Lectors and Acolytes
On Thursday, February 4, 2010, thirteen seminarians from the Archdiocese of Baltimore and the Dioceses of Camden, Greensburg, Portland, Richmond, Syracuse, Trenton, and Wilmington were installed in the Ministry of Lector. Twenty-one seminarians from the Archdiocese of Baltimore and the Dioceses of Albany, Camden, Manchester, Paterson, Syracuse, Trenton, and Wilmington were installed in the Ministry of Acolyte. Bishop John M. Smith of the Diocese of Trenton and a member of the Board of St. Mary’s Seminary & University presided. He was joined by Bishop Jean-Yves Riocreux (SMSU ‘75) of the Diocese of Pontoise, France, and a former Rector of the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris, who was visiting his alma mater.
St. Mary’s Seminarians March for Life
Organized by Mr. Christopher DeLeon, a pre-theologian of the Archdiocese of Baltimore and chair of the seminary Right to Life subcommittee, St. Mary’s Seminary & University participated in activities associated with the Right to Life March on January 22.
On Thursday evening a group of seminarians joined Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, the Chair of the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops Pro-Life Committee and an estimated 18,000 others in the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception for a Vigil Mass. St. Mary’s seminarians also participated in the all-night Eucharistic Adoration for Life at the National Shrine, assuming responsibility for the 2-3 AM time slot.
On Friday morning other seminarians and faculty departed shortly before 6 AM on a chartered bus, using the travel time for prayer and reflection. They joined 20,000 other young people for a morning Youth Rally for Life at Washington’s Verizon Center, and then joined 150,000 marchers at the Washington Monument. The final destination, the United States Supreme Court building, was the sight of the seminary community gathered in prayer for an end to abortion in our land and the protection of the right to life of all people.
Candidacy
On Thursday, November 12, 2009, five seminarians—James Akwarandu of the Archdiocese of Baltimore; Carlos Florez of the Diocese of Trenton; Matthew Hardesty of the Archdiocese of Louisville; Marcin Nowicki of the Diocese of Worcester; and James Schultz of the Diocese of Syracuse—were admitted into Candidacy by the Most Reverend Richard B. Higgins, Auxiliary Bishop for Military Services.
Candidacy is a liturgical rite of admission requested by a seminarian of his own Ordinary, which formally acknowledges and enrolls him as a candidate for Sacred Orders.
Congratulations!
New Pastors Program
From November 1-5, twenty new or about-to-be-named canonical pastors from eight dioceses (Altoona-Johnstown, Arlington, Baltimore, Boston, Dallas, Erie, Washington, Wilmington) gathered at St. Mary’s Center for Continuing Formation for a program addressing this transition in their priestly life and ministry.
On the first full day, presentations focused on "The Pastor as Person" (self assessment; facing challenges; canonical role of pastor; personal emotional/physical health). On the second day focus shifted to "The Pastor as Leader in Communion", with presentations on theology of communio; civil law and administration; mergers and transitions; human resource management). Day Three saw "The Pastor as Steward", focusing on council and staff; financing and budgeting; physical plant; stewardship and fundraising. The final day was a conference of spiritual encouragement on St. Peter as a transformed shepherd.
The next New Pastors’ workshop is scheduled for November, 2010, at the Center for Continuing Formation.
