Roman Echoes 2024 - Volume 28, Issue 1

roman echoes THE PONTIFICAL NORTH AMERICAN COLLEGE

VOLUME 28

ISSUE 1

2023

Page 7 Gratitude to Lory Mondaini Page 16 Diaconate Ordination Page 22 Toast to a New Class Page 24 Christmas Octave Reflections

Dedication

Contents 16 7 Features 6 A New Cardinal in America: Cardinal Pierre

7 In Gratitude to Lory Mondaini

20 A Priest Reflects on Ordination

24 Reflections for the Christmas Octave

Specials

8 New Faculty at NAC

21 Carmelite Sisters

The New Men

12 Reflections on New Man Orientation

22 A Toast to a New Class

26 What We’re Reading

Diaconate Ordination 16 Interview with the Newly Ordained

18 First Homilies from the New Deacons

THE PONTIFIC AL NORTH AMERICAN COLLEGE 2

The Pontifical North American College

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24 22 From the Editor Dedication was one of the first words to go through my mind upon entering the North American College two years ago.

From the hospitality showed by the Orientation Team to the pristine campus to the incredible personale working to make us feel at home, a sense of dedication to the mission of the College permeated those first few days of Early Orientation.

As the warm days of July and August came to a close, a new sense of dedication came over the College.

Most recently, dedication flowed from the hearts of the men ordained to the diaconate in late September. Each year, the fourth-year men who return to the College to be ordained deacons fill the air with a renewed sense of purpose and keep our thoughts, words, and actions fixed on Jesus Christ and his priesthood. Soon after returning, they prostrate themselves on the marble floor of St. Peter’s Basilica, in the shadow of Bernini’s gilded bronze reliquary around the Chair of St. Peter. There, they dedicate themselves to the Lord moments before being ordained. The sense of dedication these men come back to the College with is infectious and invigorates the entire community.

Each year, priestly formation brings new and varied experiences. There are many joys and struggles, and these lead each man configuring himself to the priesthood of Jesus Christ to a deeper commitment and dedication to the Lord’s call. Through prayer, pastoral work, rigorous study, and uplifting fraternity, I have found myself renewing my own commitment and striving to dedicate myself more intensely to the awesome mission entrusted to us. For all of the seminarians at the North American College, fall is a special time in which we begin our formation again, see our brothers ordained to the diaconate, and grow closer to the heart of Jesus. We begin a new year, and we are filled with a renewed sense of dedication.

Editor-in-Chief Will Robbins ’25, Diocese of Beaumont ROMAN ECHOES 2023 • VOLUME 28: ISSUE 1

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Contributors EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Will Robbins '25, Diocese of Beaumont ASSISTANT EDITOR Kyle Lang '26, Diocese of La Crosse Brian Schumacher '26, Diocese of Salt Lake City PHOTO EDITOR & PHOTOGRAPHER Chukwuma Odigwe '25, Archdiocese of Washington ASSISTANT PHOTOGRAPHER Steven Lang '26, Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis

Administration

of The Pontifical North American College RECTOR Rev. Msgr. Thomas W. Powers '97 VICE RECTOR Rev. Michael Pratt ‘11 CARL J. PETER CHAIR OF HOMILETICS ROMAN ECHOES FACULTY LIAISON Rev. Peter John Cameron, OP SUPERIOR, CASA SANTA MARIA Rev. James J. Conn, SJ

DIRECTOR, INSTITUTE FOR CONTINUING THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION Rev. Edward Linton, OSB EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT Mark Randall, CFRE For more information about The Pontifical North American College, subscription questions, or to learn about ways you can financially support “America’s Seminary in Rome,” please contact Mark Randall, CFRE, Executive Director, Institutional Advancement.

Tel: (202) 541-5411 Fax: (202) 470-6211 Email: pnacdc@pnac.org Website: www.pnac.org This publication is written, edited, and photographed by the students of The Pontifical North American College.

COVER: Archbishop Paul Coakley C'87 (Oklahoma City) kneels at the Altar of the Chair of St. Peter's Basilica as the ordinandi prostrate themselves during the Litany of the Saints during the diaconate ordination.

THIS PAGE: The New Men listen to words of welcome from Pope Francis at a private audience in the Clementine Hall of the Apostolic Palace during regular orientation.

BACK COVER: Several New Men kneel in the confessio of the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls on the last day of regular orientation.

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The Pontifical North American College

RECTOR’S CORNER Dear Friend of The Pontifical North American College, It is fitting that the theme of this edition of Roman Echoes is “Dedication.” Seventy years ago this October 14th, Pope Pius XII came to the Janiculum Campus to dedicate the new seminary building of the Pontifical North American College.

(There will be more features of that event in our next issue.)

“The spirit of the martyrs breathes in every priestly soul, who in the daily round of pastoral duties and in his cheerful, unrelenting efforts to increase in wisdom and grace, gives witness to the Prince of shepherds.”

What happened on that fall day in 1953 was a visible sign that the new seminary building was dedicated, set apart for a singular purpose. The duty of the seminary was clear: to form priests with the heart of Jesus Christ, who would be willing to offer their lives for the Lord and his Church. Pope Pius XII reminded the seminarians of that, saying, “The spirit of the martyrs breathes in every priestly soul, who in the daily round of pastoral duties and in his cheerful, unrelenting efforts to increase in wisdom and grace, gives witness to the Prince of shepherds.”

Just as our building was dedicated and set apart for a singular purpose, our seminarians dedicate themselves to prayer, study, apostolic work and growth in the virtues. They take their priestly formation very seriously, all in preparation to serve you and those under their spiritual care and to be men set apart for the singular purpose of being holy instruments of God’s mercy.

Please pray that the members of our College community – formation team, priest students, deacons and seminarians – may always model our lives on Jesus and give witness to him, the Prince of shepherds.

Be sure of our continued prayers for you, and thank you for your support for the Pontifical North American College.

~Pope Pius XII Rev. Msgr. Thomas W. Powers ‘97 Rector

ROMAN ECHOES 2023 • VOLUME 28: ISSUE 1

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Habeums Novum Cardinalem: Our Nuncio Has Been Made a Cardinal

J

WILL ROBBINS ’25, DIOCESE OF BEAUMONT

ust two days before receiving the cardinalatial red hat from Pope Francis, Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the apostolic nuncio to the United States, sat down with Roman Echoes to speak about the great honor he has received and to reflect on his life and ministry. Though a professional diplomat for the vast majority of his priesthood, the heart of a true shepherd shone brightly from Cardinal Pierre during the conversation. It was the heart of a man who has had a deep and personal encounter with the person of Jesus Christ and has given his life in service to Christ’s Vicar on earth.

It seems as if Cardinal Pierre was destined to be a diplomat from birth.

Though born in Brittany, France, Cardinal Pierre moved with his family to Madagascar, where he spent his early childhood. Returning to France at age 10, Cardinal Pierre eventually entered the seminary for his home Archdiocese of Rennes. Ordained in 1970, Cardinal Pierre served as a parochial vicar in northern Rennes before pursuing further studies at the Institut Catholique

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The Pontifical North American College

de Paris. Shortly after, he entered the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy in Rome where he completed a Doctorate of Canon Law from the Pontifical Lateran University. It is from there that his diplomatic career began.

Cardinal Pierre first learned that Pope Francis intended to make him a cardinal at the nunciature in Washington, DC. “I was surprised! I was asleep!”

