Roman Echoes 2014 - Issue 7

The Pontifical North American College

INSIDE THIS ISSUE: • Acolyte Installation • Station Church Pilgrimage • Carl J. Peter Lecture • Exam Period • Alumni Spotlight

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EDITORIAL STAFF EDITOR IN CHIEF Geoffrey A. Brooke Jr. ‘15 Diocese of Jefferson City

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LAYOUT & DESIGN MANAGER Anthony Klimko ‘15 Diocese of Greensburg MANAGING EDITOR Kevin Staley-Joyce ‘16 Archdiocese of Boston ASSISTANT EDITORS Paul Haverstock ‘16 Archdiocese of Minneapolis-St. Paul & Donato Infante III ‘15 Diocese of Worcester & Zac Povis ‘15 Archdiocese of St. Louis & Ruben Villareal ‘15 Diocese of Lake Charles LAYOUT & DESIGN EDITORS Nicholas Fleming ‘15 Diocese of Providence & Corey Tufford ‘16 Diocese of San Diego PHOTOGRAPHERS Michael Rubeling ‘15 Archdiocese of Baltimore & Kyle Manglona ‘16 Archdiocese of Seattle & Michael Lund ‘16 Diocese of Pembroke

FRONT COVER A view of the new addition to the college taken from the cupola of the Papal Basilica of Saint Peter.

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FEATURES/CONTENTS

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RECTOR’S CORNER Rev. Msgr. James Checchio ‘92, C‘97 ACOLYTE INSTALLATION Jesus Ledezma ‘16 LENTEN STATION CHURCHES Daniel Davis ‘16 COLLEGE PLAY Conor Steadman ‘15 BUILDING EXPANSION UPDATE LENTEN PENANCE REFLECTION Jonathan More ‘17 EXAM PERIOD EXPERIENCE Nicholas Colalella ‘15 LIFE AT THE COLLEGE IN-HOUSE RETREAT Rev. Mr. Taylor Reynolds ‘14 CARL J. PETER LECTURE Joshua Barrow ‘15 FORMATION IN PREACHING Joshua Neu ‘15 ICTE PILGRIMAGE Rev. Robert Wedow LIFE AT THE CASA Rev. John Cush ‘98, C‘16 ONE YEAR WITH POPE FRANCIS Kevin Staley-Joyce ‘16 ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT Geoffrey A. Brooke Jr. ‘15 SCOTT HAHN LECTURE Rev. Mr. Thomas Schleup ‘14 INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT Mark Randall, CFRE ECONOMO’S CORNER Rev. Msgr. Michael Farmer ‘95 2014 • ISSUE 7

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BOARD OF GOVERNORS of the Pontifical North American College CHAIRMAN Most Rev. John J. Myers ‘67 Archbishop of Newark VICE CHAIRMAN Most Rev. John C. Nienstedt ‘73, C‘84 Archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis TREASURER Most Rev. Frank J. Dewane ‘88, C‘89 Bishop of Venice

The Statue of Jesus taken down from the Cross and placed in arms of Mary, located in the Cortile of the College.

SECRETARY Most Rev. Patrick J. Zurek ‘75 Bishop of Amarillo

Cardinal Donald W. Wuerl ‘67 Archbishop of Washington

RECTOR Rev. Msgr. James F. Checchio ‘92, C‘97 VICE RECTOR FOR ADMINISTRATION Rev. Msgr. Michael Farmer ‘95 VICE RECTOR OF SEMINARY LIFE Rev. Timothy McKeown ‘97, C‘04 SUPERIOR, CASA SANTA MARIA Rev. Msgr. Fred Berardi C‘82 DIRECTOR, INSTITUTE FOR CONTINUING THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION Rev. Msgr. Anthony J. Figueiredo C‘00 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT Mark Randall, CFRE

Most Rev. Robert J. Carlson Archbishop of St. Louis Most Rev. Salvatore Cordileone ‘82, C‘89 Archbishop of San Francisco Most Rev. Gerald N. Dino C‘72 Byzantine Catholic Bishop of Phoenix Most Rev. Robert C. Evans ‘73, C‘89 Auxiliary Bishop of Providence Most Rev. Jeffrey Monforton ‘93, C‘02 Bishop of Steubenville Most Rev. William F. Murphy ‘65 C‘74 Bishop of Rockville Centre Most Rev. Glen J. Provost ‘75 Bishop of Lake Charles Most Rev. Michael J. Sheehan ‘65, C‘71 Archbishop of Santa Fe Most Rev. Joseph Siegel ‘88 Auxiliary Bishop of Joliet Most Rev. John Vlazny ‘62 Archbishop Emeritus of Portland

RECTOR’S CORNER

SIGNS OF NEW LIFE

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fter Lenten penances and participation in the Station Churches here in Rome, Easter is always a welcomed time! The celebration of the Triduum in Rome is indeed a sacred and uplifting time. Along with Easter comes the marvelous Roman spring, and we are filled with gratitude for the many signs of new life constantly present.

New life came to our Church again through the celebration of the canonizations of our newest saints, St. John XXIII and St. John Paul II, both of whom had a profound impact on our Church. They were also, gratefully, ardent supporters of the North American College. St. John XXIII visited the College on October 11, 1959 to mark our 100th anniversary. The seminarians of that day were often found trying to sneak in to the sessions of the Second Vatican Council which the Holy Father had convoked. St. John Paul II visited the College on February 22, 1980 to celebrate Mass, and also planted the large Redwood tree outside our Chapel of the Immaculate Conception. So many of our priests and seminarians were blessed to attend a morning Mass with this new saint in his private chapel, or to assist him at Mass at St. Peter’s.

New life comes to our College each week as applications for next year’s New Man class arrive at the College. We will again be blessed to be at capacity enrollment next year, as we have 58 new seminarians joining our community. In addition, the Casa Santa Maria already has 21 new priests registered for next year and the Institute for Continuing Theological Education has new inquiries each day.

Work continues on the 36,000-square-foot addition to the NAC seminary building, the first new major construction since Pope Pius XII dedicated the new building in 1954.

Finally, the first members of our third-year class were ordained new deacons during the Easter break, while the vast majority of the class will be ordained at St. Peter’s Basilica on October 2nd. Additionally, 53 of our current deacons will be ordained new priests over the next months. Please join in prayer for all these generous young men answering the Lord’s call.

As Pope Francis wrote in last year’s World Day of Prayer for Vocations, “Behind and before every vocation to the priesthood or consecrated life is always the strong and intense prayer of someone: a grandmother, a grandfather, a mother, a father, a community. Vocations are born in prayer and from prayer, and only in prayer can they persevere and bear fruit.”

We thank you for your prayerful support of the work of this College. We depend upon your prayers and need them, while at the same time we assure you of our prayers of thanksgiving for your generous financial and prayerful support, which sustains us and our mission—and continually helps us to see signs of new life for our Church and world.

Enjoy this edition of Roman Echoes; Vergine Immacolata, aiutateci!

Rev. Msgr. James Checchio ‘92, C‘97 Diocese of Camden Rector

Archbishop Wong, the new Secretary for Seminaries at the Congregation for Clergy, recently installed 53 new acolytes for our Church and College from amongst our second-year men who had not received this ministry at their previous seminaries.

