Special congratulations to the St. John Vianney College Seminary Class of 2011!!

Chapel of St. Raphael, SJVCS

Last evening, Archbishop Thomas Wenski, the Very Rev. Roberto Garza (Rector/President), faculty and staff, fellow seminarians, and guests celebrated the graduation of 22 men from SJVCS in Miami. The graduation ceremonies represent the culmination of the initial step on the journey to the priesthood for these young…well, mostly young men. Depending on their educational achievements prior to entering seminary, these men have spent anywhere between two and four years attempting to comprehend the vast and exciting world of philosophy. (If you couldn’t tell, I’m being sarcastic.) The reception of their degrees last night, however, signifies that they are now ready to move on to the study of theology.

As most of you know, I studied philosophy at St. John Vianney College Seminary for two years. Though I decided to leave at the end of the last academic year, these graduates–my former classmates–have remained in my prayers as they have continued their journey towards the priesthood. Each of them have their own unique personalities and bring many gifts to the Church. I am looking forward to the day when they are, God willing, ordained priests. They are an excellent group of guys who have a deep desire to serve the Church and our Lord.

To the graduates: I am very thankful for the opportunity to have walked with you on this journey. No matter what the Lord calls us to in life, we will always be connected by a common bond: we once shared in a unique journey of faith that led us to develop a deep and personal relationship with God.

Congrats, fellas! Please know that you all continue to be in my prayers and I ask that you please keep me in yours. We continue to be brothers in Christ.

Side note: If you’re interested in finding out more on the Chapel of St. Raphael on the property of the seminary, here is an old newspaper article from Miami: http://library.stu.edu/ulma/va/3005/1966/01-21-1966.pdf [This is a PDF!] . It’s pretty interesting, you should check it out.

Icon of St. John Vianney

Well folks, it is amazing how fast this year has gone. A year ago today, the Catholic Church began a yearlong celebration of the life of St. John Vianney and the celebration of priests. Known as the Year for Priests, the Holy Father called it a time in which all priests would be invited to deepen their commitment “to interior renewal for the sake of a stronger and more incisive witness to the Gospel in today’s world.”

Throughout this past year, the interior renewal called upon by Pope Benedict took on a new meaning for all Catholics as news erupted of more clergy sex abuse scandals throughout the world. It has been a difficult period for the Church; however, through the experiences of this year, we have come to understand Christ’s suffering, death and resurrection in a new light.  As the  apostles and first disciples of Jesus were weary after his death, so too are we. Even so, we have trust and hope that the Lord will awaken a new springtime in the Church.

A few days ago, the Holy Father concluded the ceremonies of the Year for Priests with a special Mass in St. Peter’s Square with 15,000 priests from across the world concelebrating. In his homily, Benedict stated:

A very good morning to all of you! The Triduum arrives tonight with the celebration of the Mass of the Lord’s Supper where we will witness the institution of the Priesthood of Jesus Christ.

As we have seen over recent days and weeks, the priesthood is taking a beating by the media as a result of the news of the sexual abuse scandals. As you go about your day, please remember those priests who have touched your life. Thank the Lord for their “yes” to serving His people. If you have the chance, thank those priests personally and let them know how much they have touched your life. Because of recent weeks, that thank you could mean something so much more than usual.

Also, please remember to pray for all the bishops of the Catholic Church who have been given the task of shepherding  the Church through these difficult days. In a special way, pray for Pope Benedict who needs more prayers than usual these days.