Cardinal Pierre said of his reaction to being included in Pope Francis’s list of new cardinals at the Angelus on July 9, 2023. He reported that he had no prior warning and that he first heard the news when a reporter woke him with a phone call early that morning.

He soon celebrated with the nunciature staff and then gathered together for Sunday Mass.

In reflecting on what this elevation means for his mission, Cardinal Pierre states that he will continue to serve as apostolic nuncio to the United States.

His mission of representing the person of the pope does not change. Rather, it is enhanced. He says his role as nuncio

is “to concentrate on the person of the pope. He is the one chosen and is the pope today.” This has been his role in various nunciatures since he entered the Holy See’s diplomatic service.

In service to five different popes, he shares that his greatest joy has been “to be the presence of the pope, the charisma of leadership for the sake of unity, universality, and faithfulness” to the nation to which he is assigned.

To the seminarians of the North American College, and to all men studying for the priesthood in the United States, Cardinal Pierre encourages each one of them to have a deep and personal encounter with the person of Jesus Christ. From that encounter, priests should have a deep love for the Church, because it is of Jesus. He reminds everyone that the “Church is a gift from God, and we are each called to enrich it through service.” It is into a deeper dimension of this service that His Eminence Christophe Cardinal Pierre has been called when Pope Francis placed the red biretta on his head on a warm, Roman morning this past September.

Cardinal Christophe Pierre receives the red biretta from Pope Francis. Photo: © Vatican Media

Thank you, Lory!

An exit interview with the Rector’s Secretary BRIAN SCHUMACHER ‘26, DIOCESE OF SALT LAKE CITY “My first word as a toddler must have been ‘Colosseum’, not ‘mom’ or ‘dad’!

That's how much I wanted to live in Rome while growing up!” says a jovial Lory Mondaini, the recently-retired Rector’s Secretary at the North American College. Mondaini was born and raised in New Jersey to Italian parents who returned to Italy in 1973. On October 1, she retired from the College after serving the community for 39 years. Before she left, she sat with Roman Echoes for an interview.

RE: Why did you decide to work at the NAC? After United Airlines, where I had been working, closed its Rome office in 1984, I was considering three job opportunities.

My husband told me that his colleague knew a woman who was retiring as the Rector's Secretary at a place called the North American College and that they were looking for a replacement. I said, “What’s the North American College?” He responded that it was a seminary. I said, “No way! They’re going to kick me out after three days!” My idea of a seminary then was like in the old-time movies where everyone, including the seminarians, had to be very quiet and not say a word!

RE: What made you change your mind?

As soon as I drove in from the front gate, my first reaction was “Wow! This place is gorgeous!” Then I met the rector,

Msgr. [Lawrence M.] Purcell who was absolutely wonderful, and I thought to myself how happy I would have been to work for someone as kind and fatherly as he was, not to mention his great California humor! As he was walking me out the door, I saw some guys running out in T-shirts, shorts, and tennis shoes. I asked Msgr. Purcell who they were and he said “Those are our seminarians running out to our sports field.” I was very surprised and thought to myself how different the seminary was from what I had thought! The College was a normal, healthy environment and no one had to be “very quiet” as I had thought! I felt right then and there that this was the place for me to be!

RE: You’ve been here for 39 years, what made you stay here all that time?

I loved it; it was great being here, and it's been like being part of a huge family.

RE: Last question, what will you miss the most about the NAC? For 39 years it was my second home. I was very fortunate and honored to be the secretary of seven wonderful rectors and to work with great colleagues and faculty members. I’ll certainly miss being part of that great team! I love the College and I always will.

Thank you, Lory! Ad multos annos! n

Thanks, Father Schunk!

After six years of service to the North American College, Fr. David Schunk ’10 has returned to the Archdiocese of San Francisco. Fr. Schunk joined the faculty in 2017 as the Assistant Vice Rector and a formation advisor and assumed the role of Vice Rector in 2020.

During his tenure, Fr. Schunk was known for his dedication to the College through proficient administration and prompt attention to the needs of the seminarians. He notes that navigating the Covid-19 pandemic was a standout memory of his tenure, particularly because of the close fraternity and generous spirit of the College’s community.

Fr. Schunk remarked at the 2023 Closing Banquet, “I hope the men I worked with are better priests because of my work, as I know I am a better priest because of their influence.”

Fr. Schunk is now the Administrator of Saint Monica-Saint Thomas the Apostle Parish in San Francisco. He reports many similarities between his work at the College with parish life and that he has replaced “standing under the flags in the refectory after morning Mass with standing in front of the school students at morning assembly.” The North American College is grateful for Fr. Schunk’s service and wishes him the best in his new ministry.

Ad multos annos, Fr. Schunk! n

top Lory Mondaini at her desk in the Rector's Office. bottom Fr. David Schunk '10 (San Francisco) at his "clap out" as he departed the College after 6 years of service on the faculty. ROMAN ECHOES 2023 • VOLUME 28: ISSUE 1

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Welcome to our New Faculty!

EDITORIAL STAFF

Fr. Michael Pratt is a priest of

the Diocese of Tulsa and is a native of Stillwater, Oklahoma.

After attending Oklahoma State University for two years, he became a seminarian in response to a strong desire to become a priest.

He attended St. John Vianney Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota, where he obtained a bachelor's degree in Philosophy from the University of St. Thomas in 2007. Fr. Pratt then continued his priestly formation at the North American College in Rome. He received an STB from the Angelicum in 2010. Fr. Pratt was ordained a priest in 2011 and received an STL from the John Paul II Institute for Marriage and Family Studies in 2012. Fr. Pratt now serves as the Vice Rector of the College.

“I had a great experience at the NAC as a seminarian. The Lord formed me through those experiences, friendships, studies, and travel. I’m excited to work with today’s seminarians and, God willing, help prepare them for ministry in today’s parishes.”

Fr. Shawn Conoboy attended the

North American College from 2002-2007 and was odained for the Diocese of Youngstown in 2006. He received his STL in Spiritual Theology from the Teresianum and in 2021 completed a Ph.D. in Systematic Theology at Duquesne University. He now works for the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development and returns to the NAC as an adjunct spiritual director.

"It is an honor to return to the North American College as a spiritual director. I am glad to be able to serve the Lord and the seminary community in this way."

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The Pontifical North American College

Fr. James Baron is a priest of

the Diocese of Colorado Springs.

Ordained in 2011, he has served in parish ministry and in several diocesan level positions, including Vocations and Deacon formation. He studied for his STB at the University of the Holy Cross and then for his STL at the John Paul II Institute for Marriage and Family Studies. He begins his service at the College as both a Formation Advisor and the Coordinator of Intellectual Formation in the academic year 2023-2024.

“Coming back to the College feels a bit like coming home.

I hope to enrich my service as a formation advisor and the Coordinator of Intellectual formation with the experiences of parish and pastoral life. It is a blessing to see the faithfulness and quality of the seminarians here. I have great hope for the future of the Church.”

Sr. Monica Marie, O.P., is a

Dominican Sister of Mary Mother of the Eucharist. Born and raised in Austin, Texas, she entered religious life in 2014 and professed her perpetual vows in 2022. She has a degree in Elementary Education from Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, but has enjoyed teaching students across many ages. In her previous assignment, she taught ninth and tenth grade theology on Long Island. While in Rome, Sister Monica Marie will serve as the Casa Santa Maria Librarian and Assistant Randal Reide Librarian.

