GREETINGS FROM SEMINARY - Thomas Crowley

Greetings from St. Paul, Minnesota! My name is Thomas Crowley and I am one of three seminarians from our parish currently attending St. John Vianney College Seminary. On behalf of myself, Mason Abbot, and Brandon Amburn, I want to personally thank you all for your prayers and support. The prayers of a parish are truly a powerful force and we need your prayers as we strive to do the Lord’s will.

Many people ask: what is seminary like? On a typical weekday, we pray a holy hour and Lauds (Morning Prayer) before the Blessed Sacrament beginning at 6:30 am. Then it’s off to classes at the University of St. Thomas between 8:00 am - 4:00 pm, followed by Evening Prayer and Mass at 5:00 pm. The schedule varies slightly, but a daily holy hour, mass, and morning and evening prayer are foundational to the life of the seminary. Our schedule throughout the week also includes regular meetings with the men on our building floor, spiritual conferences, dedicated hours of study, fraternity and recreation, and much more.

Our chapel is the true home of every man here, and from that place of intimacy with Jesus flows everything else. This allows us to truly love each other as brothers and helps us build each other up in holiness.

We also take time to have fun, whether playing ultimate frisbee, football, a board or card games, watching movies, singing...I could go on and on. As Brandon said to me recently, there is a surprising and incredible diversity of men in the seminary: basically any type of personality you can think of is represented. Even with the incredible diversity of people, the seminary helps us develop a strong sense of brotherhood. Mason calls it a “beautiful genuineness,” and we all agree that this incredible brotherhood exists because Jesus Christ himself is at the center. One of my favorite parts of seminary is the abiding presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Our chapel is the true home of every man here, and from that place of intimacy with Jesus flows everything else. This allows us to truly love each other as brothers and helps us build each other up in holiness.

One of our priests often tells us that the seminary is like a “spiritual greenhouse,” designed to facilitate our growth. Seminary has helped me grow in greater reliance on Christ. As one who struggles with pride, it’s been tough learning that I can’t truly do anything on my own. But it has also been an incredibly freeing experience, learning the Lord’s personal love for me and how He desires to carry me through life in His loving arms. For Brandon, the Lord has been helping him grow in charity. He shared that in high school he struggled with gossip, but that since he’s been here through a growth in prayer life, grace from the Lord, and conviction and support from his brothers, he’s grown in charity and developed a capacity to love others more authentically. The Lord has also been drawing Mason into a deeper relationship with the Blessed Virgin Mary, and he’s been preparing to make a total consecration to Mary with the help of the book 33 Days to Morning Glory.

So, that is a little peek into our life as seminarians and the transformation the Lord is working in us. I want to thank you once again for your prayers as the three of us continue to discern and grow. Please continue to pray for us and all of those young men at Resurrection who may be considering the call to the priesthood. We would not be where we are without you; know that we carry you in our hearts and prayers as we see you all in the Eucharist each morning. We wish you all a very blessed and Merry Christmas and our hope and prayer for you all is that you invite Christ to dwell in each of your hearts as we strive to do the same!