St. Timothy's and St. Rita Churches

Father Joshua Barrow

On Saturday, June 27,  Father Joshua Barrow, Father Ryan Simas and Father Nicholas Fleming  celebrated their ordination to the priesthood at 10 a.m. in the Cathedral of SS. Peter and Paul. Bishop Thomas J. Tobin presided at the ordination, which marked the final step in the vocational process for the three young men. The three candidates bear much in common. All three graduated from Rhode Island public schools in 2007, entering the Seminary of Our Lady of Providence soon afterward. The three also attended Providence College, graduating in 2011 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy.

Father Barrow, son of Mary Barrow and Jonathan Stratton, is a native of Warwick. After graduating from Providence College, he went on to study at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome, where he earned a Bachelor of Sacred Theology degree. While a seminarian, he completed summer assignments at Our Lady, Queen of Martyrs, Woonsocket (2011), St. Pius X, Westerly (2013) and SS. John and Paul, Coventry (2014). He was ordained to the transitional diaconate in 2014 by Cardinal Donald Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington in St. Peter’s Basilica, Rome. Father  Barrow celebrated his first Mass on Sunday, June 28 at 12:30 p.m. at St. Timothy Church in Warwick.

Father Simas, son of Maureen (Simas) Krocka and the late Dennis Krocka, is a native of West Warwick. After graduating from Providence College, he went on to study at St. John’s Seminary in Brighton, Massachusetts, where he earned a Master of Divinity degree. While a seminarian, he completed summer assignments at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Bristol (2012) and St. Patrick, Providence (2013). He also attended the Institute for Priestly Formation at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska in 2011. He was ordained to the transitional diaconate in 2014 by Auxiliary Bishop Robert C. Evans and served as a deacon at St. Philip Parish in Greenville. Father Simas  celebrated his first Mass on Sunday, June 28 at 2:30 p.m. at SS. John and James Church in West Warwick.

Father Fleming, son of Elaine and Timothy Fleming, is a native of Tiverton. After graduating from Providence College, he also went on to study at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome and earn a Bachelor of Sacred Theology degree. While a seminarian, he completed summer assignments at Blessed Sacrament, Providence (2011), St. Joseph, Woonsocket (2013) and St. Bernard, Wickford (2014). He was ordained to the transitional diaconate in 2014 by Cardinal Wuerl in St. Peter’s Basilica, Rome. Father Fleming  celebrated his first Mass on Sunday, June 28 at 9:30 a.m. at Holy Ghost Church in Tiverton. Both he and Father Barrow will return to Rome to continue their studies.