“I am looking forward to serving and getting to know the priests and seminarians at the Casa Santa Maria and North American College. I am so excited to be surrounded by the saints of Rome and to be enveloped in the beauty of our Catholic faith written in marble, paint, and the blood of the martyrs.”

Sr. Mary Cecilia, O.P., is a Do-

minican Sister of Mary Mother of the Eucharist. She entered religious life in 2002 and made her perpetual profession of vows in 2010. Having studied aerospace engineering at the University of Toronto before entering, she finished her degree with a B.S. in Education at Eastern Michigan University. Subsequently, she earned an M.Ed. at the Uni-

versity of Southern Mississippi and an M.A. in Theology at St. Paul Seminary School of Divinity in Minnesota. Having many fond memories of her time as Casa Santa Maria Librarian from 2013-2016, Sr. Mary Cecilia is happy to return to the NAC as the Randal Reide Librarian.

“I am pleased to be able to rediscover the city in which my patroness, St. Cecilia, and so many other saints lived, died, and were buried. Their witness is so much more tangible here.” n

New Monsignor on Humility Street EDITORIAL STAFF In late July, Pope Francis elevated the Rev. Shane Kirby ‘04 to the rank of Chaplain of His Holiness, which grants him the title of Monsignor and makes him an honorary member of the Papal Household. Ordained a priest for the Diocese of Scranton in 2004, Msgr. Kirby has served as an official in the Dicastery for the Clergy since 2017 and has coordinated the Newly Ordained Program at the Casa Santa Maria since 2020.

Msgr. Kirby remarks, “I want to thank Monsignor Powers, Father Conn and everyone in both the Seminary and Casa Santa Maria communities fortheir kind congratulations on my becoming a monsignor. I am grateful to have been named a Chaplain to His Holiness, a title that is not meant to set a priest apart from other priests. Rather, I see in it a call, as an honorary member of the Papal Household, to serve my brothers and sisters with greater devotion and selflessness, after the example of Pope Francis and his predecessors that have inspired me during my years of priestly formation and ministry.” n

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ROMAN ECHOES 2023 • VOLUME 28: ISSUE 1

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r o o P u o Y e r A d e s Bles TY '2 6, D TH O M AS KO LL AS CH

IO CE SE O F SI O U X

CI

in London, ionaries of Charity iss M e th r fo d re ee nt e in This summer, I volu em. Those men wer th ith w el st ho a in d living of their deserving ten men an hopeful and aware so e er w y an m t ubtedly tough situations, bu eir faith was undo Th . em th r fo e id to prov While there, pendence on God of the Missionaries. ce en es pr rly he ot it to nourished by the m Paul II during his vis hn Jo .

St pe Po m ote fro ock from the I encountered a qu located just one bl k, ar hw ut So in l ra , you St. George’s Cathed e sick in your midst th of ce en es pr e ithout th er as the only hostel. He said, “W strength, and pow , th al he of k in th to poverty might be tempted d taught me that Go .” life in d ue rs be pu important values to pursued. verty is a value to be Po . ith fa r fo e ac sp opens

Wausau, WI, USA Westerly, RI Schenectady, NY

Kenya

Year II Summer Assignments

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Academic/Language Study

Parish Assignments Overseas

• Universidad Catolica de Avila (Ávila, Spain) • The Italian School (Verbania, Italy) • Siena Lingue Dante Alighieri School (Siena, Italy) • Free Society Seminar (Bratislava, Slovakia) • Tertio Millennio Seminar (Krakow, Poland)

• Cathedral of St. Eugene (Derry, Northern Ireland) • St. Xavier (Maheshpur, Jhapa, Nepal) • Salesian Summer Camp (Pordenone, Italy) • Kinsale Carmelite Friary (Kinsale, Ireland) • S. Giustina (Enego, Italy)

The Pontifical North American College

Parish Assignments in the US • Holy Name of Jesus (Wausau, WI, USA) • St. Pius X (Westerly, RI) • City Mission of Schenectady (Schenectady, NY)

Thomas Kollasch '26 (Sioux City) and Steven Lang '26 (St. Paul & Minneapolis) with one of the men from the Missionaries of Charity's home in London, England.

A Summer of Italian BR EN DA N PA RL ET T ’26

, AR CH DI OC ES E OF WAS

HI NG TO N

Saint Charles Borromeo tells us, “If we wish to ma ke any progress in the service of God, we must begin every day of our life with new eagerness.” This rang tru e while studying Italian on La go Maggiore, a lake know to St. Charles in childhood. After the fourth hour of tutoring each day, I needed a rip oso, and it was unclear ho w I could fit more of the language in my he ad. But like the “yes” we ma ke to God each morning, I made a simple si to give myself to the ne xt four hours, eager to embrace the ch allenge of learning the language of San Carlo. Language is a key to culture; persevering in Ita lian studies this summer helped unlock the culture of the Eternal City we call home.

A Summer in Kenya KALEB MITCHELL '26, DIOCESE OF HELENA

Maheshpur, Jhapa, Nepal Kathmandu, Nepal Kolkata (Calcutta), India

I had a wonderful opportunity this summer to live for a month in Western Kenya, spending a lot of the time with the local seminarians in parish work. This included visiting 300 or more houses on pastoral visits, preaching to over 500 students, and serving Mass at many different mission churches. The faithful were incredibly generous to me, and their faith has continued to inspire me. I felt loved in a particular way and hopefully was able to share all that Christ has done for me with them. The seminarians were very good to me, and we built a friendship that will last. We served together, played soccer, and rejoiced in the Providence of God who makes all good things come to be.

Map © iStock

Service/Missionary • Notre Dame of Jerusalem Center (Jerusalem, Israel) • Cenacolo Community (Saluzzo, Italy) • Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes (Lourdes, France) • Missionaries of Charity (Kathmandu, Nepal)

• Missionaries of Charity (Kolkata (Calcutta, India) • Missionaries of Charity (London, England) • African Mission (Kenya) • Servants of the Home of the Mother (Ireland, Spain)

clockwise The Italian countryside in Verbania.; Kaleb Mitchell '26 (Helena) with children in Kenya.; Kaleb Mitchell teaching during his assignment in Kenya.

Pilgrimages • Holy Land (Jerusalem, Israel) • World Youth Day (Lisbon, Portugal)

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Italy: A Tangible Experience of Christ’s Church

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NICK VANDE HEY ’27, DIOCESE OF GREEN BAY

n elderly Italian woman shuffled through the dimly lit church toward a small statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Pausing briefly, she bowed her head and placed her right hand on Mary’s foot. She slowly moved her hand to Mary’s other foot, paused again, and continued toward the statue of St. Joseph. Once again, she paused to reverently touch both of his feet. She stopped one more time in front of the tabernacle, placing her hand on the small altar. Then she left the church.

I sat in the pew, observing, struck by her faith. As New Men, we were thrown into a new country, with a different language, blistering heat, and a pile of strangers. Just when we were feeling confident enough to navigate the North American College campus, we were sent to study Italian for four weeks in cities where we were constantly humbled by our inability to

speak the language. I felt some sense of solidarity with the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt; I, too, had to leave behind “kettles of meat” (hamburgers, in my case!) enjoyed in a former land thousands of miles away.

Despite the whirlwind around us, seeing that elderly woman carry out her devotion reminded me of a comforting truth: our faith is tangible. It is incarnational. In Italy, we are in the heart of that tangible reality God left for us—His Church. We are surrounded by the mortal remains of so many saints buried in stunning churches. I look to my right and my left, and I see remarkable members of that body including its vicar, from whom I am now separated by one mere block.