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ACOLYTE INSTALLATION

FRATERNITY AND A STEP ON THE ROAD TO ORDINATION Jesus Ledezma ‘16, Archdiocese of New York noz Fortress, built in the fourteenth century by Pope Innocent III, and many of us took in the view from the thirteenth-century Bridge of Towers. The time we spent in Spoleto helped us recall and share some of the graces we had received since arriving together in Rome two years earlier.

Archbishop Wong and seminarian Jim Morin ‘16 (Lincoln) share a joyful exchange after the installation Mass.

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raternity occupies an important position in the formation program at the North American College. But the College’s fraternal environment does not belong to seminarians’ efforts alone. The College’s faculty bolsters fraternity by offering each class of seminarians an annual fraternity weekend spent away from Rome. The weekends echo the words of Mark’s gospel: “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while,” summing up Jesus’ invitation to his disciples to rest and pray apart from their everyday mission.

Following the example of Jesus and his disciples, the Class of 2016 had spent a weekend together in Spoleto, a beautiful mediaeval city located in 6 The Pontifical North American College

the region of Umbria. Gathering in the austere, 13th-century Church of St. Dominic for Mass, we heard from Rev. Michael Hickin, a spiritual director at the College, who pointed out that Jesus is the source and center of our fraternity as seminarians. When we entered the seminary we left behind family and friends in order to serve Christ, and yet gained new brothers and friends in our seminary years.

Breaking the routine of a demanding schedule at the College, we took advantage of the fine weather to visit the Cathedral of the Assumption of our Lady, whose Romanesque façade complements Filippo Lippi’s magnificent The Life of the Virgin fresco cycle in the apse. We also visited the Albor-

Soon after returning from our fraternity weekend, it came time to begin preparing to receive the ministry of Acolyte. This step on the road to ordination represents a closer relationship with Christ and a reaffirmation of our “Yes” to his call. The next time our class will approach the altar together will be our diaconate ordination.

Rev. Kurt Belsole, O.S.B., head of liturgy at the College, gave us our first preparations for the ministry of Acolyte, explaining the meaning and responsibilities of this ministry. The College’s master of ceremonies then trained us to serve at the celebration of the Eucharist.

On the vigil of receiving the ministry of Acolyte, we gathered together for a holy hour of prayer and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. In a reflection, Rev. Austin Vetter ‘93 reminded us that to serve at the altar is to serve Christ himself. Just as Jesus wanted his disciples to help him feed the multitude at the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves, the ministry of Acolyte represents Jesus’ invitation

to serve him at the altar even before becoming priests.

calling us to be his friends; the ministry thus brings us life.

With great joy, we received the news that our class would be installed as acolytes by Archbishop Jorge Patrón Wong, who had just been appointed

by Pope Francis as Secretary for Seminaries. In his homily, Archbishop Wong remarked that for Jesus’ friends, death is never the end. The ministry of Acolyte, he said, is Jesus

With great faith, joy, and devotion, fifty-three members of the Class of 2016 processed toward the altar to be installed as acolytes while the choir sung the antiphon from Psalm 43: “Introibo ad altare Dei, ad Deum qui laetificat iuventutem meam”: “I will go to the altar of God, the God of my gladness, the God of my joy.”

Second-year men on their fraternity weekend in Spoleto.

The newly installed acolytes pose for a final picture with Monsignor Checchio ‘92 C‘97 and Archbishop Jorge Carlos Patrón Wong, Secretary of the Sacred Congregation for the Clergy.

Join the nearly 2000 other fans at our Facebook page today! Facebook.com/ PontificalNorthAmericanCollege

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STATION CHURCH PILGRIMAGE

LENT’S DAILY JOURNEY Daniel Davis ‘16, Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend

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Seminarians and lay faithful gather to celebrate Mass at the Papal Basilica of St. Mary Major, one of the Station Churches.

bout an hour before sunrise, when the streets of Rome are quiet and the morning stars are visible over Piazza Venezia, it is not unusual during the season of Lent to see a large group of men in clerical attire marching silently from the Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, many of them with Rosaries in their hand. Their destination each morning is one of Rome’s forty Lenten Station Churches.

The Station Church devotion in which many seminarians at the North American College participate each Lent, is certainly deserving of the title “pilgrimage,” involving prayer and sacrifice in order to draw closer to our Lord Jesus.

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It takes no small amount of willpower to rise earlier than usual, with each day’s time of departure depending on the distance of the day’s station church from the College. There are mornings when one can “sleep in” and depart at 6:30 a.m. for Saint Apollinaris, or a 5:55 a.m. departure for Saint Sabina—long before the eastern sky shows any signs of life.

The trek to the station churches is no cakewalk, with one of Rome’s seven hills often between seminarians and the day’s church.

The morning walks also offer a certain serenity: The quiet Roman streets reveal a tranquil side of the Eternal City rarely seen in the otherwise busy

downtown. It is a time of both fraternity and solitude. The pilgrimage is one we do together as fellow Christians, retracing the footsteps of centuries of pilgrims before us. But since the walks are made mostly in silence, they are also times of prayer—a Rosary, Chaplet, or a conversation with God amidst the beauty of the dawn.

The Station Church devotion is also a way to imitate the life of Jesus. In the gospels, we read about how Jesus would either stay up late into the night or rise early in the morning to converse with his Father in the stillness of the first light of day. We may also recall the many journeys Jesus made on

foot with his disciples throughout the Galilean countryside. We think lastly of our Lord’s road to Calvary beneath the weight of the Cross through the streets of Jerusalem. With these recollections of Jesus’ earthly ministry in mind, we unite ourselves with him as we continue our vocational journeys.

The Station Churches also bring us into closer communion with the whole Church. Seminarians are not the only participants in the pilgrimage; many lay faithful from around the city join us for the early-morning liturgies.

We take inspiration from the further witness of the saints to whom each church is dedicated—members of the Church Triumphant who call us to join them in the heavenly liturgy.

Members of the College’s schola, directed by Leon Griesbach, sing a communion motet during a Station Church Mass.

Along with all this is the opportunity to visit some of the most beautiful and historic buildings in Rome. The Station Churches date from the early days of the Church in Rome through the Renaissance, and offer for our devotion both the complexity and grandeur of Renaissance artists and the relics of early Christian saints. The unity of the Church is evident—a unification that will be realized ultimately in heaven when we meet these saints face to face.

Our morning pilgrimages also strengthen our bond with the Holy Father, the diocesan bishop of all the Station Churches. Among the churches are the four great papal basilicas—the Basilica of St. Peter, St. Paul Outside the Walls, St. Mary Major, and St. John Lateran. In St. Peter’s, we are brought into the very heart of the Church and into the presence of Peter, our first pontiff. At St. Paul Outside the Walls, the unbroken line of apostolic succession is before our eyes as we gaze at the mosaic images of each of the 266 popes, from Peter to Francis. At St. John Lateran, the pope’s cathedral, we behold the

Seminarians and priests praying at Sant’Anastasia as they take part in the Lenten pilgrimage led by the North American College.

authority of our Holy Father not only as the Vicar of Christ, but as the shepherd of Rome. Finally, at St. Mary Major, we see testament to the love of the Blessed Mother, encouraged by pontiffs since the earliest days of the Church.

We give thanks to God for having given us this devotion which unites

us with the saints, with the pope, with each other, and ultimately with Christ himself. It is a gift we must never lose sight of—our union with Jesus Christ in the fullness of his divinity and his humanity brought about in the sacrifice of the Mass offered each day in the Station Churches. There is no grace greater than this.