Alumni Day at St. Mary's
Over 120 alumni from St. Charles College, St. Mary’s Seminary College and St. Mary’s Seminary & University gathered on October 21st and 22nd to celebrate the annual Alumni Days at Roland Park. Anniversary classes celebrated their class dinners on Wednesday evening and then joined the entire seminarian community on Thursday, October 21st for Mass and luncheon. Archbishop Edwin F. O’Brien, Archbishop of Baltimore, Chairman of the Board of Trustees and Chancellor of the University, was the main celebrant. Very Rev. David Foley, retired bishop of Birmingham and alumnus (St. Charles College 1950, St. Mary’s 1956), Most Rev. David Choby, Bishop of Nashville concelebrated the Mass. Fr. Thomas R. Hurst, S.S., President Rector and alumnus (St. Mary’s 1973) was the homilist. Fr. Hurst presented the Jean Jacques Olier Distinguished Alumnus Medal to Msgr. Owen Campion, (St. Mary’s 1966) in recognition of his work in the Catholic press. Fr. Hurst commented of Msgr. Campion's work as editor of The Priest magazine that "this periodical addresses important questions for the ministry and life of the priest today in an insightful, balanced and pastoral manner." http://www.dioceseofnashville.com/a-campion.htm
Annual Dunning Lecture Features
Dr. George Hunsinger
Despite the rain and cold, some 250 people came out on Thursday, October 15 to hear Dr. George Hunsinger of Princeton Theological Seminary deliver the Ecumenical Institute of Theology’s annual Dunning Lecture, entitled “Torture and Christians.” Dr. Hunsinger is the Hazel McCord Professor of Systematic Theology at Princeton, the founder of the National Religious Campaign Against Torture, and the editor of Torture Is a Moral Issue: Christians, Jews, Muslims, and People of Conscience Speak Out (Eerdmans, 2008).
During the lecture, Dr. Hunsinger noted that although torture is ineffective, unethical, and illegal under domestic and international law, it is still practiced, and it is deemed ethical in certain situations by more than half of the Christians polled in a recent survey.
Dr. Hunsinger combined knowledge with passion in his address, which was followed by a period of questions and answers. Earlier in the day, he had met with the Seminary and Ecumenical Institute faculty, and he was interviewed by Dan Rodricks on Baltimore’s WYPR radio station.
A DVD of the lecture is available from the E.I. office for $10 (prepaid; includes shipping). Contact Duffy Laws at eisupport@stmarys.edu.
St. Mary’s Seminary Receives Grant
St. Mary’s Seminary & University has been awarded a $200,000 grant from The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations. This three year grant will underwrite our new faculty position, Director of Spiritual Life Programs. Rev. Lawrence Terrien, S.S. has been appointed to the position.
The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations are located in Jacksonville, Florida and support theological education, health care and education. St. Mary’s received a grant from the foundations in 1998 to support its theological library.
Pastoral Formation at St. Mary's
St. Mary’s Pastoral Formation Program prepares pastors for a Church changing rapidly in demographics, ministry models, professional standards, and cultural diversity. Newly-ordained priests will assume pastorates earlier in their careers, with a foreseeable higher workload than in the past.
Deacons exercise their ministry in local parishes, developing an understanding of pastoral administration and leadership by coordinating seminarian Pastoral Learning Teams, made up of 3T seminarians working as catechists and 1T seminarians participating in RCIA. This year these parishes include the Catholic Community of South Baltimore, St. Michael/St. Patrick, and St. Ambrose in Baltimore, and Sacred Heart (Glyndon), St. John (Westminster), St. Joseph (Fullerton), Holy Apostles (Gambrills), Holy Trinity (Glen Burnie), Immaculate Conception (Towson), and Our Lady of Grace (Parkton).
2T seminarians minister to the sick and suffering at Bon Secours, Good Samaritan, Johns Hopkins, Mercy, St. Agnes, and St. Joseph Hospitals.
Pre-theologians practice ministry of presence with the poor and suffering, at Joseph Richey Hospice, Gift of Hope Hospice, Food for Thought Children’s Literacy Program, St. Elizabeth’s Rehabilitation Center, St. Ambrose Family Outreach Center, Our Daily Bread Soup Kitchen, Baltimore City Juvenile Center, and Franciscan Center Emergency Services.
Student Government at St. Mary’s
As part of the Sulpician characteristic of communauté éducatrice, i.e. the community as an agent of formation, St. Mary’s encourages seminarians to take an active part in leadership and community building as training for future priestly ministry.
Last Spring the seminarian community elected Rev. Mr. Christopher Ballard of the Diocese of Syracuse as Student Body President. In that role he acts as student representative to the Rector, serving as the seminarian representative at appropriate public ceremonies, liturgical celebrations, and all meetings of the Board of Trustees.
The House Council has three standing committees. The Liturgy Committee is responsible, under the direction of the Faculty Council and the House Council, for planning and coordinating the liturgical life of the seminary. Last Spring the seminarian community elected Alan Tremblay of the Diocese of Manchester as Chair of the Liturgy Community. Joining him are recently elected representatives from each class.