These things constantly remind us that we are not alone, no matter how foreign our surroundings.

Yet, no matter how beautiful the churches, I find myself doing the same thing I do at home. I sit in front of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, and I close my eyes, grateful for His presence. No matter how grandiose the churches and frescoes, they simply point to an even greater spiritual reality. We may be far from our physical homes, but where the Church is, we will always have a reminder of our true home. The saints are not simply bodies buried in old buildings. They are alive and walking with us on our journey as we dedicate these next years of study to becoming more firmly part of the incarnational reality that is the Catholic Church.

erican The New Men enjoy an All-Am g rin du me cookout and softball ga NAC Orientation.

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erving n after s during e M w e N f A group o he Duomo in Siena t Mass at school. age The Pontifical North College languAmerican

The Class o f2 the NAC du 027 is welcomed to rin In” ceremon g the annual “Clap y.

Nicholas Vande Hey ’27 (Green Bay) catches a frisbee during a game of Ultimate Frisbee on the College’s campo sportivo.

Brendan Finnegan ’2 welcomed by Reed 7 (Hartford) (left) is Ro after a summer of binson ’26 (Nashville) Italian studies.

Charles Berner '27 (Denver) is warmly welcomed by Pope Francis while Rev. Msgr.

Thomas Powers '97 (Bridgeport) looks on.

e The New Men enjoy th countryside of Assisi.

Generosity and Gratitude REED ROBINSON ‘26, DIOCESE OF NASHVILLE

I

nside the courtyard of the North American College, there is a quote on the wall that reads, “to study theology in Rome should be counted as one of God’s greatest gifts.” How true this is! While working with my classmates this summer to welcome the newest class of seminarians to the College, the Lord once again showed his generosity to me, reminding me of the wonderful gift it is to live, study, and be formed for the priesthood here in Rome!

During New Man Orientation at the NAC, I saw the city of Rome through an entirely fresh set of eyes, which brought back the wonderment I expe-

rienced when I moved here just last summer. My classmates and I were able to share our life with the new class, that they might find a home away from home, as we did the previous year. Through welcoming a new class, we saw just how far we had come from only a year ago; we no longer lived in a strange, foreign place, but in a home with brothers who are here to support each other.

Taking part in and witnessing the hard work and dedication it took to organize orientation pilgrimages, liturgies, and banquets was edifying and inspiring. Orientation is in many ways a ministry to our brother semi-

Passport © Eldad Carin; Money © NoDerog; Hamburger © dpfowler; Souvenirs © Maglara; Name tag © Nathan Maxfield

narians, and the work I was privileged to observe my classmates invest in and accomplish gave me great hope for the Church. I am grateful to serve alongside these classmates and am continually edified by the men beside me in formation. I was impressed by the painstaking attention to detail in the practical matters, from taping up name-tags, to arranging rides from the airport, to leading quality tours of St. Peter’s Basilica, but the real inspiration was that it was done with generosity, joy, and open hearts. God is truly never outdone in generosity, and I am ever more aware of and grateful for this great gift of studying theology at the North American College.

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VOICES OF NAC

How have you dedicated yourself to the Lord's call at the NAC?

This past year while on my pastoral year, I served at three different parishes and a high school. I discovered that it is through the people of God that I am sanctified and grow closer to the Lord.

By being a servant and dedicating myself to the needs and concerns of the people of the parish, I am dedicating myself to Christ.

Rev. Mr. Jacob Livecchi ‘24, Diocese of Toledo

“Ignorance of Scripture,” insisted St. Jerome, “is ignorance of Christ.”

I notice a similar connection in a seminary community: ignorance of my brothers is ignorance of Christ. In two years at the NAC, the Lord has often spoken to me through the men alongside whom I live. Through sorrows we share, the cross becomes concrete. Through joys we savor, the resurrection becomes real.

Gerard Gayou ’25, Archdiocese of Washington I have dedicated myself to the Lord’s call while at the NAC through a growing openness to what God brings to me each day. Many days, this involves engaging in theological studies, but on others, the Lord may draw me to help someone I encounter on the streets or to engage with pilgrims in Rome, helping to explain the history and significance of sacred places!

Michael Figura ‘26, Archdiocese of Omaha I never would have thought that when I said “yes” to the Lord’s call to enter seminary four years ago, the call would eventually lead me to Rome. It is liberating to understand my life in the context of this call, which comes from a God who is inviting me into His plan for my life. Through meeting new brothers, seeing beautiful art, visiting tombs of saints, and learning Italian, I have had many opportunities to be dedicated to the call that the Lord has given me to one day be His priest.

John Anderson ‘27, Archdiocese of Baltimore

14 14

The Pontifical Pontifical North North American American College College The

Dedication An original work of art by seminarian Stephen Howard ‘26 (Sydney) depicting the heart of a priest’s dedication: Jesus in the Eucharist.

ROMAN ECHOES 2023 • VOLUME 28: ISSUE 1

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ORDINATION INTERVIEW WITH

Deacon Joe Wappes K Y L E L A N G ‘ 2 6, D I O C E S E O F L A C ROS S E

On September 28, eighteen men were ordained to the transitional diaconate. A few short hours after his ordination, we sat down with Dcn. Joe Wappes from the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. The following interview has been edited for concision and clarity.

RE: I first want to ask, how do you feel? What is going through your mind?

JW: I am just excited and grateful. There have been so many blessings in the past week, from family support to realizing God’s providence throughout my whole life.

RE: Take me back to the Ordination Mass. Was there particularly profound moment or two that you experienced?

JW: Processing in was really beautiful; I was at the front of the line, and could hear the music and see faces I recognized. In this, I saw the joy of the Church. That has been a theme of my own prayer in the past few weeks— the Church as Bride is grateful for the gift of a man’s life given up for the Church. My life doesn’t belong to me; it belongs to God to use as He wants, and in that, the whole Church rejoices.

That image from the procession was powerful.

Secondly, the moment of prostration was similarly powerful. The Church was praying for all of us. And we’ve been trying to give our life over to Jesus daily, but to do so in a public, concrete, and permanent way at the prostration, which is the symbol of laying down one’s life, seemed… [Dcn. Joe paused as tears formed in his eyes]… well, it just seemed really good. To make that act definitively, with nose on the carpet, was beautiful.

RE: Is there something from Archbishop Coakley’s homily that you will carry with you in your diaconal ministry?

JW: I was struck by his call to holiness in the midst of an age that may be hostile to the message of Christ. To some guests, the homily may have seemed severe, because he identified the fact that we will receive the Cross in our ministry. But I did not receive it as heavy or burdensome. It didn’t fill me with fear. It was exciting; it made me aware of the gravity of the office and mission, and yet not afraid of the office because Christ is going to be with me.

RE: What are you most looking forward to in your upcoming year as a deacon?

JW: I am really excited to preach. I have become convinced the the Lord has a word of life he wants to speak to people, and I look forward to being in a place to receive that word from the Lord and to share it.

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From the Ordination Homily Most Rev. Paul S. Coakley C‘87, Archbishop of Oklahoma City … We gather today to celebrate this sacred liturgy in the greatest church in the Catholic world, built over the very tomb of St. Peter, the rock. As we take in this architectural splendor, the artistic magnificence of this place, and as we pause to pray at the tombs of the saints and martyrs, it is hard to conceive of a greater physical monument to the splendor and achievements of Christendom and the Catholic Church. Yet, as we are all very much aware by now, the age of Christendom, that age when Church and society were so closely aligned as to be sometimes indistinguishable, has passed. If any of you seminarians were so naïve as to expect that priesthood would bring you a privileged existence, well, you came along about 60 years too late. You have lived through the scandals.