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NAC PLAY

MURDER IN THE CATHEDRAL Conor Steadman ‘15, Archdiocese of Perth

Conor Steadman ‘15 (Perth) and Nicholas Colallela ‘15 (Brooklyn) rehearse for the NAC play.

—St. Thomas of Canterbury, Murder in the Cathedral

year’s production was T.S. Eliot’s Murder in the Cathedral, a dramatization of the martyrdom of St. Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury in 1170.

n March, as the weather started warming and the days began to lengthen, the Corso Auditorium was again filled with the noise of seminarian-actors rehearsing and learning lines for the Pontifical North American College’s annual spring play. This

Under the direction of director Joseph Farrell ‘15 (Arlington) and assistant director Andrew Garnett ‘15 (Rockville Centre) and moderated by Reverend David Gaffney (Providence), an intrepid band of actors signed up for roles and began rehearsing shortly before

The last temptation is the greatest treason: To do the right deed for the wrong reason.

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the new year. The poetic, dialogueheavy script could have proven daunting for some, but the cast was up to the challenge. In all, twenty actors took to the stage, and fifteen off-stage crew members, led by Set Manager Matthew Fish ‘15 (Washington D.C.), aided in the preparation and execution of the show. The musical compilation assembled by Joshua Barrow ‘15 (Providence) and Michael Rubeling ‘15 (Baltimore) created a striking

atmosphere as the actors reenacted the martyrdom of a great saint of the Church.

Many rehearsals culminated in a uniquely fraternal first performance of the play, an in-house evening performance for the College community on March 21st. The moment of truth came the following day with a matinee public performance, with many guests and friends of the College, along with three cardinals, in attendance. Besides entertaining some of Rome’s English-speaking residents, the performance offered a glimpse of seminary life unknown to many.

Given the positive reception, many expressed their anticipation for next year’s production.

Rev. Mr. Richard Hinkley ‘14 (Galveston-Houston) and Rev. Mr. Kyle Digmann ‘14 (Dubuque) take center stage.

In his Letter to Artists in 1999, Pope St. John Paul II remarked, “In order to communicate the message entrusted to her by Christ, the Church needs art.

Art must make perceptible, and as far as possible attractive, the world of the spirit, of the invisible, of God.” The cast and crew of the 2014 production at the College pray that their performance of Murder in the Cathedral may help achieve this laudable aim.

Trenton Van Reesch ‘15 (Canberra and Goulburn) performing his part during the play.

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BUILDING EXPANSION UPDATE

The College’s new addition, viewed from the Kardos Family Campo Sportivo.

The College’s own “Green Monster.”

Supports for the new addition rise skyward before the floors are installed.

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Massimo Agostinelli, Site Manager for Italiana Costruzioni; Marco Silvestri, Construction Manager for the College; Rev. Msgr. James Checchio ‘92, C‘97, Rector; Michele Marconi, administrator at the College.

LENTEN PENANCE REFLECTION

THE HEART OF POVERTY Jonathan Moré ‘17, Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston

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reate in me a clean heart O God, and renew in me a steadfast spirit.” These words from Psalm 51 were the touchstone for this year’s Lenten day of recollection at the Pontifical North American College. Given by Rev. Brendan Cahill of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, a North American College alumnus himself, the reflections served to illuminate the connection between poverty and purification of heart in order to help guide the seminarians’ journey both through Lent and towards faithful priesthood.

Traditionally, Rev. Cahill said, Psalm 51 is the Psalm which David wrote upon having been convicted by the prophet Nathan of his adultery with Bathsheba and of having arranged for the death of her rightful husband, Uriah. During the time leading up to his sin, David, the Scriptures recount, had been staying in his palace while other kings were out on campaign. This implied shirking of duty shows how smaller sins pave the way for bigger sins, noted Rev. Cahill, something for which the discipline of Lent can be a powerful remedy. Fortunately, God freely forgives those who truly repent. However, truly repenting and accepting God’s grace of forgiveness requires

Rev. Brendan Cahill C’98, Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston offers a reflection for the Lenten Day of Recollection. a certain spirit of poverty before God. One must recognize how little one actually has in order to be filled by the mercy of God. Since only God can forgive sins and create us anew, one cannot have purity of heart without a spirit of humble poverty.

Rev. Mr. Kyle Sahd ‘14 (Harrisburg) assisting Rev. Brendan Cahill C’98, Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston during Evening Prayer.

A spirit of poverty does not simply serve the repentant sinner, but is also of utmost importance for exercising proper priestly ministry.

Rev. Cahill noted that when a priest has the spirit of poverty, he can better empathize with others who are poor and destitute, whether materially or spiritually. He urged the seminarians not to settle for simply feeling the plight of the poor, but to enter into their suffering with them in true solidarity and compassion, which at its root means to suffer alongside someone. A priest who is poor can approach those in desolation to bring the consoling love and mercy of God which he has experienced in his own poverty.

The prayer, fasting, and almsgiving of the season of Lent helps us to cultivate a spirit of poverty and to grow in compassion for the poor. Rev. Cahill referenced Karol Cardinal Wojtyla (later St. John Paul II) as having stated that a priest must be a quiet mediator and a spiritual slave. Without inner poverty, one cannot accept such a humble role. Rev. Cahill showed us that to be good priests, and indeed good Christians, we must embrace our own inner poverty and allow God to fill us with his love and mercy.

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EXAM PERIOD

STUDY AND THE SACRED Nicholas Colallella ‘15, Diocese of Brooklyn

each student pursuing a bachelor’s degree in theology takes six courses per semester, and thus has six exams.

Preparation for these exams—which test a semester’s worth of material in a ten-minute conversation with the professor—is, to say the least, a daunting task. Luckily for us, the College provides a unique schedule during these two examination periods that allows for thorough preparation.

It is perhaps ironic, then, that many seminarians endearingly refer to the exam periods as the most wonderful time of the year. What is it that makes exam period at the College so wonderful?

Michael Schuetz ‘16 (Charlotte) working in the Randal Riede library.

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ust as the bachelor arms himself and does not speak/ while the master is setting forth the question/ for discussion, not for final disposition/ so I armed myself with all my arguments/ while she was speaking, readying myself/ for such an examiner and such professing.”

In the 24th Canto of Paradiso, Dante uses the metaphor of an exam for a bachelor’s degree in theology to describe his meeting with St. Peter in heaven. Dante has to prepare himself to answer his questions in a face-toface encounter with St. Peter in order to ascend further into the heavenly spheres. Despite a seven-hundredyear distance between Dante and us,

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the modality of exams here in Italy has not changed very much! In fact, one of the challenges seminarians face upon coming to study in Rome is becoming accustomed to the different academic system at the Pontifical universities.

While at academic institutions in the United States there is a series of written exams—a midterm and final, for instance, and perhaps a quiz every so often—here in Rome it is a quite different experience.

In general, at each of the Pontifical universities, courses have only one exam—the final exam at the end of the semester. The majority of these finals are oral exams. On average,

Our final exams take place over a three-week period at the end of each semester (in February for the fall semester, and in June for the spring semester). As opposed to the demanding, full, and often chaotic schedule that we have throughout the rest of the year, exam period is much calmer and quieter. With lectures finished for the semester, our mornings are freed up so that instead of starting each day at the crack of dawn with 6:15 a.m. Mass and Morning prayer, we are given the option of attending Mass at either 7:00 a.m. or 12:30 p.m. The usual course of weekly and monthly formation meetings and other activities also cease, allowing a levity and calm to invade our normally bustling community. It is like a light, cool breeze passing through a room on a hot and muggy summer after-

noon. The corridors fall silent, and the libraries, study rooms, and chapels welcome flocks of students passing back and forth throughout the day.

