Msgr. Michael Carruthers

The 50th Anniversary celebrations are well underway. Last evening, a small portion of the alumni gathered in the Holy Apostles Refectory for a Cocktail Reception/Gathering where they were given an opportunity to reflect on their time here at St. John Vianney College Seminary with some of their old classmates. There were three former seminarians there that attended the seminary during its high school days in 1959. (For those of you who did not know, the seminary used to be four years of high school and two years of college, which changed in the late 1970s when the Archdiocese of Miami took over control of the day-to-day operations of the seminary.)

This morning, the “welcoming” festivities continued with a Morning of Recollection. Monsignor Michael Carruthers, Rector/President of St. John Vianney reflected on the role of the minor seminary during Mid-day Prayer in St. Raphael’s Chapel. Msgr. Carruthers stated that the role of the minor seminary is to help young men who are discerning the Priesthood of Jesus Christ to “develop a deep, intimate relationship with our Lord.”

Dr. Charles Cox

After mid-day prayer, Monsignor Terrance Hogan, Rector of St. Mary’s Cathedral in Miami led a  panel reflection/sharing session with a Priest alumni, a lay alumni, and a faculty member. Monsignor Pablo Navarro shared with those present about how St. John Vianney helped him shape his priestly ministry. Bill Horton, a former seminarian who graduated from SJVCS, spoke about how the education he received at the seminary helped him to show God’s love to others in his workplace. He is currently in his fourth year of preparation for the Permanent Diaconate and will be ordained a Deacon in the very near future. Dr. Charles Cox, the longest serving faculty member of the seminary, spoke about how St. John Vianney has impacted his life by saying that he has been “honored to serve her majesty, holy Mother Church.”

More celebrations will be experienced later on this evening. More pictures to come!!

PHOTOs SOURCE: St. John Vianney College Seminary