You have lived through the global pandemic, the polemics, the crises, and the divisions that mark our age, and indeed, our Church. It is the world and the Church that you know, which I dare say is quite different than the world I knew when I was ordained. As some have noted, we are living in an era that has much more in common with the early apostolic age, the years immediately following Pentecost, than with the age of Christendom. I am referring to the age when the Church was an outlawed institution, and those who were marked or identified as Christians prepared themselves, not for privilege, but for persecution, for marginalization, and indeed, even for martyrdom. The more things change, the more they stay the same. Persecution, in fact, did not end with the conversion of Constantine the Great and the advent of Christendom. … There are martyrs today, as well, all around the world. … My brothers, today it is not enough to be good churchmen. You must be disciples. Your life and ministry must be deeply rooted in an intimate friendship with Jesus Christ who alone can and will sustain you in the challenges that await you in a hostile, post-Christendom, and, indeed, post-Christian world, and so be prepared for sacrifice. Be prepared for opposition, and, indeed at times, persecution. … This is an awesome time to be undertaking ordained ministry in the Catholic Church.

This is an awesome time to be ordained as transitional deacons, and God willing, in some months as priests.

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PREACHING THE WORD OF GOD:

Excerpts from the First Homilies of our New Deacons

Rev. Mr. Stephen Jones ’24, Archdiocese of Oklahoma City A helpful way to enter into this joyful feast would be to think about a building that is on fire. Just bear with me… what happens when a building is on fire? You call the fire department and they come rushing to put the fire out and rescue anyone stuck in the building. Suppose that the fire is in a high-rise building… how do they get to them? The firetruck deploys the ladder and firefighters ascend and descend the ladder to bring the trapped people to safety. … Jesus closes today’s gospel passage by telling Nathaniel that he would see great things as his apostle, including seeing “the heavens opened and angels ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” As an observant Jew,

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Nathaniel would immediately have recalled the dream of Jacob’s Ladder. … Jesus himself is the ladder! Jesus is the only way to ascend to heaven! … Without help, we are in danger of getting caught in the burning building. But here is the part of the story where God lowers the ladder for us to make it to safety. Christ became one of us, man, without stopping being God, to give us a way to go to heaven.

His Passion, Death, and Resurrection is the very means by which we are saved and can ascend with the angels into heaven. … Like the firefighters of our story, they accompany us out of the burning building of sin and death to He who is Life itself, the Ladder of Salvation.

© Archdiocese of Oklahoma City

Rev. Mr. David Nowicki ’24, Diocese of La Crosse I don’t have a message to give you today... For to preach is to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus, not the Gospel of Me. Rather than egotistical words, we preach the Word of God. And this Word that I and the many priests here today have been called to preach is a Word that takes on substance – it takes flesh; it is the Word made flesh.

Preaching isn’t simply about Jesus; it draws us to the person of Jesus, present in His Body and Blood in the Mass. Hearing the Word and then receiving the Word made Flesh in the Eucharist is to be informed, trans-

formed, and conformed to be more like Jesus Christ. … For the task of informing, we can do well to note the Archangels whose feast we celebrate today. They bring the Good News of God to His people – perhaps often in unique ways, but the content of their message is always that of God, and not their own. … Having been informed by the Word of God and transformed by the Word made flesh given up for us, we leave every Mass to conform our lives to Christ and imitate Jesus’ exhortation to preach the Gospel to every creature. … So, while I confess that I have no message of my own, that is not the point of the homily. The message is God’s, and just like the Archangels, we too are called to be God’s messengers.

Rev. Mr. David Lee '24, Diocese of Nashville Today, the Church celebrates the three archangels found in Scripture who were sent on mission as ambassadors of God. Each has a name that reflects an aspect of God’s divinity. … Gabriel means: "my power is God" or "power of God," and the supreme sign of this power is mystery of the Incarnation of the Son of God, in which God becomes man. Raphael means: "God heals." In the book of Tobit, he helps to heal the blind Tobias. Finally, the third is Michael, which means: "Who is like God?" In his name is found the reply to Satan’s rebellion against God’s plan.

© Diocese of Nashville

In response to Satan’s self-sufficiency and pride, Michael stands as a humble witness. … Each not only reveals to us God’s glory but also that God has created us to be sent on mission, too. A mission that entails following the example of Christ. It is one of great sacrifice but also eternal happiness. Yet, due to our own weakness and pride, we can become stuck in our own plans rather than searching for where God calls us. … The virtue that is key to following God’s mission is obedience. By obedience, we become more in tune with God’s will for our lives. Obedience is not a blind submission to God, but, rather, it is the fruit of a loving relationship. When we trust that God is always at work for our good, it is possible to put ourselves in service of God’s mission. … In the Eucharist, we encounter Jesus Christ, who was obedient unto death on the cross.

He is the Son of God sent to show us the Father’s love. Let us renew our desire to be sent on mission and to serve God with the entirety of our life!

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On June 24th of this year, I received the amazing gift of ordination to the priesthood of Jesus Christ. God’s grace given through holy orders allows me, an ordinary man, to share in the life and ministry of Jesus, who brings healing, restoration, and salvation to the human race. I am grateful to God for this special gift that will forever shape my life, and I look forward now to one final year at the North American College.

Thanks to the hard work and generosity of many people, my ordination Mass offered those present a beautiful glimpse into the heart of the Church. The cathedral choir and pipe organ masterfully intoned the hymns and Mass parts, dozens of priests processed to their seats at the front of the congregation, and the lay faithful offered their prayers to God for blessings upon me and on our diocese. From the entrance procession to the laying on of hands, and especially in prostrating myself on the floor of the Cathedral, I offered prayers of surrender to God, thanking Him for His gifts and asking for His help in this new life of ministry. I believe that all present at the Mass saw something of the generosity of God and the beauty of the Church. The Body of Christ gathered to lift up one of its members for a special role of ministry, and our good God bestowed the grace needed to make that life of ministry a reality.

A Priest Reflects on

Ordination

R E V. PAT R I C K RYA N ' 2 3, D I O C E S E O F P R OV I D E N C E

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Following the Mass and celebrations with family and friends, I began a ten-week assignment as a priest at a parish in my diocese. This summer assignment offered me the chance to hear confessions, preach the Gospel, and celebrate the Holy Mass, all of which has given me an amazing window into the lives of God’s people and the work of the Church here on earth.

I count it a special blessing that I can now return to Rome and continue my studies for one year as a priest. I hope to study well, learn much, and serve the men who continue their formation for the priesthood. We will journey together with Jesus, through highs and lows, to the blessed life to which our good Father calls us. n

Carmelite Sisters KYLE LANG ‘26, DIOCESE OF LA CROSSE

RE: Thank you for taking the time to meet, Sister. First, could you share a little about the Congregation of the Carmelite Religious (CCR)? When were you founded, and what is your charism? thank you. Mother Mary S Yes, Veronica was a convert from

Anglicanism who discovered the spirit of Christ and the joy of nearness to God in missionary endeavor, in service to the poor, and the deep interiority of contemplation. In 1868, she founded our order in Bayonne, France.