Diligent study, meditative thought, and prayerful contemplation become the trades of the exam period, and an aura of celestial peace pervades the entire College.

Though this may be a hyperbolic interpretation of the character of the seminary during the exam period, I believe it’s safe to say that, despite the stress and anxiety involved in the preparation for finals, and no matter the outcome of those exams, a great dedication and joy abides among us students.

What makes exam period so special isn’t just the absence of busyness and activity, which could lead to idleness.

Rather, the dedication and joy that radiate during this period result from the wonder that one encounters in having time to slow down and meditate on his studies.

The study of theology is not a purely academic activity, for its object is not a theory or an idea, but the Divine Persons of the Trinity. In this sense, the studying of a seminarian becomes nothing other than a spiritual exercise which ought to bring him closer God. Joseph Ratzinger reflects on this relationship between study and prayer in his book Nature and Mission of Theology. He starts by observing that the word “academy” derives from the context of the religious cults of Athens in ancient Greece. From this he argues that there is always a connection, always a dialogue, between the academy and the cult, between study and prayer, between theology and the spiritual life. The opportunity that a seminarian has to delve deeper and deeper into theological study, mediation, and contempla-

Michael Datiles ‘17 (Washington) enjoying an afternoon study session.

tion is, therefore, an opportunity to grow in greater communion with the Lord. Sacred study becomes the prayer par excellence for the student who, in that study, seeks the face of Christ. Being saturated in prayer and study, which are the foundational elements of the spiritual life, is the most wonderful thing about exam period.

There is an authentic and profound joy that a seminarian experiences when he grows in knowledge of the sacred mysteries of the Church, and encounters God in his studies. Pope Benedict XVI expressed this truth well in an address to seminarians in 2010: “Above all, your time in the seminary is also a time of study. . . . Love the study of theology and carry it out in the clear realization that theology is anchored in the living community of the Church.”

So, exam period at the College is not merely a time of mental gymnastics.

There is much more that goes into the preparation and execution of a ten-minute oral exam in theology than meets the eye. At the end of his exam with St. Peter, Dante says, “My words ended, the high and holy court resounded/ through all its starry

Blake Neebel ‘17 (Dubuque) reaches for a book.

spheres with ‘Lord, we praise you’/ with such melody as is only sung above.” May we share Dante’s success by growing in greater knowledge of and love for Christ and his Church through sacred study.

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LIFE AT THE COLLEGE

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1. Zachary Mabee ‘15 (Lansing) jams in the student lounge after the Mardi Gras party.

2. Rev. Mr. Christopher Seith ‘14 (Washington), Rev. Mr. Robert Wolfe ‘14 (Bridgeport), Rev. Mr. Bryan Shackett ‘14 (Detroit), Rev. Mr. Jeffrey Dole ‘14 (Dubuque), and Rev. Mr. Paul Buchanan ‘14 (Charlotte) just before the start of Grilled Cheese Friday.

3. Stephen Gadberry ‘16 (Little Rock) entertains the community on the harmonica in the student lounge after the Mardi Gras party.

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4. Andrew Mattingly ‘15 (Kansas City—St. Joseph) making a play during a Clericus Cup match.

5. Fans cheering on the Martyrs during a match.

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6. Luke Brown ‘17 (Rapid City) and Aaron Becker ‘17 (La Crosse) serve as masters of ceremony during the College’s Mardi Gras festivities.

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7. Alex Kreidler ‘15 (Kansas City—St. Joseph) leads a morning pilgrimage to a Station Church.

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10 8. Christopher Lebsock ‘15 (Helena) and other seminarians enjoy breakfast at the Casa Santa Maria.

9. Richard Lefaivre ‘17 (Portland), Michael Steger ‘17 (Milwaukee), and Blake Neebel ‘17 (Dubuque) lead the Mardi Gras parade.

10. Bill Van Wagner ‘17 (Madison) plays electric guitar during Mardi Gras festivities.

11. Louis Senn ‘17 (Covington) accompanies a musical ensemble during Mardi Gras festivities.

12. Dan Thelan ‘15 (Lacrosse) prays his breviary in the early hours of the morning before Mass at San Lorenzo in Panisperna.

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IN-HOUSE RETREAT

RENEWING FRIENDSHIP IN CHRIST Rev. Mr. Taylor Reynolds ‘14, Diocese of Alexandria

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n his apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, Pope Francis writes, “Thanks solely to this encounter—or renewed encounter—with God’s love, which blossoms into an enriching friendship, we are liberated from our narrowness and selfabsorption. We become fully human when we become more than human, when we let God bring us beyond ourselves in order to attain the fullest truth of our being.

Here we find the source and inspiration of all our efforts at evangelization. For if we have received the love which restores meaning to our lives, how can we fail to share that love with others?” In this short excerpt, the Holy Father reminds us of the gift, the blessing, and the power that is our relationship with Jesus. He is not merely a subject we study; he calls us into a relationship that requires our entire person—he calls us by name.

It has been a great privilege and a joy to help organize and participate in the North American College’s charismatic prayer group. Time spent with the group is a reprieve from study, and allows us to recall confidently God’s love, along with the gifts he pours into our hearts through his Holy Spirit. Our weekly meetings include time for us to break into “prayer teams,” which pray for their members’ various intentions and difficulties. In this way we allow ourselves to be used by God as instruments of his love, helping others to experience that love through inspired words, images, and spontaneous prayers. Once a month we have an open house, when outside guests join us for exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, confession, praise and worship music, and an experience of our prayer teams.

This past February, at the end of our first-semester exam period, a dozen seminarians spent a weekend delving deeper into friendship with Jesus and

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opening ourselves to the Holy Spirit. We heard talks from Rev. Austin Vetter, head of spiritual direction at the College, Rev. Timothy MecKeown, vice rector of the College, and several seminarians who shared personal testimonies. The testimonies of the seminarians demonstrated to us how truly alive the spiritual life can be, and how our friendship with Christ must never be static or intermittent, but instead be continually deepening. Deacon Bill Appel ‘14 (Covington) shared how, in his experience, the Lord calls us but never forces us; like a good friend, he waits for us to respond. Sean Grismer ‘16 (Rockford) shared his experiences of when, although not certain what God was asking him to do, he trusted and found the result of God’s inspiration far greater than he would have imagined.

As priests we will encounter a variety of people and challenging situations; only by having a close relationship with the Lord will we be able to respond in those moments. And it is the Holy Spirit—the Person of the Trinity we often have the hardest time relating to—who leads us to that closer relationship with Christ, and to a deeper experience of the Father’s love.

On the second night of the retreat, we met in the Immaculate Conception Chapel, to spend time singing praise and worship music. Rev. McKeown then led us in a period of exposition and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, during which he read the gospel passage about the

hemorrhaging woman who was healed after touching Christ’s garment. We were encouraged to go up one by one and pray before the monstrance as we held the humeral veil, imitating the gesture of the woman in the gospel. Rev. Vetter and a few seminarians remained in the back of the chapel to pray with anyone who felt moved after that time of prayer before the Blessed Sacrament to deepen their relationship with the Lord. It was a very fruitful time of prayer for everyone; many seminarians allowed themselves to be “surprised” by the Lord on this retreat.

