantaleo Church in Rome.

05/07/2026

05/06/2026

ATTACK ON AND DESTRUCTION OF THE PIARIST MISSION IN MOZAMBIQUE
A Catholic church staffed by the Piarist Fathers in northern Mozambique was targeted in an attack by the Islamic State group that has carried out attacks against Christians and Muslims in the country since 2017. According to the pontifical charity Aid to the Church in Need, extremists attacked the historic St. Louis de Montfort Church in Meza, a town located in the northern province of Cabo Delgado, on April 30.

The attack destroyed the church, offices and residence where the Piarist missionaries who serve at the parish lived, while a church-run kindergarten school was vandalized. “It was a scene of terror. Homes, infrastructure, all destroyed, and the historic parish reduced to rubble. Civilians were captured and forced to watch and listen to speeches of hatred,” Bishop António Juliasse Ferreira Sandramo of Pemba said in a message to ACN. The church, ACN reported, was founded in 1946 and was an important site for Catholics in the Muslim-majority northern province.mAccording to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data, or ACLED, an independent watchdog group that monitors global conflicts, the Islamic State-Mozambique claimed responsibility for the attack on May 1. The ACLED said the attack on the church was part of a “repeated pattern” by the extremist group and was done “with a view to attracting international attention.”

“Church attacks are rare and account for no more than 6% of violent events in this area of Mozambique — making this event very unusual and probably designed to attract international attention,” the organization noted. In April, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom stated that the Islamic State-Mozambique “has carried out a sustained campaign of violence against both Christian and Muslim communities” since 2017.

Over the last two years, the commission said, it has focused its attacks on Christian-majority areas in the Cabo Delgado province, including burning 18 churches in villages in the Chiúre district in 2024, and beheading six Christians in Ancuabe, the same district where the recently destroyed church was located.
In the Diocese of Pemba, repeated attacks on parishes and churches in Cabo Delgado have contributed to a broader pattern of organized destruction of Catholic religious infrastructure, forcing whole Catholic parishes to flee,” the commission stated.

Bishop Juliasse told ACN that although the missionaries in the parish are safe, “the community remains in shock even after the attackers left the scene at nightfall,” and urged solidarity from Catholics around the world. “We ask for attention and solidarity for the victims of Meza,” the bishop said. “For nine years, we have watched the insurgents burn chapels and churches in the Diocese of Pemba. But the faith of God’s people will never burn. Every day, it is rebuilt.”

Initial reports spoke of widespread violence and destruction, which were unfortunately confirmed this morning: the Piarist mission in Minheuene has been virtually destroyed, burned, and vandalized, including the parish church, the school, and the community house. The village has also been vandalized, and several of its facilities destroyed: the health center, the recently renovated elementary school, and various family homes… It appears that most of the population was able to escape, mainly by hiding in the surrounding forests, but there are surely people who have died or gone missing (at this time, there are reports to that effect, pending confirmation.

05/03/2026

CELEBRATING OUR PIARIST RELIGIOUS BROTHERS
We congratulate Br. Cristian Bacar, Sch.P. of the Piarist Province of the USA and Puerto Rico, on Religious Brothers Day. While most Piarists are priests, there are some who are permanent religious brothers. Br. Cristian works in Guatamala.
Religious Brothers Day is celebrated annually on May 1, the Feast of Saint Joseph the Worker, to honor the life and vocation of Religious Brothers worldwide. Religious Brothers Day was first celebrated on May 1, 2017, and was created by the U.S. Brothers Think Tank, which includes the Conference of Major Superiors of Men, Religious Brothers Conference, Religious Formation Conference, and the National Religious Vocation Conference, along with representatives from various religious institutes. The day recognizes the unique vocation of Religious Brothers, who dedicate their lives to prayer, fraternity, and selfless service within the Church.
The day highlights the identity and mission of Religious Brothers, emphasizing fraternity as a gift that is received, shared, and given away in service to others. It provides an opportunity for communities to celebrate and give thanks for the contributions of Religious Brothers in schools, hospitals, parishes, and other ministries. It also encourages reflection on how to support and invite young people to discern God’s call to this vocation. Religious Brothers Day is marked by prayer services, reflections, and community gatherings. Many organizations, including ReligiousBrothers.org, provide resources for celebrating the day. Special programs often include prayers, reflections, and small group discussions, allowing participants to explore the joys and challenges of the vocation and its future. Virtual celebrations are also available, enabling participation from international communities.
The day is an occasion to pray for Religious Brothers, asking for grace, perseverance, and joy in their ministry. It also invites the faithful to appreciate the charisms and lifelong commitment of Brothers, who serve as witnesses of humility, love, and dedication to the Gospel. In essence, Religious Brothers Day is a global celebration that honors the vocation, ministry, and spiritual witness of Religious Brothers, while fostering awareness and support for this often overlooked but vital form of consecrated life in the Church.