The tiny seed was transplanted to the shores of Mangalore, India. Mother immersed herself in training and molding young, zealous missionaries who were sent to India to meet the educational needs of the poor women and children. Over the past 150 years, the Congregation has made contributions to female literacy in Kerala and other parts of the world and has expanded its boundaries of service beyond formal education, encompassing social, spiritual, moral, and cultural concerns.

Many Roman Echoes readers may not know that we are blessed to have four orders of sisters who serve the college (FSEs, RSMs, OPs, and CCRs). Their work is often hidden but is essential to the flourishing of the college, and their dedication and joy invigorates the community. Recently, Roman Echoes sat down with Sr. Mary Beatrice, CCR, to ask about the community’s experience serving the North American College. The following interview is edited for concision and clarity.

RE: How did this community end up at the North American College?

RE: What does it mean to you to be serving at a seminary?

Eminence, Timothy CarS His dinal Dolan, was confessor of

were founded as a missionS We ary community, and though we

the CCRs at Collegio San Paolo while rector here. He was much loved by the sisters, and Mother Mary Frances expressed a wish to serve the clergy at the NAC. God’s hand moved favorably, and in 2003 I arrived with four other sisters to serve the needs of the cardinals, bishops, priests, and seminarians.

RE: What is daily life like, both in the convent and around the college?

We are very happy here. We

S have Mass in the morning with

one of the priests from the college and prayer throughout the day— Liturgy of the Hours, adoration, and devotions— and we take all of our meals together. We have recreation, too; we play cards and sometimes watch a movie. Our work is mostly to clean the priests’ rooms, do laundry, and prepare the guest rooms.

top to bottom: Sr. Philomina hard at work in the College's laundry room.; The CCR sisters currently at the NAC (left to right): Sr. Philomena, Sr. Noela, Sr. Philomina, Sr. Mary Beatrice, Sr. Mary Stella.

are not on the streets, we are in the missions in a humble and hidden way.

Like Mary who took care of Christ as he prepared for his mission in the world, we are honored to take care of the priests, bishops, and seminarians in their mission for the glory of God! RE: Is there anything else you would like to add? want to say that we are very S Iblessed to be here. This col-

lege is wonderful, because the priests are always greeting and thanking us. “Good morning, Sister!” “Thank you, Sister!” That does not happen in other places our order serves, and it means a lot to us. And while it is sad to see priests leave Rome, we are happy when they return to visit and we hear about their missions for Jesus as his priests and bishops. Fervently we pray that God may continue to manifest Himself in and through our lives, for His greater glory.

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Christ Has Conquered That Place:

New Man Toast B R E N DA N F I N N EGA N ‘ 2 7, A RC H D I O C E S E O F H A RT FO R D

On behalf of the New Man class, I would like to extend gratitude to the faculty, and most especially, the orientation team for putting together such a holistic experience for us this past week. The fraternity demonstrated by us 29 men is a testament to the hard work you all put into our initial transition to the North American College.

Two larger than life figures of the 20th century have been on my mind this week: President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Pope St. John Paul II. President Roosevelt and St. John Paul II may seem like a strange duo of leaders to think of during our first days in Rome, but their awareness of the power of fear, I would gather, speaks to many of you. In his first inaugural address to a nation reeling from the Great Depression and processing the destruction wrought by World War I, President Roosevelt uttered his famous line, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” Pope John Paul II throughout his pontificate, whether addressing young people in the West about the encroachment of secularization or to crowds in the Soviet sphere who had legitimate fear of religious persecution, would say, “Be not afraid,” when faced with obstacles, because wherever fear is, Christ has already conquered that place.

Fear of this transition to our new life is manifested in different ways for each of us. For myself, the greatest fear on my heart during this transition has been the question of learning enough Italian to first pass the Gregorian proficiency exam and then, starting in October, learn theology in a language in which I can barely order a cappuccino. For others, it is probably a

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longing for the comforts of home and the warm embrace of our loved ones when the summer of 2025 seems so far off. Candidacy, talk of expected ordination dates, and the promise of celibacy could be bringing about vocational strife on top of the difficulties of transitioning to a new home far from the certainties of Americana which we have all been reared to lean on during periods of unease.

All the fears that we may have currently are legitimate, but I have great news for you, brothers, wherever fear is Christ has already conquered that place.

Since before the beginning of time, our Heavenly Father knew we would be sitting here in Rome, with noble dreams and grandiose anxieties about the unknown, and he is waiting patiently with overflowing love to tell us about those things in prayer.

As we enter this weekend of fraternity that I am so looking forward to, I encourage us to throw all our fears and anxieties onto the yoke of Christ the Good Shepherd. Through this habituation of giving up the anxieties we hold to Christ and moving forward with a life lived in the Spirit, we can begin to form our sacerdotal hearts that our future parishioners are longing for in their spiritual fathers. My prayer for the 29 of us as we begin our formation in the heart of the Church is that we unify our anxieties to Christ on the Cross and ask the Holy Spirit to let us live in the freedom of knowing that all fear is fleeting, but glory is guaranteed for those who trust in his merciful love.

Ad multos annos!

The Class of 2027 listens as Brendan Finnegan ’27 (Hartford) gives a toast at the Welcome Banquet during NAC Orientation.

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Reflections for the Octave of DECEMBER

DECEMBER

DECEMBER

DECEMBER

Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord

Feast of St. Stephen

Feast of St. John

Feast of the Holy Innocents

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Christmas

St. Stephen

St. John

JACOB TSCHIDA ’25, DIOCESE OF DULUTH

NICHOLAS STELLPFLUG ‘25, DIOCESE OF GREEN BAY

SCOTT FYALL '25, DIOCESE OF AUSTIN

Even amidst the joy and jingle of sleigh bells that mark the Christmas season, the silence of loneliness or loss can seem to ring all the louder during this time that should be nothing but glad tidings. Whether it be a quieter house on Christmas morning this year or the weight on one’s shoulders of upholding timeless traditions, loneliness creeps into Christmas. The good news is it is precisely into this isolating experience that God speaks his eternal Word. That Word has a name: Emmanuel, God is with us. Jesus fills the empty space of loneliness with His Incarnation in the season of Christmas. To a humanity with the all-too-common feeling of wondering, “Are we alone in this?” Christmas provides us with the Word as a response: Emmanuel, God is with us.

It seems odd to celebrate the martyrdom of St. Stephen after the joyful celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, our savior. However, it is in fact the perfect time. Christ comes to earth, and Stephen goes to heaven. This is the destiny of all the friends of Christ, and the reason for which the Son became incarnate: communion in heaven. Considering the celebration of Stephen’s death, it may seem strange, or even like a celebration of defeat. But the Christmas message overcomes the confusion at this contradiction. When Stephen dies, he does not die alone; he dies with Christ. Even the Scripture portrays him looking up to heaven to see the Lord Jesus standing by the throne of God at the moment of his death. On Christmas Day, we receive the joy of God coming into the world, and on the feast of the martyr, St. Stephen, we receive the hope of communion with God in heaven.

John was the youngest of the apostles, and the only one not to be martyred.

He reclined with Jesus at the Last Supper, he received Mary into his home, and, as he mentions several times in his own Gospel, ran faster than Peter to arrive at Jesus’ empty tomb first.

“The disciple whom Jesus loved” enjoyed much favor in his life, and the other apostles even speculated that he might live forever. “Lord, what about him?” Peter asks the Resurrected Jesus, after learning of his own prophesied death. “What if I want him to remain until I come?” Jesus responds.