As we journey on toward the priesthood, the ever-present call that is placed in our hearts to know the Lord and to follow him continues to grow more and more.

We need to see him daily as a friend who walks with us. We need always to be willing to take time to build a greater bond with him. It is by our friendship with Christ that we will truly be able, as priests, to minister with the same heart that he had, and to lead others into a deeper friendship with him.

Father Austin Vetter ‘93 leading the weekend retreat.

CARL J PETER LECTURE

JOY, MERCY, AND BIOETHICS Joshua Barrow ‘15, Diocese of Providence

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ev. Nicanor Austriaco’s lecture on bioethics to the seminarians of the North American College proposed a crucial thesis about the role of that discipline in the life of the Church.

Rev. Austriaco’s words made clear that preaching about bioethics is not simply a matter of explaining the subject’s intricacies, but inviting Catholics to conform their lives to the truth of the gospel. Citing Pope Francis’ counsel, he explained that a preacher needs to know the needs of his people before he will know how to preach.

The lecture, “Preaching Catholic Bioethics with Joy and Mercy,” focused on three thematic words: desire, joy, and mercy. He offered a synthesis of what modern evolutionary biology has to say about our desires, along with St. Thomas Aquinas’s thought concerning our passions. Whereas some biologists say that our desires lead to endless dissatisfaction, Aquinas would say that while these passions are disordered by sin, they can be ordered by virtue and grace.

He pointed out three predominant characteristics of American culture that have an impact on how people order their desires. First, our society is postmodern, and most believe that truth is not discernible. Second, it is secular in that there is no longer a sense of the supernatural. Last, it is liberal, as moderns see everything through the lens of absolute freedom and autonomy. As a result, he said, people struggle with a crisis of “meaningful desire”—a crisis he observes in his college students and

their efforts to plan out their lives.

Rev. Austriaco described joy as achieving what one desires, with God as the source of all we truly desire. While some distort their desires, it is still true that people naturally seek joy and happiness. Because we live in a fallen world, it is necessary to preach mercy. Sin makes it hard to hear the truth, which some perceive as an attack on their personal wellbeing.

By being merciful, we feel compassion for the other and seek to understand the reality of sin and suffering.

After explaining these themes, he offered personal insights from his experience as a Dominican priest and college professor, having encountered the struggles Rev. Nicanor Austriaco of the Dominican Province college students face as they of St. Joseph delivers the Carl J. Peter Lecture. strive to live a Christian life.

Distorting our desires, he lic truth and exhort people to order their argued, prevents people from desires with virtue to know where they finding and experiencing authentic love are going and how to get there. and joy.

So in order to help people we need to preach about Catholic bioethics in a way that reveals that they are ordered toward human fulfillment. This fulfillment in God itself needs to be preached so that people are encouraged to yearn for eternity, but also for a happy life today.

He stated that we need to preach Catho-

Judging by the reactions of other seminarians, Rev. Nicanor’s talk on bioethics was very well received, and his excellence in preaching was evident. He closed with a summation of his message: “Catholic bioethics presupposes Jesus Christ.”

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PREACHING FORMATION

PREPARING TO PREACH THE GOSPEL Joshua Neu ‘15, Diocese of Tyler

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n his recent apostolic exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium, Pope Francis called for a renewed emphasis on preaching: “Let us renew our confidence in preaching, based on the conviction that it is God who seeks to reach out to others through the preacher, and that he displays his power through human words.” In fidelity to the call of the Holy Father and his predecessors, seminarians at the Pontifical North American College undertake a two-year program of formation in homiletics followed by preaching at Mass as deacons.

The program of formation in homiletics is directed by Rev. James Quigley, O.P., who holds the Carl J. Peter Chair of Homiletics at the College. In addition to his responsibilities as a formation adviser, Rev. Quigley organizes annual preaching workshops and regular homiletic practice groups, and directs deacons in their preparation of homilies for daily Masses in the seminary community.

The program of formation in homiletics at the College is “primarily practical,” Rev. Quigley said, describing it as “an apprenticeship program.” Whereas other institutions include many classroom hours on homiletics, the program at the College emphasizes learning through practice.

Each September, second- and thirdyear theologians participate in a week-

20 The Pontifical North American College

Rev. James Williams offers pointers to seminarians (left to right) Brian Lenz ‘16 (Lansing), Paul Haverstock ‘16 (St. Paul-Minneapolis), and Joseph Rampino ’16 (Arlington).

long intensive preaching workshop.

Rev. William Byrne ‘94 of the Archdiocese of Washington leads the workshop for third-year seminarians, while Rev. Quigley directs the workshop for those in their second year. The week of intensive formation includes a lecture from the director in the morning, followed by small group practice sessions in the afternoon. The small groups are composed of four seminarians and a priest mentor. Each seminarian writes and delivers a homily, applying what he has learned in the morning session, and receives feedback from his peers and his priest mentor.

These practice sessions continue regularly throughout the year. Second-year seminarians have twelve such homily practice sessions, guided by a priest mentor; third-year seminarians have nine. Each semester, seminarians are assigned to a different practice group so that they can learn from a variety of priests—each with their own unique experience and insights.

After ordination to the diaconate, the newly ordained immediately begin applying their knowledge and skills. Every deacon at the College has the op-

portunity to preach at the community Mass, as well as at their apostolates and at the convent of Carmelite nuns located at the College. They continue to receive guidance and feedback during that year.

During preaching workshops and practice sessions, seminarians learn important aspects of homiletic theory.

They are taught to take a dynamic approach to preaching, focusing on one theme during a homily, which they structure around a “focus statement” and a “function statement.” They learn the method of inductive preaching and follow a strategy of homiletic “movements” in order to capture their audience, rather than using syllogistic deduction. Priest-mentors often recommend using anecdotes, books, imagery, and evocative language to convey the theme of the homily.

As the leader and facilitator of the preaching apprenticeship program,

Rev. Quigley also recommends that seminarians look to exemplary homilists in order to imitate them. Seminarians are encouraged to study the homilies of Pope Francis, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Rev. Robert Barron, and others.

Rev. Quigley believes the preaching apprenticeship program is highly successful, forming men to be excellent homilists. He sees great promise for the future of preaching in the Church, saying, “These seminarians are already very good preachers and are already better than I was coming out of seminary.” Asked what might be the cause of this trend, Rev. Quigley cited the zeal of current seminarians: “They are spiritually motivated to preach the word of God.” This spiritual motivation inspires seminarians “to work hard in preparing their practice homilies and take them very seriously.” Rev. Quigley also believes that seminarians are responding to the call for a New Evange-

lization, and that this call inspires them to devote much energy to developing their skills as homilists. “They are aware of the importance of preaching for evangelization,” he said, “which is the major task of the Church.”

Most of all, the homiletics program, with its emphasis on practice and guidance from experienced priestmentors, gives seminarians at the Pontifical North American College a taste of the priesthood to which God has called them. “Students seem to like the homiletics program most especially because it brings the priesthood close,” Rev. Quigley said.

The program gives seminarians an opportunity to experience this very important aspect of priestly life, while learning from priests who live it every day. Formation in homiletics at the College ultimately draws seminarians closer to the priestly heart of Christ and to a deeper love and service of the people of God.

Douglas Krebs ‘16 (Bismarck) receiving encouragement from Rev. James Quigley, Carl J. Peter Chair of Homiletics at the College.

