In 1976 he married Maureen O’Gorman, also from Peterborough, and they have three adult children. In 2002 Crowley was accepted into the Hamilton permanent diaconate program and on June 10, 2006, was ordained a Permanent Deacon for the diocese.
In 2008, his wife died after a long history of battling multiple sclerosis.
He prayed for years for guidance as to how he should live his life after his wife died. The answer to his prayers came in the call to be a priest.
“When I was going through the permanent diaconate program, some of the people in my community, parish and friends, said, ‘Oh, what do your children think about you becoming a deacon? And how are they going to refer to you?’ ” said Crowley. “And I said, ‘Well, sometimes they just refer to me as Deacon Dad.’ And now people are asking me similar, ‘What do your children think of you becoming a priest?’ And I said, ‘Well, now they’ll just go back to calling me Father.’ ”
After Crowley retired, he was given permission to return to St. Augustine’s Seminary for priestly formation.
To his children, ordinand is 'Father' once again
By Catholic Register Staff
{mosimage}Editor’s note: This is one in our series of profiles on the men who will graduate from St. Augustine’s Seminary this spring and be ordained to the priesthood for various dioceses.
Stephen Crowley was born and raised in Peterborough, Ont., and attended St. Peter’s High School, Trent University and later St. Lawrence College in Kingston where he received a diploma in medical laboratory technology.
Stephen Crowley was born and raised in Peterborough, Ont., and attended St. Peter’s High School, Trent University and later St. Lawrence College in Kingston where he received a diploma in medical laboratory technology.
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