Deacon William Sylvia

When was the first time you thought of the priesthood?
In high school. I was involved in my parish as an altar server, CCD teacher, and in the youth group. I was also a member of the campus ministry group at school. With all this involvement, I met a lot of great priests who were great examples for me and made me think about the priesthood.

How did your family/friends respond to you entering the seminary?
My family and friends were all very supportive. Although they were surprised when I verbalized my desire to enter the seminary, I do not think many were shocked.

When you were younger, what did you think you were going to be?
I thought about becoming a teacher or a social worker.

What is your favorite Scripture passage? Why?
The Transfiguration (Mk 9:2-8). I like it for several reasons. It manifests Jesus as Lord, especially how He is described as looking, and that image of Jesus gives me hope. Having Moses and Elijah there reflecting the Law and the Prophets reflect the covenants God had made with the Chosen People, and the New Covenant that is about to be established in Jerusalem. Lastly, I spend most time reflecting on the Apostles Peter, James, and John, who were lying prostrate with their eyes covered. That reminds me of the graces God gives me everyday that I do not notice.

What is your favorite book?
It is hard to list just one book. I can definitely say that my favorite genre is Christian fantasy, which includes such works as Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia. It is great sifting through the prose and imagery to find Christ and Revelation presented in new ways.

What are some of your favorite and most important spiritual readings / books / passages?
I love to read spiritual masters like St. Alphonsus Liguori, St. Francis de Sales, and St. Louis de Montfort. I also like to read books by Fr. Benedict Groeschel, Pope John Paul II, and Pope Benedict XVI.

Who influenced/ inspired you to priesthood?
There are several people who inspired me to discern a call to priesthood. First were my parents. They maintained a spiritual atmosphere in the house and really taught me the faith. Also there are several priests in my life like Fr. Frank Mahoney, Fr. David Costa, Fr. Ed Murphy, and others that gave me such a great example of what it means to serve as a priest.

What was one of the hardest things for you in your discernment?
Feeling too unique. When I graduated from high school, I was the only person in my class who was going to enter any type of religious life. It was hard to relate to my classmates because no one knew what I was experiencing or going through.

What do you think a person who is trying to discern their vocation should be doing to help make their discernment easier?
Any person discerning a vocation needs to find a good priest to act as his/her spiritual director. There is a lot of noise and clutter in our world today. A spiritual director will help clear out that clutter and give the person discerning the tools he/she needs in order to discern.

What do you consider to be one of the great challenges for a priest today?
To keep up with the demands for priestly ministry. There are several priests I know who are performing many tasks at the same time, which can make things harder to accomplish.

Bill's Previous Assignments:

Summer 2005: Study in Mexico &
Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, New Bedford
Summer 2006: Diocesan Mission in Honduras
Summer 2007: Notre Dame Parish, Fall River