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ICTE PILGRIMAGE TO TURKEY

TRACING CHRISTIAN ORIGINS Rev. Robert Wedow, Archdiocese of Denver

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fter spending six years in seminary studying Sacred Scripture and Church teachings, and fourteen years preaching and continuing my studies amidst ever-increasing demands of ministry, my Archbishop granted me a sabbatical, an experience which has already changed my life.

Vacations can mean visiting a resort, reading a book, touring, or something more daring like white water rafting or skiing. By contrast, retreats are times of prayer, solitude, and rest— time to be with Jesus in the way he instructed his disciples: “Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a while.” The Institute for Continuing Theological Education (ICTE), housed here at the North American College, gives priests a program of priestly fraternity, retreats, study of Sacred Scripture, as well as time to travel, vacation, and encounter Jesus Christ and his kingdom.

The spring ICTE sabbatical is made up of three-week modules, and a priest may participate in as few as one during his stay in Rome. Each module has a different course of study, and our study this spring included courses covering spiritual direction, Mariology in scripture, St. John and St. Paul, modern moral questions, and one on the art and architecture of Rome and Assisi.

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ICTE’s class of 2014 while on pilgrimage in Turkey.

It is one thing to pray the scriptures— to see the theological roots of the Church’s teaching or to encounter God himself—but to walk the scriptures and study the ancient cities where the scriptural narrative took place adds a richness and reality that the text cannot convey on its own. We gained that experience in our second module, “Following the Footsteps of Mary, St. John, and St. Paul.”

We began our study at the end of St. Paul’s life in Rome, visiting San Paolo alle Tre Fontane, the Roman church at the site of Paul’s beheading. We

then moved to Paul’s burial place at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls. Soon after, we continued in his footsteps to the locations of his evangelization: modern-day Turkey. We set foot in the modern cities formerly known as Antioch, Tarsus, Iconium, Pisidia, Sardis, Pergamum, and Ephesus. To walk the roads Paul walked and to see the places where he preached—places where people were converted—was a grace and a true gift from God. The program’s scripture scholar, Rev. Scott Brodeur, S.J., led us through

the Acts of the Apostles, where St. Paul proclaims his faith in Christ to the Jewish and Gentile communities.

As Rev. Brodeur said, “It happened here!” I will never forget the vision of Acts 19:28 while there in the theater at Ephesus, standing on the stage, the theater’s seats climbing up around me. We could almost hear the words of the artisans in the Acts story shouting, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” and the impending doom of Gaius and Aristarchus, along with St. Paul’s desire to enter the theater despite the danger. This experience was prayerful and powerful just because “It happened here.” We continued to trace St. Paul’s travels elsewhere with the help of a local guide alongside Rev. Brodeur.

ICTE’s class of 2014 visiting ruins in Turkey.

We then witnessed moments in the life of Mary and St. John, visiting Mary’s house in Ephesus. This out-of-the-way place in the hills outside Ephesus is a place of peace and prayer for both Christians and Muslims. The experience of peace at this place was heavenly. The celebration of Mass at Mary’s house was a crowning grace of our journey. It was a participation in the new covenant established by Christ, celebrated by St. John, and received by Mary.

The priests of ICTE then traveled to the Basilica in Ephesus, where Mary was proclaimed by the Church as Theotokos. It was a privilege to celebrate Mass in some of the places where Mary, St. Peter, St. Paul, St. John, and others once gathered with the early Christian community, anchoring the roots of faith, hope, and love through which God has profoundly touched our lives as priests on this sabbatical.

ICTE priests on a guided tour.

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CASA SANTA MARIA

THE SISTERS OF THE CASA SANTA MARIA Rev. John P. Cush ‘98, C‘15, Diocese of Brooklyn

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e at the Casa Santa Maria are very blessed to have the support, friendship, and prayers of three separate communities of sisters. The newest additions to the community are four sisters from the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist, based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Founded in 1997, these Dominican sisters occupy a newly renovated convent on the first floor of the Casa. A community of teachers, the sisters are still actively involved in the academic world: two of the Sisters, Sr. Annunciata and Sr. Catherine Marie, are students at the Angelicum and two of the sisters serve as librarians, with Sr. Maximilian Marie at the Jianiculum campus and Sr. Mary Cecilia at the Casa.

Since 1996, the North American College has been blessed with the presence of the Religious Sisters of Mercy of Alma, Michigan. Founded in 1973, the Religious Sisters of Mercy, in addition to their own studies in various fields of higher education throughout the pontifical universities and academies of Rome, provide tremendous service to the North American College and the Casa Santa Maria. Among the sisters who staff the infirmary at both the College and the Casa is Sr. Elizabeth Mary, who for seventeen years provided loving care to our priests and seminarians. She has recently been reassigned by her community. Our two infirmarians are Sr. Sean Marie and

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Sr. Marie Mechtild. Sr. Mary Christa, Sr. Anna Marie, Sr. Maria Pacis and Sr. Regina Marie provide endless service to the Bishops’ Office for United States Visitors to the Vatican. Sr. Mary Micaela, a theology student preparing for her final vows in August, is also present.

The longest serving sisters at the Casa are the Sister Servants of Mary Immaculate, who are based in Poland.

Founded in 1878, these sisters tirelessly provide for the needs of Casa priests. Their many duties include coordinating the kitchen, ably run by Sr. Anna and assisted by Sr. Magda.

Care for the chapels goes to Sr. Edyta, and the coordination of housekeep-

ing falls to Sr. Maria and Sr. Elzibieta.

Overseeing the operation is the community’s superior, Sr. Hannah. We are further blessed by the presence of two student sisters, Sr. Ginta and Sr. Francesca.

The priests of the Casa Santa Maria gratefully recognize the apostolates that the sisters of the Casa provide for us and for the Church. Their warm, friendly presence helps to make this residence a home. Their vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, as well as their own individual charisms, inspire us to grow in our own personal holiness.

Sr. Mary Cecilia, O.P. speaks with Rev. John Cush ‘98 C’15 (Brooklyn) in the Casa library.

POPE FRANCIS

LESSONS LEARNED FROM POPE FRANCIS Kevin Staley-Joyce ‘16, Archdiocese of Boston

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or the many seminarians at the College who witnessed Pope Francis’ election firsthand, the new pontiff’s first year in office passed by with dizzying speed. That speed contrasts with the slow-motion anticipation of the conclave that elected him. We watched as the dozen American cardinals departed the College together before submitting to the Sistine Chapel’s lock-and-key seclusion. We heard their predictions that the conclave would be a short one, uncertain as they were of its outcome. Still, we were incredulous when the grayish smoke over St. Peter’s suddenly turned to a thick white, and just moments later witnessed what millions more saw on screens—Francis’ prompt arrival, poignant request for prayer, praise of his predecessor, and his immediate focus on the Madonna’s intercession. Most seminarians retreated to the College soon after, welcoming the returning cardinalelectors with shouts and applause.

A year having passed with the new pontificate, March was a fitting time to look back upon Pope Francis’ election and the Church’s continued renewal since then. Cardinal Edwin O’Brien C’76, former rector of the College, and Gregory Burke, the Vatican’s senior communications advisor, addressed the College, each drawing insights from their unique roles in the life of the Church.

Having acted as one of Francis’ electors, Cardinal O’Brien confirmed what other cardinals observed in the days after the

His Eminence Edwin Cardinal O’Brien C‘76 addresses the North American College community.

conclave: The election process was a time of profound meditation and prayer, not crass political maneuvering, as is sometimes imagined. O’Brien offered encouragement about the providential vote leading Francis to the Petrine office.

