Over 300 attendees gathered at the beautiful Saint Clements Castle & Marina in Portland, CT, for the Holy Apostles Gala on April 24, 2025.
The festivities featured special guest, The Most Reverend Christopher J. Coyne, 6th Archbishop of Hartford, and keynote speaker Mr. Jim Wahlberg, who delivered the commencement address the next day at the Holy Apostles’ 67th Commencement Ceremony.
From left to right, first row: Archbishop Coyne, Jim Wahlberg, Peter Callan, Very Rev. Peter Kucer. Second row: Brother Ron Aucoin, Very Rev. Martin Rooney, Bishop Betancourt, and John Connelly. | Photos by Phil Farnsworth
The evening began on a high note with the angelic voices of the Cathedral Schola Cantorum from the Cathedral of Saint Joseph in Hartford. The choral group performed an impressive medley of both spiritual and popular tunes.
Archbishop Coyne and Jim Wahlberg shared stories of their years in Boston, setting the tone for an engaging and spirit-filled evening. As a writer, speaker, and filmmaker, Jim Wahlberg shared a captivating testimony of his personal journey of recovery and redemption, describing how an encounter with Mother Teresa was a pivotal moment in his transformation.
Thank you to Peter Callan and Saint Clements Charities for their excellent hospitality. Funds raised at the event support Holy Apostles’ mission of providing an affordable and quality educational experience for seminarians, religious, and lay students.
Cathedral Schola Cantorum
Holy Apostles Board members, Bob O’Hara, chair and Fr. Ed Przygocki, MSA
Silent Auction: Thank you to our wonderful donors!
Cromwell, Connecticut — Holy Apostles College and Seminary is proud to announce that Mr. James Wahlberg, writer, speaker, and filmmaker, will deliver the commencement address at the Holy Apostles 67th Commencement Ceremony. Holy Apostles will bestow an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters (L.H.D.), honoris causa, upon Mr. Wahlberg in recognition of his notable contributions to society.
The commencement exercises will take place on Saturday, April 26, 2025, in Our Lady Queen of the Apostles Chapel on the Holy Apostles campus. Festivities will begin on Friday evening with the Holy Apostles Gala held at St. Clements Castle & Marina featuring special guest The Most Reverend Christoper J. Coyne, 6th Archbishop of Hartford, and a keynote address from Mr. Wahlberg.
Jim Wahlberg is the Executive Director of the Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation, which partners with other youth organizations to improve the lives of inner-city youth. He is also the founder and CEO of Wahl St. Productions, a full-service production company that independently produces films, television, and web content. He has worked in the field of addiction recovery for more than 25 years and Wahl St. Productions is credited with the films Circle of Addiction: A Different Kind of Tears (2018), If Only (2015), and What About the Kids (2020) designed to show the harsh realities and remove the stigma of addiction.
Jim Wahlberg is also the Executive Producer of Fathom Event’s #1 documentary of the yearMother Teresa: No Greater Love which was released in the U.S. in 2022 and internationally in 2023. Most recently he produced Jesus Thirsts: The Miracle of the Eucharist, a documentary that takes viewers on a global journey to uncover the transformative power of the Eucharist. Jesus Thirsts won #1 Documentary of 2024.
Currently, he is producing Carlo Acutis: Roadmap to Reality, exploring the life of Blessed Carlo Acutis, a film that is scheduled for a limited release between April 27-29, 2025, coinciding with his April 27 canonization date.
Mr. Wahlberg is also an author, having written the autobiography titled The Big Hustle, the story of his personal journey of recovery, with Jim Caviezel writing the forward. He is a gifted speaker and truthful storyteller who impactfully recounts the challenges and triumphs in his life to bring hope to others facing difficult situations.
Holy Apostles College and Seminarywww.holyapostles.edu is a NECHE and ATS accredited college with a mission of preparing and educating seminarians, consecrated, and lay students for the New Evangelization through undergraduate and graduate programs. Students have access to faithfully Catholic, truly affordable, and fully online programs as well as residential religious programs in historic Cromwell, Connecticut. As a pioneer in online learning, Holy Apostles is one of the first theological schools to offer 100% online graduate programs. Alumni and faculty of the institution include internationally recognized leaders and experts in apologetics, philosophy, and theology.
Media Contact:
Ms. Beverly Tryon
Associate Vice President of Institutional Advancement
Holy Apostles College & Seminary [email protected]
In this Jubilee Year of Hope, join us for a special retreat with
Fr. Mark Yavarone, OMV
Ignatian Discernment Institute
An Ignatian Path to Hope: 14 Practical Guidelines
All of us experience ups and downs in our daily spiritual life: times when God feels close and we have spiritual energy, and times when that energy wanes, and we struggle with discouragement. In fourteen practical guidelines (“rules”), St. Ignatius of Loyola offers invaluable aid toward understanding this experience, finding freedom from discouragement, and living our daily lives with joy.
On Saturday, March 15 9:00 am – 4:00 pm Holy Apostles College & Seminary 33 Prospect Hill Road, Cromwell, CT
Fr. Mark Yavarone, OMV, Graduated from St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia in 1987. He earned a Ph.D from the University of North Carolina in 1991. He made his perpetual profession of vows in 1999 at the Oblates of the Virgin Mary in Boston and was ordained a priest in 2000.
He was an Associate Pastor at St. Andrew’s Parish in Avenel, NJ, is certified in spiritual direction, was a missionary in the Philippines, served as a member of the faculty at Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary in Weston, MA, and Director of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Retreat Center in Venice, FL. In December 2024 he was assigned to Denver, CO to cofound the fledgling Ignatian Discernment Institute with Fr. Timothy Gallagher, OMV.
It is said to have been brought from the Mideast to Europe by the Knights Templar, and it is purportedly the most studied artifact in history. But the greatest claim made for this cloth is that it is the actual burial cloth of Christ. What is it, where did it come from, can it really be the burial cloth of Christ – wasn’t it proven a fake?
Come hear Deacon Ben LoCasto answer these questions in a one-hour discussion.
Deacon LoCasto is a Permanent Deacon of the Diocese of Norwich, serving the Parish of the Good Shepherd. He is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, a certified Spiritual Director, as well as the Northeast Commander of the Templars Today.
Tuesday, March 25, 2025 | 7:00 pm – 8:00 pmSt. Peter’s Hall33 Prospect Hill Road,Cromwell, CT
Rev. Wade Menezes, CPM shares how he was led to the priesthood, to the Fathers of Mercy and to his important ministry today.
Fr. Wade is a summa cum laude graduate of the Holy Apostles Class of 2000, with dual Master of Arts in Theology and Master of Divinity degrees. Coupled with prior degrees in journalism and communications, he has been successful in his utilization of TV, radio, and print to evangelize as a priest.
Fr. Wade is also the host of EWTN Global Catholic Radio’s Open Line Tuesday and has been featured on other stations, such as Ave Maria Radio, Guadalupe Radio Network, Catholic Broadcasting Northwest, and more.
At the 66th Commencement Ceremony in May, Fr. Wade received an Honorary Doctorate of Moral Theology for his impactful work in evangelization. He emphasized in his commencement speech that we are all called to “defend truth and faith as our Catholic calling.”
Fr. Mark Yavarone, OMV, Graduated from St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia in 1987. He earned a Ph.D from the University of North Carolina in 1991. He made his perpetual profession of vows in 1999 at the Oblates of the Virgin Mary in Boston and was ordained a priest in 2000.