The Peace and Justice Committee budgets, coordinates, and plans activities which promote peace and justice. Last Spring the seminarian community elected Rev. Mr. Jonathan Goertz of the Diocese of Richmond as its chair.
The Community Life Committee budgets, coordinates, and plans activities to help build morale among members of the seminary community. Last Spring the seminarian community elected Rev. Mr. Michael Hall of the Diocese of Trenton as its chair.
Welcome to New Faculty
St. Mary’s Seminary and University is pleased to welcome three new members of the seminary faculty. Fr. Luis Corneli is a priest of the Archdiocese of Santiago del Ertero (Argentina) and a candidate member of the Society of St. Sulpice. He earned both civil and canonical law degrees from the Catholic University of Argentina, and comes to St. Mary’s as Assistant Professor of Canon Law from the faculty of St. Patrick’s Seminary in Menlo Park, CA.
Fr. Edward Griswold is a priest of the Diocese of Trenton and an SMSU alumnus (1972). He earned a Master’s in Counseling Psychology from Rutgers University and a Doctor of Ministry from Aquinas Institute of Theology. He comes to St. Mary’s as Assistant Professor of Pastoral Theology and Director of Pastoral Formation after a varied career including Director of Vocations (1980-88); Executive Director of the National Conference of Diocesan Vocation Directors (1988-91); Associate Dean of Formation at Mundelein Seminary (1991-95), and the last twelve years as Pastor, first of St. Mary’s Church, Colts Neck, NJ, and then of St. Gregory the Great, Hamilton Square, NJ.
Fr. Lawrence Terrien, S.S., is a Sulpician of the Diocese of Arlington. An alumnus both of St. Mary’s (A.B., 1968) and of Theological College (1971), he earned doctorates in Religious Studies and Theology from Katholieke Universiteit Leuven. He served at St. Patrick’s Seminary in Menlo Park (1978-86), as Rector of Theological College in Washington (1986-1992), as Dean at St. Mary’s (1993-96), and for twelve years as Superior General of the Society of the Priests of St. Sulpice in Paris. He will serve as Associate Professor of Systematic Theology and Director of Spiritual Formation Programs.
Read
Fr.
Michael Barré's homily preached at the Memorial Mass for Fr. Perez at St. Mary's on September 17, 2009.
+Rev. Anthony Perez, S.S.
In sorrow, St. Mary’s Seminary & University announces the passing of our Vice Rector Fr. Anthony Perez, S.S. Fr. Perez died of an apparent heart attack on Saturday morning, September 12, while playing racquetball. He was fifty-seven.
Fr. Perez will be remembered as a liturgist who celebrated and organized the Liturgy of the Church with great love, exactness, and zeal; as a professor who sought to impart that same love of liturgy to seminarians whom he taught; as a mentor who stressed the need for personal configuration of the priest and seminarian to the Priesthood of Jesus Christ; as a tireless, dedicated, generous, and caring spiritual director; as a hard-working and friendly colleague; as a good person, and most simply yet profoundly, a good priest. May he rest in peace, and may we who mourn him, together with his seven brothers and sisters and numerous nieces and nephews both in Guam and in the United States, be consoled by the thought of a life well-lived both in wisdom and in grace.
Welcome New Students!
St. Mary’s Seminary & University welcomed twenty-two new seminarians to its seminary community. Student leadership and seminarian volunteers helped the new seminarians move in and feel welcomed and at home at St. Mary’s during its 2009 Introduction to Seminary Life Program, August 27-31. The new seminarians come from nine dioceses, and were born from Colombia to the Philippines to throughout the United States. Read more...
St. Mary's Celebration of the Year for Priests
Pope Benedict XVI opened The Year for Priests on the 150th anniversary of the death of St. John Vianney, the patron of parish priests. St. Mary’s Seminary & University, whose primary mission is to form men to be priests after the heart of Christ, the Good Shepherd and High Priest, will celebrate this year with a series of Masses, prayer services, talks and days of reflection.
Over the course of this year we will post on this website a series of short articles on aspects of the priesthood. The first of these reflections on The Priesthood of Jesus is available here with this opening letter. The article first appeared in The Catholic Review of the Archdiocese of Baltimore.