Indeed, he noted that at no point in his life as a priest had he been more sure of the working of the Spirit in the Church than during Francis’ election to the papacy.

O’Brien’s reflection proved an instructive backdrop for Gregory Burke’s presentation, which he used to explore the persona of Pope Francis as set forth in the popular press. Burke acknowledged that there are parallel and sometimes contradictory images of Pope Francis and his message afloat in public discussion. While partly due to the nature

of the media, Francis’ unique persona has been given to both hagiography and caricature. However, Burke saw this fact as a small cost, given the greater matter that Pope Francis’ message of charity and forgiveness has reached still unprecedented numbers of listeners across the world. It has also suffused more deeply into society than expected, and has caused more and more to engage with Christ’s message, as expressed through the Church’s chief shepherd.

After fielding questions from seminarians, O’Brien and Burke concurred that the energy and spiritual capital behind Pope Francis had hardly subsided, and would be a source for priests to draw from in their efforts to sustain the new evangelization for some time to come.

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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

A MISSION TO SHEPHERD SOULS Geoffrey A. Brooke Jr. ‘15, Diocese of Jefferson City

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sgr. Robert Panke ‘96, of the Archdiocese of Washington currently serves as Rector of the recently established John Paul II Seminary. He is also the current president of the National Conference of Diocesan Vocation Directors. Recently Roman Echoes was able to catch up with Msgr. Panke, who shared his thoughts and reflections on his time at the North American College and how it helped prepare him for his current ministry.

How did your time at NAC prepare you for your current assignment as Rector of Saint John Paul II Seminary?

The North American College prepared me in a numbers of ways for my current assignment as rector and the responsibility of forming future priests. Being formed in such close proximity to the Holy Father instilled in me a deep love for the Church and a desire to serve in whatever way God would choose. My love and respect for the priesthood grew through the formation I received at the NAC, most especially by the example of the great priests on the faculty including my two rectors, His Eminence Edwin Cardinal O’Brien C‘76, and His Eminence Timothy Cardinal Dolan ‘76, and my spiritual director, His Excellency Bishop Daniel Thomas C‘90.

cation to seminary formation, and his vision to open Saint John Paul II Seminary. It takes a lot of courage and trust to open a new seminary today, and it fills one with great hope in the future of the Church when you are part of this working of the Holy Spirit. Much like the seminarians at the NAC, the seminarians at Saint John Paul II Seminary are impressive in their love for Christ and His Church, and their generous spirit.

Working with and observing the seminarians mature towards priesthood, and watching the Holy Spirit come alive in their hearts, is a great privilege as well.

What has been the most inspiring aspect of your current assignment?

How has ministering in a seminary been different than previous assignments?

It is inspiring to be a part of His Eminence Donald Cardinal Wuerl’s dedi-

In certain ways ministering in the seminary is similar to ministering in a

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Rev. Msgr. Panke ‘95 (Washington) with the seminarians at John Paul II Seminary.

parish. In essence, I try to envision my ministry as a mission given by Cardinal Wuerl to shepherd souls, who also happen to be training to be priests. One aims at instilling a desire for sanctity and generous service to Christ at both a seminary and at a parish, although the content is focused in a specific way in the seminary. The experience of being a spiritual father is also very strong in seminary formation (as it would be in parish work), and is a great blessing. In other ways seminary formation is quite different than parish life. You don’t have the regular opportunities for certain types of pastoral ministry that any diocesan priest loves, like weddings, baptisms, anointings, etc…

But, reflecting upon the abundance of sacraments that these future priests who are in formation will impart to the faithful, brings great consolation.

How are you able to keep in touch with former classmates and fellow alumni?

Priestly fraternity is one of the greatest gifts I received through the NAC. I am blessed to encounter NAC alumni on a regular basis. The Archdiocese of Washington has a very large number of men who have been formed at the NAC and I am able to see them on a regular basis. I am also blessed to have a group of 5 other NAC Alumni that has gotten together every summer for vacation since our ordination.

It is a blessed time of prayer and fraternity. As director of seminarians for the past 12 years, I have the responsibility (and gift) of visiting our seminarians at the NAC each March, and am able to connect with the priests who are on the faculty. Finally, it seems a large number of NAC alumni are continually being named vocation

directors for their dioceses, and my previous work as vocation director afforded me a number of occasions to keep in touch with alumni.

What is a favorite memory from time at NAC? I have two favorite memories. One is my diaconate ordination in St. Peter’s Basilica in 1994. I am grateful to God for the outpouring of grace on that day and during the entire week. The family and friends who were able to attend received much from the Lord and deepened their love for the Church.

In 1995, I was one of a number of transitional deacons who served at the Chrism Mass in St. Peter’s with Saint John Paul II. It was a great gift just to serve at a Mass with a future saint.

After the Mass, the deacons lined up right next to Michelangelo’s Pieta,

which was truly an inspiring spot to be. The Holy Father greeted each one of the deacons and as he came up to me he blessed me with the sign of the cross on my forehead. I have a picture of that moment in my office at Saint John Paul II seminary, which reminds me to strive to imitate this great saint through the intercession of Mary and the sacrifice of Christ.

Anything else you’d like to share with the readers of Roman Echoes?

I am very grateful to God for the formation I received at the North American College and continue to be impressed with the exceptional priestly formation that is currently taking place there. Many thanks to all who support the North American College.

Rev. Msgr. Panke ‘95 (Washington) teaching.

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SCOTT HAHN LECTURE

SCRIPTURE’S TRANSFORMATIVE POWER Rev. Mr. Thomas Schluep ‘14, Diocese of Pittsburgh

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ere in Rome Sweet Home it was our privilege on Ash Wednesday to host Dr. Scott Hahn in the Corso Auditorium for a conference to initiate our Lenten journey. Taking a break from an intensive course he was teaching at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, the renowned author and scholar offered residents of the College and several guests the opportunity to delve deeply into the scriptures.

Hahn framed his lecture, “Consuming the Word of God,” in the wider context of the New Evangelization. Concretizing a key point—that evangelization is ineffective without a transformative encounter with Christ—Hahn

compared satisfaction with the words of scripture alone to being satisfied with hor d’oeuvres, when the main course has already been prepared.

In the same way, he noted that mere words on a page cannot compare with the encounter they are designed to facilitate.

Hahn recalled that the Lord’s instructions to his disciples were for each to take up his Cross daily and follow him, not “his Rosary beads, his breviary, or his Bible.” To embrace the Cross is to have that great joy in the midst of suffering which Saint Paul speaks of with great frequency. Through the Holy Spirit, our Lenten penances can be a true experience of the joy of being a

Dr. Scott Hahn, professor of theology at Franciscan University of Steubenville, offers a lecture on Lent to the seminarians and priests of the North American College.

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Christian, so that we come to say with Saint Augustine, “I need your grace now more than when I first converted.” Such joy is a biblically founded key to our own re-evangelization, and also makes us “infectious Catholics,” displaying the joy we have in the midst of our sufferings. If the Lord could use fishermen to transform the world through their joy in the midst of martyrdom, he can certainly do so again today; but first we must open our own hearts.

To illustrate the transformative power of this reality, Hahn shared with those present a story of conversion that occurred in the life of a close friend.

