Co-President Bishop Austin Vetter recently traveled to Rome in his role as Chairman of the Board of Governors for the Pontifical North American College, the seminary for U.S. students studying in Rome. He was there to participate in the Diaconate Ordination, where Helena seminarian Kaleb Mitchell was ordained a deacon. Three additional seminarians from the Diocese of Helena are also currently studying at the college, all of whom are Carroll College graduates (Jamie Severson ‘19, Carter Anderson ‘19, and Shae Bills '22).
During his time in Rome, Bishop Vetter attended the Wednesday Papal Audience, where bishops meet the Holy Father. Among the tens of thousands gathered in St. Peter’s Square that morning was Ray Shipman, Bishop Vetter’s assistant and a 2022 Carroll graduate, along with his wife Riley, also a member of the Class of 2022. The couple’s young son, Thomas, received a blessing from Pope Leo during the audience – an unforgettable moment captured in this video.
“We arrived at dawn to find a place near the path where the Pope would pass,” Ray shared. “With help from fellow Catholics from around the world, we made it to the front and when Pope Leo was presented with Thomas by a member of the Swiss guard, he turned and blessed Thomas. It was incredibly moving to watch my child receive a blessing from the Holy Father, and even more so when Pope Leo made eye contact with me. I said, ‘thank you,’ and he nodded back.”