“What concern is it of yours? You follow me.” Jesus calls us to do likewise on the feast of St. John – to not speculate about other people, but to love them instead. To follow him, and realize that Jesus came to foster friendship, not competition, amongst us. In heaven, it won’t matter who made it there first, only that we helped each other get there. St. Peter and St. John, pray for us!

The Pontifical North American College

Christmas DECEMBER

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Memorial of St. Thomas Becket

DECEMBER

30

Sixth Day in the Octave of Christmas

Feast of the Holy Family

DECEMBER

JANUARY

Feast of the Holy Family

Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God

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Mary Mother of God

MARCO CERRITELLI ‘25, ARCHDIOCESE OF WASHINGTON

CHRISTIAN HAMRICK '25, DIOCESE OF NASHVILLE

Christmas is the feast of the family par excellence. Like any family, I am sure the Holy Family had cherished holiday traditions. That Jesus had a family is a reminder to us that he entered into the fullness of our human experience and elevates it into his divine life. Our families are not perfect like the Holy Family—and, in fact, the Christmas holidays can be a time of acutely feeling difficulties and sufferings from the wounds of our family life—for this Jesus was born. Jesus desires to enter into our families and to invites us into his. The life of the Holy Family, which was filled with suffering and hardship, is a model of familial love, sacrifice, and placing our trust in divine providence. Jesus is the one person to ever choose his family. He invites us to choose his family too.

Coming at the conclusion of the octave of Christmas and marking the New Year (being on January 1st), the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God reminds us of the significance of the Incarnation: the union of the eternal with the temporal, the infinite with the finite. The number eight has for centuries signified the eternal (an example being eight-sided baptismal fonts) while the New Year reminds us of progression through history and particular times and places. God Himself has truly entered into history, and Mary is His chosen instrument- everything is different from the moment of Her ‘fiat.’ This is true not only abstractly but individually- God enters each of our concrete lives and histories, such that now every element of our lives has eternal significance. Holiness then consists in being like Mary: giving our dedicated ‘yes’ every day, making the God of eternity present in our own lives.

top to bottom The “Trailer Park” hall festively decorated for the Christmas season; This angel adorns the College’s nativity scene outside the Immaculate Conception Chapel; Advent candles flicker in the darkness as Christmas approaches.

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WHAT WE’RE

READING

By The Rivers of Babylon ROBERT WILLIAMS '25, DIOCESE OF TULSA Michael O'Brien's “By The Rivers of Babylon" is an imaginative telling of the early years of the prophet Ezekiel.

The novel imagines his childhood love for God while working in the temple, his capture, and the grueling labor forced upon him and the Jewish people in Babylon. Through the eyes of the Old Testament prophet, O'Brien illustrates ancient Jewish life in the Babylon exile and the pain in Ezekiel’s heart as he witnesses brethren slowly losing their faith.

O’Brien explores how the faith and heartbreak in Ezekiel, mirroring God's sorrow over His people's waywardness, forms his prophetic call. The story encourages us to faithfulness amidst a changing culture, deepening our connection with God's enduring love. "By The Rivers of Babylon," shows how in great suffering and confusion, in all times and “in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).

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Pastoral Year Reflections Pastoral Year in Oregon

Living Sacrifices

REV. MR. JUSTIN ECHEVARRIA ’24, ARCHDIOCESE OF PORTLAND IN OREGON

THOMAS O’DONNELL ‘25, ARCHDIOCESE OF BALTIMORE

Following ordination to the diaconate last September, I returned to Oregon with my family to minister in the archdiocese for the ’22-’23 academic year. My assignment was to a parish called Christ the King in Milwaukie, Oregon under the mentorship and spiritual fatherhood of the pastor, Msgr. John Cihak '97, C'07. Being in the diocese for a year was a wonderful experience. I was able to spend time with my fellow Portland brother-seminarians, and also spent time with Archbishop Sample, serving with him as deacon for various liturgies.

The young adults who sacrifice summer vacation and commit themselves to weeks of preparation to lead their peers closer to Jesus on a retreat. The folk group director of forty years who sees his most important job as praying the music he’s playing—leading others to be filled with the Holy Spirit in the process. The “retired” priest who generously hears countless hours of confessions. The parents of a seriously disabled child, around whom their lives revolve, faithfully bringing him to Sunday Mass. The engaged couple readying themselves to approach the altar where they will entrust their lives to each other and to God. The joyful catechist who refuses to let her chronic illness keep her from teaching a class. The cheerful pastor working long days to serve his flock. The parishioner whose life has not gone as planned, but who offers himself each morning as a pleasing sacrifice to God.

The parish life at Christ the King became a crucial opportunity to experience the beautiful reality of the Priesthood of Jesus Christ. Msgr. Cihak taught me many lessons, including the sacrificial aspect that enables the effectiveness of pastoral ministry. In other words, a good priest must continue to exercise his priestly ministry amidst any and all challenges he faces in parish life. He served the people as a loving spiritual father, always demonstrating radical availability, spending time with parishioners, hearing them pour their hearts out to him.

His mentorship greatly motivated my own diaconal ministry and I enjoyed so many good experiences in encountering the People of God in the parish and in the archdiocese, carrying these experiences into this final year before priesthood.

The life of the diocesan priest is not always easy, but it reveals a beautiful, transformative encounter as a spiritual father.

Pastoral year provides a unique opportunity to prepare oneself to be dedicated to the service and salvation of the entire People of God through the sacrament of Holy Orders.

Mine helped me to grow in different skills: teaching the faith, accompanying the lost, listening to the needs of a diverse flock, burying the dead. But to me, the virtues of pastoral year are more important than any specific skill. I witnessed these virtues being poured out, first and foremost not on myself, but on the parish community. God’s grace alone enables the holy dedication of each of the members of Christ’s body in their distinct Christian vocations in the vignettes above—just a sample of what I saw on my pastoral year. I begin Third Theology shaped by what I have witnessed, and very much looking forward to my own distinct dedication.

top to bottom Rev. Mr. Justin Echevarria '24 (Portland in Oregon) (right) with his pastoral year pastor, Rev. Msgr. Cihak '97, C'07; Thomas O'Donnell '25 (Baltimore) (third from right) with the group of young adults leading a parish retreat.

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Reflection from the Superior of the Casa Santa Maria REV. JAMES J. CONN, S.J.

A

s I begin my fifth year as Casa Superior, I fondly recall my predecessor, the late Monsignor Fred Berardi, encouraging me to foster united priestly fraternity between the newly ordained PNAC seminarians and the more seasoned priests who come to Rome for advanced studies. I learned that men remaining in Rome for licentiate studies have the option, unless their bishops determine otherwise, to stay on the Janiculum or move to the Casa. The latter apparently did so for various reasons: attraction of recent renovations, proximity to their universities, and freedom to determine much of their daily horarium.

But strong bonds of friendship among these classmates and their prospect of spending only one or two further years in Rome — along with the veterans’ preoccupation with academic duties and pastoral ties at home — inhibited somewhat the achievement of the Casa’s objectives as a house for the continuing formation of priests.

Even more than in the seminary, the principal agents of continuing formation are the priests themselves.

