OPENING BANQUETS
Kicking Off the Semester at the Casa Santa Maria Rev. John P. Cush ‘98, C‘15, Diocese of Brooklyn
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his academic year at the Casa Santa Maria began with much gratitude to God and much hopeful expectation. In June, Monsignor Michael Osborn ‘92, C‘99 began his generous service to our community of priests as our interim superior, ably assisted by Monsignor Cornelius McCrae, spiritual director of the Casa alongside his duties at the Janiculum. Joining the Casa’s community of priests this year were twenty-nine new priests, some newly ordained fifth-year priests from the North American College and some veterans, all beginning or continuing studies on the graduate level at the various pontifical universities. The total number of priests at the Casa Santa Maria this year is close to seventy, making it one of the largest communities of diocesan priests in the world. The largest single field of study for priests at the Casa this year is canon law, followed by studies in dogmatic theology, sacred scripture, and the rest of the theological disciplines. On Saturday, October 12, we began the academic year with our annual house meeting. We were welcomed by Monsignor James Checchio ‘92, C‘97, Rector of the North American College, and were given orientation by Monsignor Michael Farmer ‘95, Vice-Rector and Economo, along with Monsignor McRae and Monsignor Osborn. Following the meeting, Archbishop J. Augustine DiNoia O.P.,
14 The Pontifical North American College
secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, was the principal celebrant of the anticipatory Sunday Mass, and was joined in concelebration by Bishop Robert Morlino, C‘90 and the priests of the Casa. Following Mass was a reception in the Casa’s Red Room, along with a wonderful banquet for which we were joined by Monsignor Roger Roensch ‘57, Monsignor Robert Trisco ‘55, our long-time supporter Mr. Jack Ball, the Religious Sisters of Mercy of Alma, Michigan who staff the Visitors’ Office, and the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist who staff our Library. The Sisters Servants of Mary Immaculate and the dedicated personale who staff the Casa Santa
Maria were recognized at the banquet in a special way for their loving care and service to all of our priests. Under the leadership of Monsignor Osborn, we look forward to many blessings this semester at the Casa. Please pray for the student priests of this house, all studying for their licenses and doctorates, our staff priests, Monsignor Osborn and Monsignor McRae, and our dedicated religious sisters and personale, who make our lives so much easier each day. Pray that we may, under the patronage of Our Lady, Seat of Wisdom, grow in our knowledge of the faith, and, in this Year of Faith with its call for the New Evangelization, be able to express that faith to all those to whom we minister.
From left to right: Rev. Msgr Michael A.Osborn ‘92 C‘99 (interim Superior of the Casa Santa Maria) Rev. Msgr. Connie McRae (Spiritual Director at the Casa), Archbishop Augustine DiNoia, OP, Bishop Robert C. Morlino, Rev. Msgr. James Checchio ‘92 C‘97, and Rev. Msgr. Michael Farmer ’95.