Indeed, the reality of conversion is attested to by Hahn himself, in whom the joy of an encounter with Christ clearly shines. What better way to encourage people to enter into the scriptures this Lent than to witness to this joy in one’s own life? We are blessed here at the North American College with time for the Lord to cultivate his joy in us through prayer and study, and are thankful to Scott Hahn for reminding us of the importance of this period of our lives. By responding to the Lord’s call now, it is our prayer that he will be able to use us in the future as instruments to bring his love and mercy to all whom we encounter.

INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT

DISCERNED GIVING Mark Randall, CFRE Executive Director, Institutional Advancement

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f you had only a single dollar to give away, to whom or what would you donate that dollar? With more than 1.4 million registered non-profit organizations in the US, you have plenty of options. And if you are like most people, there is no shortage of individuals and organizations asking for your financial help.

Studies show that benefactors are motivated to give by many different feelings and emotions (e.g., sympathy, anger, hope, loyalty, etc.) and that organizations are selected using a variety of benchmarks. I recently met with a supporter of the NAC whom shared a checklist he and his wife use when deciding who to support. He described the five basic things they consider:

our men, but the thousands of lives they will touch through their ministry in the course of their lives.

Next, the Pontifical North American College has been achieving its mission since 1859. Over 4,000 living alumni, in a myriad of assignments in parishes, dioceses and even the Vatican are testament that we are successful in what we do, and we certainly “do it well”.

Third, every gift makes a difference! Since the College receives no Vatican subsidy or diocesan second collection, we must rely on the generous gifts – big and small – from our friends and alumni in order to make our mission possible.

Also, we have many different ways in which our benefactors can support our mission; from building projects and endowed funds, to tuition support and sustained giving programs. Your gift indeed makes our effort better by making possible our mission to form holy priests for today and tomorrow.

1.

2.

3.

4.

Is the organization doing something good?

Do they do it well?

Will our gift make a difference?

Will it be used to leverage something and make it better?

5. Will our gift make us happy as investors?

The last point – will a gift to the NAC make you happy – is obviously difficult for me to answer. I certainly believe it will! If you are an alumnus, have ever visited the College in Rome, met with one of our seminarians, or had the opportunity to know one of our many alumni, you understand why the NAC is unique.

These are wise considerations for anyone considering a gift of their last dollar – or more! With regard to supporting the North American College, I was able to confirm with this gentleman (and you, dear reader) the following:

I hope you find the these benchmarks helpful and will consider supporting the NAC with your one dollar (or more) to help us form the 300+ seminarians and priests we serve today, and the countless priests of the future.

First, forming priests to serve the Church and Her people is definitely “good.” Forming holy, happy, and articulate priests in the very heart of the Church not only benefits

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What is the easiest way to support the NAC? Join Cor Meum: our new program for special benefactors who make a monthly automatic gift of $10, $15, or even $25. No checks, no postage required! You can adjust your gift at any time and be assured that your regular support is helping provide extraordinary priestly formation for the men we serve.

To sign up, go to: http://onlinegiving.pnac.org/cormeum or call the Office of Institutional Advancement, 202-541-5411

Your investment today will help this future seminarian By including the College in your estate plan, you can help us prepare for the next 150 years of service to the Roman Catholic Church in America. We now offer Charitable Gift Annuities, which simultaneously provide a charitable donation, an income tax deduction and a guaranteed lifetime income stream for you, the benefactor. Annuities can be established for as little as $10,000. To learn more, contact Mark Randall, CFRE, our Executive Director for Institutional Advancement. mrandall@pnac.org or 202-541-5403 Photo courtesy of Joseph and Dominic Susanka

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ECONOMO’S CORNER

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pringtime at the College is always a busy time: First-year men are planning their first summer abroad, looking forward to a variety of apostolic experiences and language programs, second-year men are planning to return home after two years away, and fourth-year men are preparing for ordination to the priesthood. This is also the time when the final aspects of our budget process for 2014-2015 are finalized and preparation for the Class of 2018’s arrival in the summer are planned.

Monsignor Michael Farmer ‘95 Archdiocese of Mobile

With the varied aspects of looking at class numbers, factoring how many rooms will need to be painted, and hoping for an improved exchange rate for the upcoming financial year, the season of spring also brings us Eastertide, which always outranks any worry, frustration, or doubt. His resurrection gives us all new life. So, while in the details of planning, I am reminded in this beautiful season of what all our planning is really all about: preparing young men to proclaim the gospel and be in the image and likeness of Christ the High Priest. Clearly, this is what so many of our friends and benefactors know and believe about the mission of the College. Regardless of the ever-changing economic times, their faithfulness and support are reminders of how our Lord always challenges us to respond to His love by giving back to Him and to one another.

As the seminary in Rome for the United States we offer a unique and one-of-a-kind formation. Of course the experience and formation is worth the financial cost, and even having to always watch and monitor the exchange rate—since most of our annual income is in U.S dollars, but most of our expenses are in euros (thus one reason I always pray for the best exchange rate possible). The exchange rate has averaged 1.34 Euros to the dollar for the financial year 2013-2014 and with a conservative budget we remain in budget. That is why it is so important for us to use this magazine and other means of communication to tell our wonderful story of formation—and of being America’s seminary in Rome. We do this not only because the College is unique, but to ensure that more people pray for our seminarians and for our mission, and to invite more people to participate in helping to support this mission— efforts that help keep tuition cost down and allow for needed projects to take place.

In the spring the administration of the College also prepares to assign new house jobs to the seminarians for the following academic year. Some of these house jobs include twelve seminarians who spend many hours writing, editing, designing, and providing quality photographs for each issue of Roman Echoes. This is a good time of the year to express thanks and appreciation to them for offering their talents to such a wonderful instrument for telling our unique story and experiences of formation. Please be sure to share Roman Echoes with others. Only last month I received an email from a College classmate from 1986 who served in the United States Air Force at Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany. He actually saw a copy of Roman Echoes at the base, and, seeing my name and photo in the magazine, decided to email me. If I may add, he also stated he will be sending a donation to the College! Thanks to such sacrificial gifts both large and small, the College is able to provide necessary funding that does not detract from our annual budget.

This Eastertide has provided the gift of two new saints who embodied in everything they did the love and charity of Christ, and served as role models for present and future priests.

What a gift the College has in its mission of formation, helping to ensure, as Saint John Paul II stated, “A New Springtime for the Church.”

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Tel: (202) 541-5411 / Fax: (202) 722-8804 Email: Website: www.pnac.org

Alumni Reunion 2014 ANNUAL ALUMNI REUNION June 17-19, 2014 – New York City Join your fellow Alumni for three fun days in the Big Apple! Vespers and Mass at the Cathedral, opening mixer, updates from the Rector, city excursions, coffee at the Cardinal’s Residence, a lecture at The Cloisters, and more.

2014 Reunion Host Committee: Timothy Cardinal Dolan ‘76 – Archbishop of New York Most Reverend John J. Myers ‘67 – Archbishop of Newark Edward Cardinal Egan ‘58, C’65 – Archbishop Emeritus of New York Edwin Cardinal O’Brien ‘76 – Gan Magistero dell’Ordine Equestre Most Reverend Frank J. Caggiano C’96 – Bishop of Bridgeport Most Reverend Nicholas DiMarzio – Bishop of Brooklyn Most Reverend William Murphy ‘65, C’74 – Bishop of Rockville Centre Monsignor Ferdinando Berardi C’82, Co-chair Monsignor Edmund Whalen ‘84, C’95, Co-chair

For more information and registration details, see the Alumni Association website:

www.pnacalumni.org