And while the ministerial focus of most newly ordained is the par-

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ish, our ministry at the Casa is directed largely to one another. Ironically, the fraternal unity addressed in homilies and conferences was best fostered by nothing more than COVID-19 which created an environment where the two sectors of the house were together every day at prayer, at meals, and at the various social activities that we devised. The exchange of theological, spiritual, and pastoral experience grew into respect and fraternal affection in our shared priestly identity.

The unwelcome burden of the pandemic soon became an intentional dedication to our common continuing priestly formation. The newly or-

dained presided at our concelebrated Eucharist. Unexpected friendships arose between men of different ages and experiences. And with a view to future specialized ministries, the Casa sponsors two optional monthly colloquia, on the practice of canon law and on issues in seminary formation.

Our own Monsignor Shane Kirby is responsible for our Program for the Newly Ordained. This year, participants will study the USCCB’s new Guide to Ongoing Formation for Priests. This resource will help the recently ordained to assume their role as the primary protagonists of their ongoing priestly formation. Their group discussions will focus on what it means to live the priesthood in a healthy way, and the means available to promote ongoing human, intellectual, spiritual and pastoral formation.

The Casa seniors may learn something from them. n

top to bottom Priests at the Casa Santa Maria celebrate Mass in the CSM Chapel; Casa Priests enjoy fraternity during the annual Opening Banquet; An address is given during a CSM house meeting; A statue of Our Lady adorns the CSM courtyard.

My Ministry with ICTE Sabbatical Priests REV. SCOTT BRODEUR, SJ, PROFESSOR, PONTIFICAL GREGORIAN UNIVERSITY

W

hy do I love to teach ICTE’s sabbatical priests? What keeps me coming back to the Casa O’Toole? Let me share three points that have deeply touched me over the years.

1. Letter to the Romans When in Rome, why not also study St. Paul’s famous Letter to the Romans? After years of classroom talks, it dawned on me that we could do much more. Why not also explore the very heart of the empire’s capital? In addition to lectures, how about a walking tour of the Jewish Museum and neighborhood, the nearby San Paolo alla Regola (house arrest), Tre Fontane (martyrdom) and St Paul’s Outside the Walls (his tomb)? Touring these sites helps bring the Pauline gospel to life!

2. Exegesis, biblical theology, homiletics I taught in this year’s first module dedicated to the theme, “Spiritual Theology of Mary.” When Fr. Edward Linton, OSB, asked about possible themes, I thought of two great Marian solemnities: the Mother of God and the Assumption of Mary. “What if I take the second reading for those two Masses and then comment on them?”, I asked. He liked the idea, and so it was settled. I needed to dedicate one day to Galatians 4:4-7 and the next to 1 Corinthians 15:54b-57 (vigil Mass) and 1 Corinthians 15:20-27a (Mass during the day). Although the Apostle never mentions Mary by name,

he writes that God’s Son “was born of a woman.” If identifying the two Pauline texts was easy, I next needed to prepare material on the letters’ addressees, their unity and composition, their major theological themes, and also dedicate time to a close reading of the passages which would include points of reflection for future homilies. I really enjoy meeting that challenge by helping my fellow priests break open the Word for their parishioners.

3. Pilgrimages In order to appreciate the apostle Paul’s letters, we must first know his world, i.e. the Roman empire during the first century. Over the years, I have led ICTE pilgrimages to Turkey, Cyprus, Greece, Malta and the Jewish quarter of Rome.

With our bible in hand, we walked on stones touched by the apostles themselves. These spiritual experiences are deeply formative and unforgettable.

The exegete’s task is to explain the Word and help others grasp its theological meaning. Doing this for and with my fellow priests at the Casa O’Toole consoles me deeply and affirms me in my vocation as a professor.

Fr. Brodeur has been a professor of theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University for over 30 years. A native of New Hampshire, Fr. Brodeur is a fully professed member of the Jesuit’s Eastern Province in the United States. n

Rev. Scott Brodeur, SJ, (center) with a group of ICTE priests after a presentation.

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Pillars of Our History MARK RANDALL, CFRE • EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT

I

n 2024, the Pontifical North American College will celebrate it’s 165th anniversary. On December 8th, 1859, the College was dedicated and the first students – twelve in total – began a journey that over 5,000 American men have also since undertaken: priestly formation in the Eternal City.

Our initial home on Via dell’Umiltà (Humility Street) served us well for most of our first century until we outgrew the residence that dates back to the late 16th century.

This year, we celebrate the 70th anniversary of the dedication of the current seminary location on the Janiculum Hill. Pope Pius XII was present on October 14, 1953 to bless the building, and we continue to renovate the large campus to accommodate the needs of our community.

The College has a rich history – how could it not? We are America’s seminary in Rome, situated literally in the shadow of St. Peter’s Basilica. Our history has been chronicled in not one but three different volumes. These books are full of stories about the pillars of our history – not only buildings, however, but people.

People like the many popes who have welcomed our seminarians to events public and private and have visited the College.

And of course, our seminarians themselves – the focus of our mission from the very beginning. These men who are being formed with hearts of Jesus Christ exude a sense of joy and dedication to their vocation that is palpable, as many a visitor has noted when visiting the College.

Finally, it must be said that our history would not have been possible without the dedication of our benefactors. Our enterprise, although worthy and very much needed, has been and continues to be an expensive one. God provides for us through you: our alumni, lay benefactors, and friends.

You will soon receive a letter from Monsignor Powers asking you to recognize our rich history of service to the Church by making a gift to our December 8th Annual Appeal. It is our largest appeal of the year and accounts for a significant part of our budget.

We will also be announcing very soon an exciting new campaign to ready the College for the Jubilee Year 2025 and beyond. These series of projects at both campuses will ensure we can best serve our community well into the next chapter of our history.

Thank you for being part of it.

People like the Church leaders who first promoted the idea of a seminary in Rome exclusively for Americans; and the bishops who send their men for a Roman formation experience and release priests to come serve on our formation team.

History books about PNAC

inset Pope Pius XII in Immaculate Conception Chapel during the dedication of NAC.

For more information about The Pontifical North American College, subscription questions, or to learn about ways you can financially support “America’s Seminary in Rome,” please contact Mark Randall, CFRE, Executive Director, Institutional Advancement.

Tel: (202) 541-5411 I Fax: (202) 470-6211 I Email: pnacdc@pnac.org I Website: www.pnac.org 30

The Pontifical North American College

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Make your travel plans today and join us for an extraordinary evening in celebration of our mission and those who so generously support our work.

THURSDAY, APRIL 11, 2024 JANICULUM CAMPUS, ROME

RECTOR’S AWARD HONOREES His Eminence Wilton Cardinal Gregory C’80 Archbishop of Washington ....

Mrs. Lory Mondaini Former Secretary to the Rector

Your Year-end Support Makes a Difference!

Watch your mailbox for the 2023 December 8th Annual Appeal. Marking the anniversary of our founding, the Appeal provides for the general funding of our annual financial needs: basic costs within our budget that allow us to provide a quality program of formation. Since we receive no financial support from the Holy See or USCCB, we rely on generous support from our alumni and lay friends to help make our mission possible. Thank you!

Please support the December 8th Annual Appeal by: using the reply envelope that comes with the mailing; using the reply envelope in this magazine; making an online gift at onlinegiving.pnac.org or scan the QR code.

ROMAN ECHOES 2023 • VOLUME 28: ISSUE 1

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The Pontifical North American College Office of Institutional Advancement 3211 Fourth Street, NE Washington, D.C. 20017-1194 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED1

NON-PROFIT ORG. US. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 144 WALDORF, MD